Introduction to the film festival
CIFF is excited to return to the beautiful and iconic Playhouse Square - the largest performing arts district in the U.S., outside of New York City. All Festival details (including dates, format, and venues) are subject to change.
CIFF50 will consist of hundreds of films, post-film conversations and Q&As with filmmakers, balloting, and over $70,000 in cash awards.
CIFF is committed to offering screening fees or travel assistance for all feature films accepted into the Festival along with nightly networking opportunities for ALL guest filmmakers. We are happy to report that CIFF continues to be one of the few Academy Award®-qualifying festivals in the world for all three categories of shorts films—live action, animated, and documentary. CIFF accepts films of any runtime, any genre, and from every country. CIFF is also happy to once again offer submission waivers to any CIFF alum (1 per person) whose current film meets the CIFF50 requirements.
The CIFF audience is a microcosm of the city of Cleveland, ranging from middle, high school, and college students, to young families, to seniors. As such, our Screening Team is a microcosm of our audience - a diverse volunteer committee of over 150 film enthusiasts, ranging from industry professionals to local film students. Each submitted film is screened in full by at least three Screening Team judges, who are also required to submit written constructive feedback for each film they watch. Any paid submission is eligible to receive this feedback post-festival, regardless of selection.
Those films that move on from our general Screening Team (typically about 1/3 of submissions) are then viewed and considered by our Features and Shorts Programming Teams. CIFF Programmers are selected based on lived experience, professional experience, and knowledge of CIFF audience. Combined with curated films from other festivals, the latest edition of CIFF (2025) programmed 104 feature films and 200 short films from 60 countries.
Awards
feature and short awards at CIFF50, where we'll be giving away over $70,000 in cash prizes.
Rules
Films whose productions were completed after June 1, 2024, are eligible for submission to CIFF50.
In order to be eligible for participation in CIFF50, films must NOT have been exhibited in person within the Greater Cleveland area, as CIFF requires a Cleveland premiere at the least. Films that have been previously screened online in an official ticketed-festival capacity are eligible for CIFF50 submission, as long as they have not been made available to audiences in the Greater Cleveland area.
All films under 45 minutes in length are considered short films. Films between 45 and 150 minutes can be submitted to either of our feature categories. Films over 150 minutes will not be accepted.
Please do not submit any works in progress or any industrial or instructional films.
All films (feature and short) must be available for theatrical exhibition as a DCP. For all films that will be participating in the potential online component of the festival, films must also be available as a .mp4 or other CIFF-approved digital file. 35MM, BLU-RAY, AND DVD ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE FORMATS FOR CIFF50 EXHIBITION.
| Jury Name | Judge photos | Jury Profile |
|---|
Authorization type
Duration (several sessions)
Film Festival Features
Dates & Deadlines
2025-07-01
Submission start time
2025-09-05
Earlybird Deadline
2025-10-29
Regular Deadline
2025-12-17
final Deadline
2026-01-02
late Deadline
2026-01-02
Submission end time
2026-02-20
Finalist notification start time
2026-02-20
Finalist notification end time
2026-04-09
Award ceremony start time
2026-04-18
Award ceremony end time
Categories and fees
2025/09/05
Earlybird Deadline
Standard: 75 Dollar
Student： 75 Dollar
2025/10/29
Regular Deadline
Standard: 90 Dollar
Student： 90 Dollar
2025/12/17
final Deadline
Standard: 105 Dollar
Student： 105 Dollar
2026/01/02
late Deadline
Standard: 130 Dollar
Student： 130 Dollar
2025/09/05
Earlybird Deadline
Standard: 75 Dollar
Student： 75 Dollar
2025/10/29
Regular Deadline
Standard: 90 Dollar
Student： 90 Dollar
2025/12/17
final Deadline
Standard: 105 Dollar
Student： 105 Dollar
2026/01/02
late Deadline
Standard: 130 Dollar
Student： 130 Dollar
2025/09/05
Earlybird Deadline
Standard: 50 Dollar
Student： 45 Dollar
2025/10/29
Regular Deadline
Standard: 65 Dollar
Student： 58 Dollar
2025/12/17
final Deadline
Standard: 80 Dollar
Student： 72 Dollar
2026/01/02
late Deadline
Standard: 100 Dollar
Student： 90 Dollar
2025/09/05
Earlybird Deadline
Standard: 50 Dollar
Student： 45 Dollar
2025/10/29
Regular Deadline
Standard: 65 Dollar
Student： 58 Dollar
2025/12/17
final Deadline
Standard: 80 Dollar
Student： 72 Dollar
2026/01/02
late Deadline
Standard: 100 Dollar
Student： 90 Dollar
2025/09/05
Earlybird Deadline
Standard: 50 Dollar
Student： 45 Dollar
2025/10/29
Regular Deadline
Standard: 65 Dollar
Student： 58 Dollar
2025/12/17
final Deadline
Standard: 80 Dollar
Student： 72 Dollar
2026/01/02
late Deadline
Standard: 100 Dollar
Student： 90 Dollar
Related film festivalMore
View in the applet
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