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The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival is accepting international genre shorts of up to 25 minutes for its 2027 edition, with submissions remaining open until 10 January.
The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF) has opened short-film submissions for its 45th edition, which will take place from 25 March to 10 April 2027 at Brussels Expo in Belgium.
Submissions opened on 1 September 2026, giving filmmakers more than four months before the 10 January 2027 short-film deadline.
The festival accepts international short films working across fantastic and genre cinema, including horror, science fiction, fantasy and related forms.
For European filmmakers, BIFFF also provides a route into the Méliès d’Argent competition, with its winning European fantastic short advancing to compete for the Méliès d’Or.
Which short films can enter BIFFF 2027?
International short films submitted to the festival must have a maximum runtime of 25 minutes.
For the 2027 edition, eligible shorts must have been completed in January 2026 or later.
International filmmakers can submit through FilmFreeway or Festhome.
BIFFF’s international short-film programme spans several competitive and non-competitive selections, allowing the festival to programme a wider range of genre work beyond a single competition.
The festival’s identity is broader than horror alone. Its programming regularly incorporates science fiction, fantasy, thrillers, surreal cinema, dark comedy and other forms of genre filmmaking.
International short-film submission fees
BIFFF currently lists the following FilmFreeway fees for international shorts:
- Early submission: €15 standard / €8 student
- Final submission: €20 standard / €10 student
The final deadline for shorts is 10 January 2027.
Belgian short-film submissions are currently free.
Filmmakers should check the submission platform before entering for the applicable deadline period and current fee.
European shorts can compete for the Méliès d’Argent
One of BIFFF’s more distinctive opportunities is its connection with the Méliès International Festivals Federation, a network dedicated to fantastic cinema.
BIFFF is one of the federation’s competitive member festivals.
The winner of BIFFF’s Méliès d’Argent for Best European Fantastic Short Film advances to the competition for the Méliès d’Or, which recognises the leading European fantastic short among winners from participating festivals.
At BIFFF’s 2026 edition, the Méliès d’Argent for short film went to Bait (Señuelo) by Martha G. Ayerbe.
The Méliès route applies specifically to qualifying European films rather than every international short submitted to BIFFF.
International filmmakers outside Europe can still be considered for the festival’s broader short-film selection and its international audience award.
Why BIFFF is worth considering for genre filmmakers
BIFFF has been running since 1983 and has developed into one of Europe’s established festivals dedicated to fantastic cinema.
The festival says it attracts around 50,000 visitors annually and has screened more than 4,000 films across its history.
Unlike festivals where genre cinema occupies a small sidebar, horror, fantasy, science fiction and related filmmaking sit at the centre of BIFFF’s programme.
That makes it particularly relevant to short filmmakers whose work may not fit comfortably within the programming identity of a general film festival.
The Méliès connection also gives European filmmakers an additional reason to consider BIFFF when building a festival strategy for a genre short.
Filmmakers planning a wider festival run can also explore Indie Shorts Mag’s guide to the best film festivals for short films, covering established destinations for short-form cinema.
BIFFF 2027 key dates and details
- Festival: Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival
- Edition: 45th
- Festival dates: 25 March–10 April 2027
- Location: Brussels Expo, Brussels, Belgium
- Short-film submissions opened: 1 September 2026
- Final short-film deadline: 10 January 2027
- Maximum runtime: 25 minutes
- Completion requirement: January 2026 or later
- International submission fee: €15 early / €20 final
- Student fee: €8 early / €10 final
- Belgian shorts: Free submission
- Submission platforms: FilmFreeway and Festhome
- European short-film opportunity: Méliès d’Argent, with the winner advancing to the Méliès d’Or competition
With the deadline not arriving until 10 January 2027, filmmakers still have substantial time to prepare their submissions.
Genre filmmakers considering BIFFF should review the current regulations carefully, particularly the distinction between the general international short-film selection and the eligibility requirements for the European Méliès competition, before entering.
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