Early Bird ISFF 2025 – Call for Entries

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Submissions are now open for the 21st edition of the Early Bird International Student Film Festival.

The competition is open to international and Bulgarian student short films that meet the following criteria:

  • The film should be in one of the categories – fiction, animation or documentary.
  • Тhe director must be a student at the time of the filming. A document – stamped and signed by the University, showing the student status of the applicant, is required. 
  • The duration of each film must not surpass 30 minutes.
  • The Festival accepts HD digital screening copies with English subtitles (if the dialog is not in English).  The file formats are AVI – Microsoft DV codec, MOV – Apple QuickTime ProRes 422 codec, MPEG-4 – H.264 video codec.
  • For preliminary selection are admitted films completed after January 01, 2024.
  • Films that have been submitted to Early Bird ISFF in previous year are not eligible for entry again.
  • One director can participate with two films, if they are in two different categories and are submitted with separate entry forms. 
  • One film is allowed to take part under one single category. Once the registration is done, no changes to the category of the film can be done. 
  • There is no entry fee.

In order to participate in the preliminary selection of Early Bird 2025 you have to complete the submission form. Each candidate should provide:

  • Link to an online screener with English subtitles (if the dialog is not in English). Please note, that the link must remain active till mid-Ocober, 2025. 
  • Valid password (if needed)
  • Detailed information about the film and it’s authors

The submission deadline is September 18, 2025

The Selection committee will decide which films can participate in the Competition program of Early Bird ISFF 2025. The list of selected films will be announced in mid-October on the festival website, under Official Selection. The contact person will receive an email with personalized link to upload the following: 

  • The film with English subtitles (if the dialog is not in English)
  • Three stills from the film
  • Recent picture of the director
  • Scanned copy of a document, that proves the student status of the director
  • Poster 
  • Trailer (optional)

The prize fund of the Festival is 4 700 USD, divided into 12 categories:

  • Early Bird Grand Award- original sculpture and financing of the next film project – 1000$.
  • Best Bulgarian film – financing of the next film project – 500$.
  • Best Foreign film – financing of the next film project – 500$.
  • President of the Jury Award – financing of the next film project – 300$.
  • Best Fiction – financing of the next film project – 300$.
  • Best Animation – financing of the next film project – 300$.
  • Best Documentary -financing of the next film project – 300$.
  • Best Directing – financing of the next film project – 300$.
  • Best Screenplay – financing of the next film project – 300$.
  • Best Cinematography – financing of the next film project – 300$.
  • Best Editing – financing of the next film project – 300$.
  • SEECS Award – financing of the next film project – 300$.

One film can receive more than one award. All prizes will be awarded after the final screenings of the festival. The jury members are required to keep secret their decisions till the Award ceremony.

Submission form: earlybirdfest.org