The historic Oberhausen International Short Film Festival has announced the opening of submissions for the competitions of its 72nd edition, reaffirming its commitment to innovation, originality, and new perspectives in cinema.

For more than seven decades, Oberhausen has been known as a space open to the surprising and the experimental. On this occasion, the festival once again focuses on works with a distinctive visual language, capable of bringing fresh perspectives and innovative forms to the contemporary audiovisual landscape.

Participation Requirements

Production: Films must have been completed after January 1, 2025.

Submission: All entries must be submitted exclusively through the festival’s website using the online form. Each work may only be entered in one competition; double submissions will not be accepted.

Premiere: Each section of the festival has specific premiere requirements, which can be consulted in the official regulations.

Key Dates

• General submission deadline: January 19, 2026 (all competitions).

• MuVi Award (dedicated to music videos): February 22, 2026.

• Early Bird (International Competition only): October 10, 2025. Works submitted before this date will be viewed in advance, and filmmakers will receive decisions in November 2025.

The results of the official selection will be announced in mid-March 2026.

Accepted Formats

• All competitions (except MuVi): 35 mm, 16 mm, Super 8, and DCP.

• MuVi: exclusively DCP.

Submission Fees

The first five works submitted by the same filmmaker are free of charge. Starting with the sixth entry, an administrative fee of 20 euros per film will apply.