Connecting Cultures and Continents from Istanbul
Festival Name: Anatolia International Film Festival (AIFF)
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Dates: December 25, 2026 (The festival is held three times a year)
About the Festival: The Anatolia International Film Festival (an IMDb-accredited festival since 2020) aims to connect audiences with short films, feature films, and documentaries from around the globe. Centered on the connection of cultures and continents, the festival particularly encourages submissions from female filmmakers. All selected works are evaluated by an academic jury.
Awards:
- Film Awards: Best Short Film, Drama, Animation, Thriller/Horror, Documentary Short, Documentary Feature, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Micro Short, Comedy, Feature Film, Low Budget Film, European Film, American Film, Experimental Film, Music Video, and AI-Generated Films.
- Technical & Individual Awards: Most Promising Director, Best Director (General & Female), Best Lead Actor/Actress, Cinematography, Best Trailer, Editing, Original Score, Cinematic Experimentation, Original Story (New), Best Twisted Final, Best Creative Poster, and specialized Documentary awards (Editing, Cinematography, Cultural Documentary, and Narration).
- Special Services: Professional Film Review (available upon selection of the specific category).
- Trophies & Certificates: Official certificates and statues are provided (Free nationwide shipping within Turkey; international shipping is subject to a fee).
Accepted Genres: All genres for both short and feature films (Narrative, Documentary, Animation, etc.). (Note: Inappropriate content will result in disqualification).
Runtime: Short Films: Under 30 minutes / Feature Films: Up to 180 minutes (including credits).
Production Year: Produced after 2010.
Language & Subtitles: Non-English films must include English subtitles.
Deadline: December 25, 2026
Submission Fee: Variable.
Other Details:
- The festival is IMDb-accredited.
- The filmmaker is solely responsible for all legal rights, copyrights, licenses, and music clearances used within the work.
- By submitting, you grant the festival permission to use film clips for promotional purposes across its website and various media platforms.
- If the “+Film Review” category is selected, the festival’s specialist team will provide comprehensive feedback, which will be published on the festival website, social media channels, and, if applicable, the film’s IMDb page.
- In the event of a high volume of submissions, the festival reserves the right to screen only the finalists and winning films at the official screening centers.
- The decisions of the jury are final; in the event of a tie, the Festival Director’s decision shall prevail.
