FESTIVAL STRATEGY & FILM POSITIONING
A tailored strategy based on the film’s format, genre, current position and objectives.
FESTIVAL FACTS
- Location
- İstanbul, Türkiye
- Festival Type
- International Short Film Festival + Short Film Forum
- Current Edition
- Akbank Short Film Festival 2027
- Call Status
- OPEN CALL
- Festival Start Date
- March 16, 2027
- Festival End Date
- March 24, 2027
- Current Film Submission Deadline
- December 11, 2026
- Accepted Works
- National Short Film Competition, International Short Film Competition, New Talents Short Film Competition, Forum Screenplay Competition
- Official Website
- Open official website ↗
- Organiser / Presenting Organisation
- Akbank Sanat
- Founded
- 2004
- Official Rules
- Open official rules ↗
- Official Submission
- Open submission platform ↗
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Akbank Short Film Festival is an Istanbul-based short-film festival organised by Akbank Sanat, combining national and international competitions with a development route for emerging filmmakers and a screenplay forum for projects at an earlier stage.
OPEN CALL
CURRENT EDITION — Akbank Short Film Festival 2027
The 23rd Akbank Short Film Festival takes place in Istanbul from 16 to 24 March 2027. Current competition applications close on 11 December 2026 at 23:59, and the Short Film Forum takes place on 20–21 March 2027.
This Edition
About Akbank Short Film Festival
Founded in 2004 and organised by Akbank Sanat, Akbank Short Film Festival treats short-form cinema as a distinct field with its own narrative possibilities.
Its programme combines national and international competitions with non-competitive screenings, talks, workshops, masterclasses and industry meetings. The festival also supports projects before production through its Forum Screenplay Competition and creates a separate route for filmmakers aged 22 and under through New Talents.
Which Route Fits Your Film or Project?
The 23rd edition has four main application routes: International Short Film Competition, National Short Film Competition, New Talents Short Film Competition and Forum Screenplay Competition.
The International Short Film Competition accepts films from all regions of the world across themes and genres, from 1 to 30 minutes including credits. Türkiye-produced films may also enter this competition.
The National Short Film Competition is open to Turkish citizens and follows the same 1–30 minute duration range. Films for both competitions must have been completed after 1 January 2026.
New Talents is open to Turkish citizens aged 22 and under on 11 December 2026 and accepts fiction, documentary, experimental and animation shorts from 1 to 20 minutes including credits.
The Short Film Forum is a screenplay-stage project route. Eight scripts are selected for presentation to the Forum jury.
Akbank Short Film Festival 2027
The 23rd Akbank Short Film Festival takes place in Istanbul from 16 to 24 March 2027.
Applications for the current competition routes close on 11 December 2026 at 23:59. The Short Film Forum takes place during the festival on 20–21 March 2027.
Submission Preparation
For the International Competition and New Talents, applicants need an English-subtitled viewing link and the information required by the online form, followed by a scanned, wet-signed application form sent by email. The national and international competitions require a password-protected link accessible for at least six months.
For the Forum, applicants should prepare the Turkish screenplay, signed application form and requested project information.
AD1 FILM can review the project route, runtime, submission materials and wider festival positioning before application.
Selected-Film Terms
Four routes: National Short Film Competition (Turkish citizens), International Short Film Competition (worldwide), New Talents Short Film Competition (Turkish citizens aged 22 or under on 11 December 2026), and Forum Screenplay Competition (Turkish citizens). National and International films: 1–30 minutes including credits, completed after 1 January 2026. New Talents films: 1–20 minutes including credits, completed on or after 1 January 2026. Forum: completed unproduced Turkish screenplay, at most 30 pages; presentations on 20–21 March 2027. See category rules for screener, subtitles and application steps.
FESTIVAL STRATEGY
A FESTIVAL STRATEGYSHAPED AROUND YOUR FILM
From festival positioning and targeting to presentation materials, submissions and festival relations, AD1 FILM builds the working strategy around the film and its objectives.
FESTIVAL TARGETING & PREMIERE STRATEGY
Festival targeting, submission sequencing and premiere planning.
FILM PRESENTATION & FESTIVAL MATERIALS
Metadata, logline, synopsis, director’s statement, EPK and Online EPK preparation or review.
SUBMISSION MANAGEMENT & FESTIVAL RELATIONS
Submission management, tracking, material delivery and festival correspondence throughout the festival campaign.