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Introduction to the film festival

“The Quarantine” is an international short film festival aimed at popularizing young and unknown authors among professional filmmakers’ circles. The festival is organized on completely voluntary basis, there are no screening fees and nobody receives any payment.

The festival takes place on the beach at “The Quarantine” fishing village which is the last standing fishing village in Varna, Bulgaria. The village is in danger of disappearing because a luxury residential complex is under construction on the coastline behind it. By provoking cultural exchange between contemporary artists from the whole world and locals, we intend to turn the fishing village into a culture and art zone and to preserve the fishermen’s way of life.

The name of the region “The Quarantine” comes from the past when sailors from commercial ships entering the harbor with suspicion of some kind of disease were taken ashore at the beach for the quarantine period of 40 days. In case they showed no signs of illness, they were allowed access to town. At present, the young authors who have still not found their realization are in the state of a “Quarantine” – isolated by professional filmmakers’ circles. In analogy to the history of the location, we decided to name the festival “The Quarantine”.

Goals and Tasks:

- Cultural exchange among young people who are having their debut in cinema, representatives of different cultures. Through their participation in the “The Quarantine Film Festival” their films will gain popularity and this will accelerate the entering of these authors in the cinematographic environment.
- Professional development of the young people through their participation in trainings, creative workshops and working meetings within the framework of the festival.
- Informal meeting with the artistic and academic circles.
- Aesthetic pleasure from the contemporary cinematography.
- Establishing international contacts and interaction with partner organizations.
- Protection of the uniqueness and urban format of the fishers’ village “The Quarantine”.
- Development of an alternative cultural center “The Quarantine”.
- Decentralization of cultural life in the city of Varna.
- Sustainable development throughout the years.

Awards

3 Awards

1 People’s Choice Award

All awards are of equal value and don’t have financial character.

The Awards include statue, plaquette & diploma.

Rules

Genre ：
Subject ：
Video Format ：MPEG4 MOV

It's an international short film festival.
Films with duration of up to 30 minutes.
We accept films in one of the following categories: Fiction films, Documentaries, Animations, Experimental films and video art.
The entry fee is 4€. All gathered funds will be used to buy technical equipment and cover the festival expenses.
By submitting your work you support our cause to preserve the fishermen’s way of life. The festival is organised on voluntary basis and nobody receives any payment.
By submitting a film to the Quarantine, the submitter declares that they carry the right to manage the authors’ and related rights for the film and all property relationships with the rights’ owners have been cleared and paid for. The submitter agrees for the film to be included in the festival program and other screenings related to the Festival. The submitter agrees for screenshots, trailers and parts of the film to be shown (online and in other types of media) to the purpose of promoting the film’s participation in the Festival.

Deadline - March 15, 2026.

The selected films will be notified till June, 2026.

Evaluation

Jury Profile
Jury Name Judge photos Jury Profile

Authorization type

    Exclusive Contract

Duration (several sessions)

    10

Film Festival Features

  • Filmscreen
  • Prize
  • Certificate

Dates & Deadlines

  • 2025-11-21
    Submission start time

  • 2026-02-20
    Earlybird Deadline

  • 2026-03-15
    Late Deadline

  • 2026-03-20
    Extended Deadline

  • 2026-03-20
    Submission end time

  • 2026-06-10
    Finalist notification start time

  • 2026-06-10
    Finalist notification end time

  • 2026-08-04
    Award ceremony start time

  • 2026-08-08
    Award ceremony end time

Categories and fees

  • fiction
    Video length ：1 - 30
    Films with duration of up to 30 minutes. We accept films in one of the following categories: Fiction films, Documentaries, Animations, Experimental films and video art. There is a entry fee. All gathered funds will be used to buy technical equipment and cover the festival expenses. By submitting your work you support our cause to preserve the fishermen’s way of life. The festival is organised on voluntary basis and nobody receives any payment. By submitting a film to the Quarantine, the submitter declares that they carry the right to manage the authors’ and related rights for the film and all property relationships with the rights’ owners have been cleared and paid for. The submitter agrees for the film to be included in the festival program and other screenings related to the Festival. The submitter agrees for screenshots, trailers and parts of the film to be shown (online and in other types of media) to the purpose of promoting the film’s participation in the Festival.

    2026/02/20
    Earlybird Deadline

    Standard: 3.5 Dollar

    2026/02/20
    Regular Deadline

    Standard: 4 Dollar

    Student： 3 Dollar

    2026/03/15
    Late Deadline

    Standard: 8 Dollar

    Student： 7 Dollar

    2026/03/20
    Extended Deadline

    Standard: 10 Dollar

    Student： 8 Dollar

    Submit to the Festival
  • documentary
    Video length ：1 - 30
    Films with duration of up to 30 minutes. We accept films in one of the following categories: Fiction films, Documentaries, Animations, Experimental films and video art. There is a entry fee. All gathered funds will be used to buy technical equipment and cover the festival expenses. By submitting your work you support our cause to preserve the fishermen’s way of life. The festival is organised on voluntary basis and nobody receives any payment. By submitting a film to the Quarantine, the submitter declares that they carry the right to manage the authors’ and related rights for the film and all property relationships with the rights’ owners have been cleared and paid for. The submitter agrees for the film to be included in the festival program and other screenings related to the Festival. The submitter agrees for screenshots, trailers and parts of the film to be shown (online and in other types of media) to the purpose of promoting the film’s participation in the Festival.

    2026/02/20
    Earlybird Deadline

    Standard: 3.5 Dollar

    2026/02/20
    Regular Deadline

    Standard: 4 Dollar

    Student： 3 Dollar

    2026/03/15
    Late Deadline

    Standard: 8 Dollar

    Student： 7 Dollar

    2026/03/20
    Extended Deadline

    Standard: 10 Dollar

    Student： 8 Dollar

    Submit to the Festival
  • experimental
    Video length ：1 - 30
    Films with duration of up to 30 minutes. We accept films in one of the following categories: Fiction films, Documentaries, Animations, Experimental films and video art. There is a entry fee. All gathered funds will be used to buy technical equipment and cover the festival expenses. By submitting your work you support our cause to preserve the fishermen’s way of life. The festival is organised on voluntary basis and nobody receives any payment. By submitting a film to the Quarantine, the submitter declares that they carry the right to manage the authors’ and related rights for the film and all property relationships with the rights’ owners have been cleared and paid for. The submitter agrees for the film to be included in the festival program and other screenings related to the Festival. The submitter agrees for screenshots, trailers and parts of the film to be shown (online and in other types of media) to the purpose of promoting the film’s participation in the Festival.

    2026/02/20
    Earlybird Deadline

    Standard: 3.5 Dollar

    2026/02/20
    Regular Deadline

    Standard: 4 Dollar

    Student： 3 Dollar

    2026/03/15
    Late Deadline

    Standard: 8 Dollar

    Student： 7 Dollar

    2026/03/20
    Extended Deadline

    Standard: 10 Dollar

    Student： 8 Dollar

    Submit to the Festival
  • animation
    Video length ：1 - 30
    Films with duration of up to 30 minutes. We accept films in one of the following categories: Fiction films, Documentaries, Animations, Experimental films and video art. There is a entry fee. All gathered funds will be used to buy technical equipment and cover the festival expenses. By submitting your work you support our cause to preserve the fishermen’s way of life. The festival is organised on voluntary basis and nobody receives any payment. By submitting a film to the Quarantine, the submitter declares that they carry the right to manage the authors’ and related rights for the film and all property relationships with the rights’ owners have been cleared and paid for. The submitter agrees for the film to be included in the festival program and other screenings related to the Festival. The submitter agrees for screenshots, trailers and parts of the film to be shown (online and in other types of media) to the purpose of promoting the film’s participation in the Festival.

    2026/02/20
    Earlybird Deadline

    Standard: 3.5 Dollar

    2026/02/20
    Regular Deadline

    Standard: 4 Dollar

    Student： 3 Dollar

    2026/03/15
    Late Deadline

    Standard: 8 Dollar

    Student： 7 Dollar

    2026/03/20
    Extended Deadline

    Standard: 10 Dollar

    Student： 8 Dollar

    Submit to the Festival

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