The Warsaw International Film Festival (WIFF), one of the most significant film events in Central and Eastern Europe, has officially opened submissions for its 42nd edition. Starting Wednesday, April 1, filmmakers worldwide can submit their productions via the form available at https://wff.pl/en/filmmakers/submitting-a-film-42. The submission deadline is July 31.
WFF holds prestigious FIAPF accreditation (Category A), placing it alongside festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, and Venice. In competitive sections, priority is given to World and International premieres. We invite filmmakers, producers, and sales agents to submit films to both competitive and non-competitive sections—ranging from feature-length narratives and documentaries to short films.
Competitive Sections and Awards:
International Competition – featuring the Grand Prix with a prize of 100,000 PLN.
1-2 Competition – for first and second feature films.
Documentary Competition – for feature-length documentaries.
Short Film Competition – featuring four Academy Award® qualifying awards.
Beyond the competitions, the festival program includes sections such as: Encounters, Animus. Cinema of Values, Free Spirit, Special Screenings, Family Cinema Weekend, Best Polish Shorts, and various side events.
Key Information:
Submission Period: April 1 – July 31, 2026.
Early Bird Deadline: May 15, 2026.
Submission Platforms: www.wiff.pl, FilmFreeway, and Festhome.
Festival Dates: October 9–18, 2026.
Eligibility Criteria:
Only films which meet the following criteria are eligible to participate in the competitive sections of the 42. Warsaw International Film Festival:
Films, which had their first public screening on or after January 1, 2026
Films which have not been distributed or presented at any public screening in Poland
Films which have not been broadcast on TV stations which are available in Poland, including foreign language stations
Films which have not been previously shown on the Internet, including international online platforms available to general public
Polish films which did not have any public screening in Poland, except at Gdynia Film Festival.
PLEASE NOTE: You can submit films in post-production (before sound mix, colour correction, as well as rough cuts), which will be completed before 42. WIFF.
Detailed information on submitting a film to the 42. Warsaw International Film Festival will be found in the festival regulations
Within the competitive sections, priority is given to world, international, and European premieres. Premiere status requirements do not apply to films selected for The Best Shorts from Poland and Encounters sections, nor to accompanying programme strands, including Cinema in the Clouds and BOOM Generation.
Please find the detailed information on submitting a film to the 42. Warsaw International Film Festival in the WIFF Regulations.
