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Experimental Forum

CA, United States

Festival overview

About Experimental Forum

Physical film festival in CA, United States with submission categories including First Feature and First Short.

Forum is an international film and video art festival showcasing experimental film and artists’ moving image from auteur filmmakers and innovative video artists from around the globe. Our aim is to provide a supportive platform for the exciting and challenging work that is outside the scope of mainstream film festivals and art galleries.

We welcome experimental cinema pieces (abstract, narrative or documentary), video art works, essay films, artists’ moving image and media art, as well as documentary and narrative films that seek to expand, redefine or reconfigure the means and ends of their respective fields. Experimental Forum exists to provide access to, and develop audiences for, artists’ moving image work and is committed to engaging local audiences with new and/or unheard voices in film.

We are particularly interested in works made by early stage filmmakers and artists whose work is underrepresented. We provide a collaborative platform for moving image works made for the gallery and for the cinema with the aim of building a community across disciplinary and institutional faultlines.

Schedule

Important Dates

Call for Entries Opens
Feb 18, 2026
Final Submission Deadline
Dec 31, 2026
Notification Date
Jan 8, 2027
Festival Starts
Feb 7, 2027
Festival Ends
Feb 7, 2027
Eligibility

Rules & Eligibility

General Rules+

  1. Experimental Forum is now accepting entries for its 2027 edition festival.

  2. We are open to all kinds of experimental films including documentary, narrative, experimental, animation, video art and other genres in any language, from around the world.

  3. We’re open to old or new work and we’re happy to accept work that has already screened at other festivals.

  4. We recommend that non-English language films be subtitled in English.

  5. By submitting, the filmmaker warrants that they are the rightful owner of the submission and do not violate or infringe on any trademark, trade name, copyright, literary, dramatic, musical, artistic or other intellectual property or personal rights.

  6. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Experimental Forum, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

  7. Experimental Forum is hereby granted the rights to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted for promotional purposes of the festival.

  8. The indivi

Current Categories, Deadlines & Fees

Category

First Feature

First Feature currently lists a maximum runtime of 46 minutes. Listed fees include EUR 36 early-bird, EUR 37 regular, EUR 38 late, and EUR 39 extended.

Current FeeEUR 36.00Early
RuntimeMaximum runtime: 46 minutes
Category

First Short

First Short currently lists a maximum runtime of 45 minutes. Listed fees include EUR 35 early-bird, EUR 36 regular, EUR 37 late, and EUR 38 extended.

Current FeeEUR 35.00Early
RuntimeMaximum runtime: 45 minutes
Category

run time over 45 minutes in length

Current Fee—
Category

Documentary Feature

Documentary Feature currently lists a maximum runtime of 46 minutes. Listed fees include EUR 36 early-bird, EUR 37 regular, EUR 38 late, and EUR 39 extended.

Current FeeEUR 36.00Early
RuntimeMaximum runtime: 46 minutes
Category

Documentary Short

Documentary Short currently lists a maximum runtime of 45 minutes. Listed fees include EUR 35 early-bird, EUR 36 regular, EUR 37 late, and EUR 38 extended.

Current FeeEUR 35.00Early
RuntimeMaximum runtime: 45 minutes
Category

run time of 45 minutes or less

Current Fee—
Category

Narrative Feature

Narrative Feature currently lists a maximum runtime of 46 minutes. Listed fees include EUR 36 early-bird, EUR 37 regular, EUR 38 late, and EUR 39 extended.

Current FeeEUR 36.00Early
RuntimeMaximum runtime: 46 minutes
Category

Experimental Feature

Experimental Feature currently lists a maximum runtime of 46 minutes. Listed fees include EUR 36 early-bird, EUR 37 regular, EUR 38 late, and EUR 39 extended.

Current FeeEUR 36.00Early
RuntimeMaximum runtime: 46 minutes
Category

1 minute film

1 minute film currently lists a maximum runtime of 1 minutes. Listed fees include EUR 35 early-bird, EUR 36 regular, EUR 37 late, and EUR 38 extended.

Current FeeEUR 35.00Early
RuntimeMaximum runtime: 1 minutes
Category

Animation Short

Animation Short currently lists a maximum runtime of 45 minutes. Listed fees include EUR 35 early-bird, EUR 36 regular, EUR 37 late, and EUR 38 extended.

Current FeeEUR 35.00Early
RuntimeMaximum runtime: 45 minutes
Category

Student Film

Listed fees include EUR 35 early-bird, EUR 36 regular, EUR 37 late, and EUR 38 extended.

Current FeeEUR 35.00Early
Category

Experimental Short

Experimental Short currently lists a maximum runtime of 45 minutes. Listed fees include EUR 35 early-bird, EUR 36 regular, EUR 37 late, and EUR 38 extended.

Current FeeEUR 35.00Early
RuntimeMaximum runtime: 45 minutes
Category

Narrative Short

Narrative Short currently lists a maximum runtime of 45 minutes. Listed fees include EUR 35 early-bird, EUR 36 regular, EUR 37 late, and EUR 38 extended.

Current FeeEUR 35.00Early
RuntimeMaximum runtime: 45 minutes
Category

Foreign Language Feature

Current Fee—
Category

Trailer (from 10 to 180 seconds)

Trailer (from 10 to 180 seconds) currently lists a maximum runtime of 3 minutes. Listed fees include EUR 35 early-bird, EUR 36 regular, EUR 37 late, and EUR 38 extended.

Current FeeEUR 35.00Early
RuntimeMaximum runtime: 3 minutes
Category

Foreign Language Short

Current Fee—
Category

One Shot Movie

The rules are simple: make a one shot film or video work. All genres and types may be submitted. Remember: no cuts, no edits, just a single shot!

Current FeeEUR 36.00Early
Category

Screenplay

Current Fee—
Category

All genres and types may be submitted, but must be 1 minute or less

Current Fee—
Category

All genres and types may be submitted, but must be 3 minutes or less

Current Fee—
Category

The rules are simple: make a one shot film or video work. All genres and types may be submitted. Remember: no cuts, no edits, just a single shot!

Current Fee—
Category

Video Art Film

Current Fee—
Category

Any length

Current Fee—
Category

Dance Film

Current Fee—
Category

Music Video

Current Fee—
Category

New Media/Web Series

Current Fee—
Category

Vertical Video

Current Fee—
Category

LGBTQ Film

Current Fee—
Category

Erotica

Current Fee—

Festival Photos & Videos

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Experimental Forum