FESTIVAL STRATEGY & FILM POSITIONING
A tailored strategy based on the film’s format, genre, current position and objectives.
FESTIVAL FACTS
- Location
- Malmö, Sweden
- Festival Type
- International Children’s & Youth Film Festival
- Current Edition
- BUFF Malmö Film Festival 2027: Children’s and Youth Film Submissions
- Call Status
- OPEN CALL
- Festival Start Date
- March 13, 2027
- Festival End Date
- March 19, 2027
- Current Film Submission Deadline
- November 15, 2026
- Accepted Works
- Feature Film, Short Film, children’s and youth cinema
- Official Website
- Open official website ↗
- Organiser / Presenting Organisation
- BUFF, a non-profit association
- Founded
- 1984
- Call Opening
- June 15, 2026
- Official Rules
- Open official rules ↗
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
BUFF Malmö Film Festival is an international children’s and youth film festival in Malmö, presenting films from around the world that are told from children’s or young people’s perspectives and supporting professional discussion around cinema for young audiences.
OPEN CALL
CURRENT EDITION — BUFF Malmö Film Festival 2027: Children’s and Youth Film Submissions
BUFF Malmö Film Festival returns to Malmö from 13 to 19 March 2027. Submissions are open from 15 June to 15 November 2026, with separate feature-film and short-film programming groups.
This Edition
About BUFF Malmö Film Festival
Founded in 1984, BUFF Malmö Film Festival is an international festival dedicated to cinema for children and young people. Held annually in Malmö, it brings films from around the world to young audiences and programmes work that treats children and young people as serious viewers with distinct perspectives.
BUFF also functions as a professional meeting place for people working with film for young audiences, with discussion around production, distribution, screening and access. Its selection approach seeks breadth in tone, subject and lived experience while representing audiences from preschool through high-school age.
BUFF Malmö Film Festival 2027
BUFF Malmö Film Festival returns to Malmö from 13 to 19 March 2027 with an international programme built around cinema for children and young people.
Submissions for the 2027 edition are open from 15 June to 15 November 2026. The effective final deadline is 15 November 2026.
Feature and Short Film Routes
BUFF organises selection through separate feature-film and short-film programming groups. The current public routes are Children’s / Youth Feature Film and Children’s / Youth Short Film.
The current public rules leave runtime open across these routes.
Premiere and Screener Requirements
For the 2027 edition, eligible submitted films must have a premiere date after 1 January 2026.
The screener must have English dialogue or English subtitles, with Swedish-language films handled through the festival’s Swedish-language route.
Selected Film Delivery
If selected, BUFF requires a DCP with English dialogue or English subtitles no later than one month before the festival begins.
Programming Focus
BUFF’s published criteria foreground films told from children’s or young people’s perspectives and work that broadens what younger audiences can encounter in cinema.
AD1 FILM can review audience positioning, perspective, premiere status and submission materials, then position a children’s or youth film within a broader festival strategy.
Selected-Film Terms
Selection is handled through separate feature-film and short-film programming groups. If selected, BUFF requires a DCP with English dialogue or English subtitles no later than one month before the festival begins. No public runtime limit is stated in the current rules.
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.