2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List

Here is the Qualifying Film Festival List for the upcoming Academy Awards.

2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List Top Entries

#42
CINANIMA – International Animated Film Festival of Espinho is one of the oldest and most prestigious animation festivals in the world.
#44
The Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival is the largest global film festival dedicated to short films.
#45
The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF), founded in 1977, is one of the largest and most prominent film festivals in the United States.
#46
The Cork International Film Festival (CIFF) is Ireland’s oldest and one of its most prestigious film festivals, established in 1956.
#47
CPH:DOX – Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival is one of the world’s premier festivals dedicated to documentary filmmaking.
#48
Curtas Vila do Conde is a renowned international film festival dedicated to short films, held annually in Vila do Conde, Portugal.
#49
The Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF) is an annual celebration of global cinema held in Dallas, Texas.
#50
The deadCENTER Film Festival is a celebrated annual event in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, dedicated to independent cinema.
#51
The DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (DMZ Docs), established in 2009, is an annual event held in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
#52
Doc Edge, also known as the Documentary Edge Festival, is New Zealand’s premier documentary film festival.
#53
DOC NYC, established in 2010, is the largest documentary festival in the U.S., showcasing over 300 films annually and serving as a critical platform for nonfiction storytelling.
#54
Docaviv is Israel’s premier documentary film festival, held annually in Tel Aviv since its establishment in 1998.
#55
Doclisboa is an internationally renowned documentary film festival held annually in Lisbon, Portugal.
#56
Docville is a renowned annual documentary film festival held in Leuven, Belgium.
#57
The Drama International Short Film Festival is one of Greece’s most prestigious platforms for short films.
#58
The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) is Africa’s longest-running and one of its largest film festivals.
#59
The Edmonton International Film Festival (EIFF) is a celebrated annual event showcasing innovative independent and international films, offering a platform for emerging and diverse voices in cinema.
#60
EnergaCamerimage is a prestigious international film festival that celebrates the art and craft of cinematography.

2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List Top Entries

#81
The Hiroshima International Animation Festival (HIAF) is one of the most prestigious animation festivals in the world.
#82
The HollyShorts Film Festival is a premier short film event in Hollywood, showcasing innovative works and providing a platform for emerging talent to gain recognition in the film industry.
#83
Hot Docs is the largest documentary film festival in North America, held annually in Toronto, Canada.
#84
The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (HSDFF) is one of the most celebrated documentary film festivals in North America, and it holds the distinction of being the longest-running all-documentary festival in the region.
#85
The Huesca International Film Festival, founded in 1973, is one of the most celebrated festivals in Spain dedicated to the art of short filmmaking.
#86
The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), established in 1976, is one of Asia’s oldest and most prominent film festivals.
#87
The Imaginaria Film Festival is an annual event held in Conversano, Italy, dedicated to celebrating the art of animated films.
#88
The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) is one of the most prestigious documentary film festivals globally.
#89
The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival is the largest Indigenous film and media arts festival in the world, held annually in Toronto, Canada.
#90
In The Palace International Short Film Festival is an annual event held in Bulgaria, dedicated to promoting short films, new media, and digital arts.
#91
Established in 2018, the Indy Shorts International Film Festival is an annual six-day summer event in Indianapolis, Indiana, dedicated to showcasing the art of short films.
#92
The Interfilm International Short Film Festival Berlin is one of the most prestigious short film festivals in Europe.
#93
The International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) is an annual event held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, organized by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.
#94
Sheffield DocFest, established in 1994, is a premier international documentary festival held annually in Sheffield, England.
#95
The International Festival of Documentaries and Short Films of Bilbao, commonly known as ZINEBI, is a prestigious annual festival held in Bilbao, Spain.
#96
DOK Leipzig is the oldest documentary film festival in the world and one of the most prestigious platforms for documentary and animated films globally.
#97
The International Short Film Festival Oberhausen is one of the most renowned short film festivals globally, established in 1954 in Oberhausen, Germany.
#98
The Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur is Switzerland’s premier short film festival and a key event in the European film calendar.
#99
The Irish Film & Television Awards (IFTA) are presented annually by the Irish Film & Television Academy to honor outstanding achievements in Irish film and television.
#100
The It’s All True – International Documentary Film Festival (É Tudo Verdade - Festival Internacional de Documentários) is Latin America’s premier documentary film festival.

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