My list of top animation and short film festivals to apply to if you're an indie animator. I've also included some specialty film festivals such as women's, disability, and art film festivals. These festivals have a particular interest in animated and short films.
This list is arranged by recent submission deadline information. Please CHECK current deadline dates as they change often.
$ means there is a charge for submission, but check with each festival.
PORTALS FOR FILM FESTIVAL ENTRY
these are websites that manage multiple film festival entries for you
http://www.shortfilmdepot.com/
http://www.reelport.com/
https://www.withoutabox.com/
INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION & SHORT FILM FESTIVALS
by submission deadline date
January
ANIFEST INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ANIMATED FILMS
ANNECY INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL OBERHAUSEN
CARTOONS ON THE BAY
DRESDEN INTL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL SHORTFEST $$
February
BEFILM
NEW ORLEANS FILM FESTIVAL
INTERNATIONAL HAMBURG SHORTFILM FESTIVAL
SICAF INTL CARTOON & ANIMATION FESTIVAL
ZAGREB WORLD FESTIVAL OF ANIMATED FILMS
March
ANIMA MUNDI INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
BRUSSELS SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
CFC WORLDWIDE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL $
CIRCUITO OFF VENICE INTL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
CONCORTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
FESTIVAL DE CANNES - SHORT FILM CORNER
SAPPORO INTERNATIONAL SHORT FEST
April
ANIMATION BLOCK PARTY $
DOKUFEST
HIROSHIMA INTL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
NEUM INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
ODENSE INTL FILM FESTIVAL
May
BRIEF ENCOUNTERS SHORT FILM FESTIVAL $$
FANTOCHE INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
FESTIVAL SILHOUETTE
FLICKERFEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
INTERFILM INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
KROK INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
KUKI INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN
OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
RIO DE JANEIRO INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
SHNIT INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
SAO PAULO INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
SCRATCH! EUROPEAN ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL
TEHRAN INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
TINDIRINDIS INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL
June
25 FPS INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL FILM AND VIDEO FESTIVAL
ANIMBAR INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
ANIMACOR INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
ANIMADRID INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
UPPSALA INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
July
BRADFORD ANIMATION FESTIVAL
CINANIMA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
CLERMONT-FERRAND SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
HOLLAND ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL
I CASTELLI ANIMATI INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
OFENSIVA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
TOFUZI INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ANIMATED FILMS
August
BLACK NIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL
CURTACINEMA RIO DE JANEIRO
INTL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL LEUVEN
LEIPZIG FESTIVAL OF DOCUMENTARY & ANIMATED FILM
SAN SEBASTIAN HORROR AND FANTASY FILM FESTIVAL
September
ANILOGUE INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
BILBAO INTERNATIONAL DOC AND SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
October
ANIMA BRUSSELS
DRESDEN INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
REGENSBURG SHORT FILM WEEK
THE REEL SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL
November
ANIMAC - LLEIDA
ASPEN SHORTSFEST $$
BIMINI INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ANIMATED FILMS
PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
ROCHESTER INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL $
December
ANIFEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
DAWSON CITY INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
STUTTGART INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
FEATURE FILM FESTIVALS that also take SHORT FILMS
by submission deadline date
January
TORONTO INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
February
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL $$
March
BROOKLYN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL $
JERUSALEM FILM FESTIVAL
April
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL $ (Canadian shorts only)
May
THE FESTIVAL DU NOUVEAU CINEMA DE MONTREAL
June
ATLANTIC FILM FESTIVAL $
CORK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
MONTREAL WORLD FILM FESTIVAL $
July
AMIENS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL $$
NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL
August
SUNDANCE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL $$
September
ANCHORAGE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL $
ROTTERDAM INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
SEDONA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL $$
VICTORIA FILM FESTIVAL $
October
CINEQUEST FILM FESTIVAL $$
November
BERLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL $$
TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL $
December
TAMPERE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVALS
by submission deadline date
March
REEL WOMEN FILM FESTIVAL
ST. JOHN’S INTL WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL $
November
FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE FILMS DE FEMMES DE CRETEIL
December
MADCAT WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL $
SAN FRANCISCO WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL
WOMEN IN FILM FESTIVAL
DISABILITY FILM FESTIVALS
by submission deadline date
January
SUPERFEST
April
ASSIMVIVEMOS INTERNATIONAL DISABILITY FILM FESTIVAL
THE OTHER FILM FESTIVAL
RETOUR D'IMAGE - CINEMA DES DIFFERENCES
May
PERSKPEKTIVA DISABILITY FILM FESTIVAL
September
ABILITIES FILM FESTIVAL
PICTURE THIS INTERNATIONAL DISABILITY FILM FESTIVAL
REEL LIFE: A Disability Film Festival
November
DISABILITY FILM FESTIVAL (UK)
KYNNYSKINO DISABILITY FILM FESTIVAL
December
TÄHDENLENTOJA INTL DISABILITY FILM FESTIVAL
VIDEO/ANIMATION/ART/INNOVATIVE FILM FESTIVALS
by submission deadline date
March
MOVING IMAGE FILM FESTIVAL $
August
RECONTRES AUDIOVISUELLES FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL
October
IMAGES FILM FESTIVAL $