The Drama International Short Film Festival (DISFF) is a dynamic and evolving institution that has been established in Drama, Greece since 1978. It has premises in Drama at 9 Agias Varvaras st. and a branch office in Athens at 71 Emm. Benaki st. The 48th edition of DISFF is scheduled to take place from September 8 to 14, 2025. The festival is currently led by Mayor of Drama, Georgios Papadopoulos as President, Petros Paraskevaidis as Vice President, and Yorgos Angelopoulos as the new Artistic Director. The festival is a municipal enterprise dedicated to promoting and disseminating short films and fostering cooperation among filmmakers globally. It is considered a major cultural institution with national and international significance, recognized and appreciated both nationally and internationally. It has evolved into one of the city’s foremost cultural institutions.
If you are a filmmaker considering submitting your work, here are the key aspects to understand about participating in DISFF.
Participation Requirements and Submission Process
DISFF hosts several competition programs that filmmakers can apply to. The main programs are the National Competition and the International Competition. There are also International Student, National Student, International Animation, International Short & Green, and International Kiddo competitions. The festival is qualified by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, meaning winners of the International Competition’s Grand Prix and the National Competition’s Best Film Award are eligible for Oscar® consideration, provided they meet Academy rules. DISFF is also a European Film Academy (EFA) qualifying festival. Eligibility is a crucial factor. For submission to any competition program, films are generally required to have their Greek Premiere at DISFF. This means no prior public screening, broadcasting, or online access in Greece is allowed before or during the festival dates. Films must have been completed within the year 2024 or 2025. Each director may participate with only one film. Film genres that may participate include fiction, documentary, animated, and experimental films. Films previously submitted and rejected by the Preliminary Committee are not eligible.
Specific requirements vary slightly by program:
• International Competition: Film duration should generally not exceed forty minutes with end credits. • National Competition: Films must be of Greek production or co-production, and the directors must be Greek or Cypriot. • International Student Competition: Film duration should not exceed 25 minutes. Submissions may be considered for other programs like Short & Green or Animation with consent. • National Student Competition: No restriction applies to the number of films per film school, but each director submits only one film. Submission is free of charge. • International Short & Green Competition: Films must concern environmental issues, nature, and the environment. • International Kiddo Competition: This section includes films created by adults for children and young people, addressing contemporary issues, as well as films created by children for children. • International Animation Competition: This competition is dedicated to recognizing animated imagery.
The primary platform for submitting films is filmfreeway.
Deadlines for application vary by program:
• May 8, 2025: International Competition, International Student Competition, Kiddo, Animation, and Short & Green programs. There is a regular submission fee (e.g., International €20, International Student €8, Animation/Short & Green €10, Kiddo €5) until April 30, 2025, which increases for submissions between May 1 and May 8. • May 15, 2025: National Competition and National Student Competition programs. Submission for national programs is free of charge.
The submission process involves filling out an online form and providing a digital copy of the film. For national competitions, a non-public secure link with Greek or English subtitles is required. Required materials typically include a logline, synopsis, director’s note, CVs and contact details for key crew members (director, producer, scriptwriter), genre, approximate duration, production country, and the script (for fiction) or film treatment (for documentaries), usually in PDF format. Optional additional materials can include audiovisual support like a moodboard or teaser, and links to the director’s previous work.
If your film is selected for competition, you will be notified by June 30, 2025. Following selection, you will need to submit additional materials by July 20, 2025 (June 25, 2025 for National Competitions).
Technical Guidelines for selected films require submitting a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) or files in accepted formats like Apple ProRes, H264, or MPEG4, all subtitled in English, for theatrical screening. For online screening on the festival platform, an mp4 file subtitled in English, a downloadable Vimeo link, and a trailer are required. You also need to submit catalogue material such as film information, summary, director’s CV and filmography in Greek and English, dialogue lists in Greek if the original language is not Greek, photos, and a signed license/guarantee. The festival digitizes selected films for its Film Market and Archive.
Juries and Artistic Preferences
For the 47th edition, the National Competition jury consisted of five members, including writers, directors, artists, and film critics. They noted the submitted films showed technical mastery, great narrative skills, and addressed modern themes like inclusion, gender, family relationships, teenage concerns, loss, violence, and love. However, they wished to see more documentaries.
The International Competition jury had three members, including a film editor, a festival executive, and a director/producer. They described the selection as “carefully curated” and noted films with “strong filmmaking voices” that “touched us in more than one way.”
The Short & Green jury looked for works combining a “solid artistic view with a creative form” and offering reflection on difficult subjects. The Kiddo jury was unique, consisting of pupils aged 10–15. The Pitching Lab selection emphasized originality, narrative strength, artistic approach, and feasibility.
Review of Previous Winning Works
Award winners from the 47th DISFF show what resonates with the juries.
In the National Competition, the Golden Dionysus went to Gekas by Dimitris Moutsiakas for its insight into toxic masculinity and the cycle of violence.
The Silver Dionysus for Best Direction was awarded to Yiorgos Fourtounis for MJ. A Special Jury Award went to Alki Papastathopoulos for Honeymoon, praised for its depiction of love and truth.
Other awards included Documentary (Pave Paradise), script (Gekas), editing (Halcyon Days), photography (Gekas), music (Pigeons are Dying, When the City is on Fire), costumes (MJ), set design (MJ), special effects (Zange), and make-up (MJ).
The Onassis Culture Award highlighted Numb and Honeymoon. Film society awards recognized Non-essential Movement for political and social innovation, and Concrete Rodents for photographic merit.
In the International Competition, the Grand Prix Drama 2024 went to Boucan (Clamor) by Salomé Da Souza. The EFA Candidacy went to The Distance Between Us by Léo Fontaine. Best Direction: Konstantina Kotzamani for What Mary Didn’t Know. Best Production: If the Sun Drowned into an Ocean of Clouds by Wissam Charaf. Best Southeastern European Film: What we ask of a statue is that it doesn’t move by Daphne Heretakis. Special mentions: Cross my heart and hope to die and Dreams like Paper Boats. The “Human Values” Award: Workers Wings by Ilir Hasanj. FIPRESCI award: Clamor.
In the International Animation Competition, In the Shadow of the Cypress by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani won Best Animation and later the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film.
In the International Short & Green competition, the Drama Green Award went to On the 8th Day.
The festival values technical skill, strong narrative, social and human themes, innovative artistic approaches, and emotional depth.
Benefits and Considerations for Filmmakers
DISFF offers a platform for films that shape the cultural landscape. Young filmmakers see it as a stepping stone for recognition. It’s a hub for directors and audiovisual professionals and offers Oscar® and EFA qualifying potential. The festival also hosts screenings, tributes, seminars, conferences, exhibitions, concerts, and performances, and maintains international connections.
Initiatives include the DISFF Pitching Lab, a free workshop training young professionals in pitching, developing projects, and networking. Participants present to professionals and may win cash prizes. Physical presence in Drama is required.
Considerations
Considerations include the Greek Premiere requirement. International participants pay submission fees, though national submissions are free. The festival often covers accommodation and meals for one representative, but travel costs are the filmmaker’s responsibility. Films must be in English or have English subtitles.
Final Recommendations
Given its Oscar® and EFA status, history, focus on new talent, and networking, DISFF is a major opportunity for short filmmakers. If your film meets the criteria, especially the Greek Premiere, consider submitting. Align your film with accepted genres, observe duration limits and deadlines, and meet technical requirements.
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