2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List

Here is the Qualifying Film Festival List for the upcoming Academy Awards.

2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List Top Entries

#161
The Sydney Film Festival (SFF), founded in 1954, is one of the longest-running film festivals in the world.
#162
The Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards, founded in 1962, is one of the most prestigious events celebrating Chinese-language cinema.
#163
The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), founded in 1997, has grown into one of Northern Europe's largest and most prestigious film festivals.
#164
The Tampere Film Festival, founded in 1969, is one of Europe’s most esteemed international short film festivals.
#165
The Tasveer South Asian Film Festival (TSAFF), established in 2002 in Seattle, Washington, is the world's largest South Asian film festival.
#166
The Tehran International Short Film Festival (TISFF), founded in 1983, is one of Iran's most prestigious and longest-running film festivals, dedicated exclusively to short films.
#167
The Thessaloniki International Documentary Film Festival (TIFF), founded in 1960 as the Week of Greek Cinema, has evolved into one of Southeastern Europe's premier film festivals.
#168
The Thomas Edison Film Festival (TEFF), originally known as the Black Maria Film Festival, was founded in 1981 by John Columbus.
#169
The Tirana International Film Festival (TIFF), established in 2003, is Albania’s premier film festival, showcasing innovative works across genres, bridging cultures, and celebrating global cinematic excellence.
#170
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), established in 1976, is one of the largest and most influential film festivals, renowned for showcasing global cinema and predicting awards season success.
#171
The Tribeca Film Festival, founded in 2001, is a multidisciplinary event celebrating storytelling across film, television, VR, and gaming, revitalizing Lower Manhattan's culture and economy post-9/11.
#172
The Uppsala International Short Film Festival, established in 1982, is Sweden's premier event for short films and one of Europe's most prominent short film festivals.
#173
The Urbanworld Film Festival, founded in 1997 by Stacy Spikes, is one of the largest internationally competitive festivals dedicated to celebrating multicultural storytelling across cinema and media platforms.
#174
The Venice Film Festival, founded in 1932, is one of the world’s oldest film festivals, showcasing international cinema and hosting world premieres, including films that dominate awards season.
#175
Vienna Shorts, Austria's largest international short film festival, takes place annually in May in Vienna.
#176
The Vilnius Short Film Festival (VSFF) is Lithuania’s largest and most prominent festival dedicated to short films.
#177
Visions du Réel, originally founded as the Nyon International Documentary Film Festival in 1969, is one of the world’s leading platforms for documentary cinema.
#178
The Warsaw Film Festival (WFF), founded in 1985 by the Film Discussion Club "Hybrydy" under Roman Gutek, has grown into one of the most prominent cultural events in Poland and Eastern Europe.
#179
The Woodstock Film Festival, founded in 2000, is an Oscar-qualifying event in New York's Hudson Valley, renowned for celebrating independent filmmaking and fostering innovative storytelling through diverse programming.
#180
The Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (YIDFF), established in 1989, is Asia's first international documentary film festival and one of the longest-running documentary festivals in the world.

2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List Top Entries

#141
The St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF), founded in 1992, is an annual celebration of cinema held in St. Louis, Missouri.
#142
San Francisco International Film Festival The San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF), established in 1957, is the longest-running film festival in the Americas, renowned for celebrating cinematic excellence and diverse storytelling.
#143
The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival (SFJFF), founded in 1980, is the world's oldest and largest Jewish film festival, dedicated to celebrating the richness of Jewish life, culture, and identity through cinema.
#144
The San Jose International Short Film Festival (SJSFF) was founded in 2009 by two Silicon Valley businessmen passionate about filmmaking and the arts.
#145
The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (SLOIFF), founded in 1993 by attorney Mary A. Harris, is a highly regarded annual event held in San Luis Obispo, California.
#146
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), established in 1986, is an 11-day annual event showcasing over 200 films, honoring cinematic excellence, and celebrating diverse storytelling.
#147
The Santa Fe International Film Festival (SFiFF), founded in 2009, is a distinguished annual event held in the artistic hub of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
#148
The Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF), founded in 1995 during the siege of Sarajevo, has emerged as Southeast Europe’s leading film festival and a significant cultural event globally.
#149
The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), founded in 1976, is one of the largest and most renowned film festivals in the world.
#150
The Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival (SDFF), founded in 2007, has grown from its regional roots in Sonoma County and the San Francisco Bay Area to become a globally recognized event.
#151
The Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA), founded in 1999 by Japanese actor Tetsuya Bessho, is one of Asia's largest and most prestigious short film festivals.
#152
Show Me Shorts is Aotearoa New Zealand’s premier international short film festival, established in 2006.
#153
SIGGRAPH, founded in 1974 and organized by ACM SIGGRAPH, is the preeminent annual conference dedicated to computer graphics and interactive techniques.
#154
The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), founded in 1987 by Geoffrey Malone and L. Leland Whitney, is Singapore's longest-running film event.
#155
The Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, founded in 1968 as the "1st International Week of Fantasy and Horror Movies," is one of the world’s most renowned film festivals dedicated to fantasy, horror, science fiction, and thriller genres.
#156
The Slamdance Film Festival, founded in 1995, runs concurrently with the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, and is renowned for its commitment to showcasing independent films by emerging filmmakers.
#157
South by Southwest (SXSW), established in 1987, is an iconic festival blending film, music, and interactive media, renowned for spotlighting innovation and emerging talent in Austin, Texas.
#158
SPARK ANIMATION, founded in 2008, is Western Canada's leading animation festival, celebrating the art and innovation of animated storytelling.
#159
The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS), founded in 1982, is a globally renowned event celebrating the art and craft of animation.
#160
The Sundance Film Festival, established in 1978, is America’s holy grail of independent film festivals, showcasing groundbreaking films and launching the careers of prominent filmmakers worldwide.

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