Competitions

Poetry At Sunset
SpiRock Open Mic Night
Actors Workshops
Music In The Square by the Alboroto Trio & Dinner at Symposio
Greek Dancing Lesson
Neville & Antonella Recital
SIFCA PANELS
SIFCA Competitions

Our Competitions

SIFCA is committed to fostering talent and creativity within the performing arts and creative industries. Each year, we introduce innovative competitions that challenge individuals to showcase their skills and push their boundaries, offering a unique platform for artists to demonstrate their expertise. Unlike traditional awards that focus on the final product, our competitions invite artists to embark on a creative journey from concept to execution.

Get ready for another exciting year of competition in 2025! We're bringing back popular favorites like Let's Be S.M.A.R.T. competition for short films and documentaries, along with the Short Film Screenwriting Award. Plus, we're introducing fresh challenges with new awards designed to showcase your unique abilities and to inspire and empower emerging talents.

The next year competitions will be announced in December and the it will be possible to submit your work from the beginning of January. FOLLOW US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.

The 2024 SIFCA edition showcased a wealth of exceptional submissions. We're thrilled to announce the winners and honorable mentions of our competitions:

LET BE S.M.A.R.T. Short Film & Documentary Competition
Winner: "Three Hares" by Paloma Baeza captivated us with its elegant simplicity, powerful narration, and poignant message of environmental respect.
Honorable Mention: "The Forest of the Money Bees" by Erwan Le Gal.

Short Script Competition
Winner: 'The Wedding Veil of the Proud Princess' by Anna-Ester Volozh, an original story with stunning art direction and colour palette.
Honourable Mention: 'Amy and the Frog' by Paul Williams, charming and engaging.

Short Script Competition
Winner: Teenage writer Ava Bounds' "The Witches of Pool Bottom" stood out for its originality and thought-provoking exploration of teenage insecurities.
Honorable Mention: "Purgatorio" by Hakan Ünal .

Craft Competitions
VFX Award: "You and Me" by YuYu Wang impressed with its visually stunning effects.
Best Pitch Deck: "Little Cowboys" by Maria Corso delivered a convincing presentation.

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The Jury

Our Judging Team comprises international professionals from diverse fields of the creative industry, tasked with selecting the best films, projects, and artists across all categories. 

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General Rules and Terms

Applicants understand that submission of their work allows the Festival and affiliated organisations to use their selected work for screening, education and publicity purposes related to the Festival.  The submission fee is not refundable. If the film is selected for the Festival, the submitting party must bear all shipping and postage costs for all materials sent to and returned from SIFCA. Digital files are preferred. All submissions must be in English. Any film that is not in English must have English subtitles. SIFCA will create Greek subtitles for the selected films and applicant must provide srt files.
At least Full HD resolution is requested for the screenings.  The festival dates are subject to change.  SIFCA Awards are in digital form, as a signed PDF, to respect the environment. The physical trophy is optional and available upon request and a fee.

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SIFCA Celebrating The Arts

Data Protection

We will utilise any personal data that you submit to us to evaluate your project for the purposes of the festival. We will store your data to contact you about future festivals and events that you may be interested in from either ourselves or third parties. We will also use your data as part of our internal surveys to assess the submissions. You are in control of your data and should you wish to delete your data, you may request for us to do this at any time. Asking us to delete your data before the end of the festival will withdraw your submission from the festival and no refunds will be given. To withdraw consent to use your data and delete it from our systems, please email us with your request.

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Indemnification Agreement

By submitting your project to SIFCA, you confirm that you have the rights or have secured all necessary rights and clearances for its submission. You further assert that the submitted material is free from any current or potential litigation. Additionally, you agree to hold SIFCA harmless from any damage or loss of materials during transit to, from, or at the festival, assuming all legal responsibilities. You grant SIFCA the right to use excerpts, stills, and trailers from your submission for publicity and marketing purposes at the 2024 festival, as well as for other non-commercial promotional activities related to the event. Furthermore, you agree to indemnify SIFCA in the event that such rights have not been correctly transferred.

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SIFCA Competitions
Craft & Wine
Evening of short plays
Improvised Independent Filming Workshop
Kindergarten Perfomance
Short Film Screening
CULINARY EXPERIENCES
CULINARY EXPERIENCES
SIFCA Competitions

Our Competitions

SIFCA is dedicated to nurturing talent and fueling creativity in the performing arts and creative industries. Each year, we strive to introduce new competitions that offer individuals a platform to showcase their work and challenge themselves. Following the success of last year's Let's Be S.M.A.R.T. competition for short films and documentaries, along with the Short Film Screenwriting Award and Production Design Competition, we are excited to continue this tradition. We are repeating the Let's Be S.M.A.R.T. and Screenwriting Competition, and introducing new awards to inspire and empower emerging talents.

Here are this year's competitions
Let's Be S.M.A.R.T. Short Film and Documentaries Award
SIFCA Short Screenplay Award
SIFCA Short Animated Film Award
SIFCA Playwright Award
SIFCA Animatic Award
SIFCA VFX Award
SIFCA Pitch Deck Award
SIFCA Set Photographer Award

READ BELOW THE GUIDELINES FOR EACH COMPETITION.

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The Jury

Our Judging Team comprises international professionals from diverse fields of the creative industry, tasked with selecting the best films, projects, and artists across all categories. 

EL.jpg

General Rules and Terms

Applicants understand that submission of their work allows the Festival and affiliated organisations to use their selected work for screening, education and publicity purposes related to the Festival.  The submission fee is not refundable. If the film is selected for the Festival, the submitting party must bear all shipping and postage costs for all materials sent to and returned from SIFCA. Digital files are preferred. All submissions must be in English. Any film that is not in English must have English subtitles. SIFCA will create Greek subtitles for the selected films and applicant must provide srt files.
At least Full HD resolution is requested for the screenings.  The festival dates are subject to change.  SIFCA Awards are in digital form, as a signed PDF, to respect the environment. The physical trophy is optional and available upon request and a fee.

EL.jpg
SIFCA Celebrating The Arts

Data Protection

We will utilise any personal data that you submit to us to evaluate your project for the purposes of the festival. We will store your data to contact you about future festivals and events that you may be interested in from either ourselves or third parties. We will also use your data as part of our internal surveys to assess the submissions. You are in control of your data and should you wish to delete your data, you may request for us to do this at any time. Asking us to delete your data before the end of the festival will withdraw your submission from the festival and no refunds will be given. To withdraw consent to use your data and delete it from our systems, please email us with your request.

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Indemnification Agreement

By submitting your project to SIFCA, you confirm that you have the rights or have secured all necessary rights and clearances for its submission. You further assert that the submitted material is free from any current or potential litigation. Additionally, you agree to hold SIFCA harmless from any damage or loss of materials during transit to, from, or at the festival, assuming all legal responsibilities. You grant SIFCA the right to use excerpts, stills, and trailers from your submission for publicity and marketing purposes at the 2024 festival, as well as for other non-commercial promotional activities related to the event. Furthermore, you agree to indemnify SIFCA in the event that such rights have not been correctly transferred.

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SIFCA Competitions

THE AWARDS

LET'S BE S.M.A.R.T. Short Film & Documentary Award

We are thrilled to announce the second edition of the LET BE S.M.A.R.T. Award and invite filmmakers from around the globe to participate. We welcome submissions that explore and advocate for the profound relationship between humans and animals and that delve into this dynamic interaction from diverse perspectives. For more information about our promoter and sponsor visit their website: https://www.letsbesmart-greece.org.
Submission Guidelines - We accept various format including documentaries, live action, and animation. Films must not exceed 20 minutes in length. Films must have been completed between 2020 and 2024.
Selected Films: Three outstanding films will be chosen to be screened at the third edition of SIFCA. The winning entry will receive a cash prize of €1,000.
Fees: Early Bird - 31 March €12
Regular - 31 May €17
Late - 3 August €20

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Short Animation Award

Calling all creative minds! Our Animation Competition is open to submissions of captivating animated short films in any style or technique.
Submission Guidelines: Your film must consist of at least 80 percent animation of its total running time. Films produced between 2020 and 2024 are eligible. Entries have to be in English or include English subtitles and you must be able to provide srt file of the subtitles if selected. Films must not exceed 20 minutes in length. HD is the minimum requirement
Selected Screenplays: The best three films will be screened at the closing ceremony. The winning entry will receive a cash prize of €500.
Fees: Early Bird - 31 March €8
Regular - 31 May €12
Late - 3 August €15

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SIFCA Best Animatic Award

An animatic serves as the blueprint for the final animation, playing a crucial role in the planning and development stages, allowing creators to visualise the pacing and overall vibe of the eventual piece. If you've contributed to an animatic and feel a sense of pride in your work, we invite you to share it with us. Whether the project came to fruition or not, your work represents a significant step in the journey towards bringing ideas to life.
Submission Guidelines: Genre: any kind of animation, fiction, abstract, conceptual, mixed technique
Duration: up to 10 minutes.
Selected Animatics: The best three animatics will eceive feedabck from the jurors. The winning entry will receive a cash prize of €100.
Fees: Early Bird - 31 March €6
Regular - 31 May €10
Late - 3 August €13

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SIFCA Pitch Deck Award

In the creative industry, a pitch deck serves as the cinematic roadmap, blending storytelling talent with business acumen. It's a latest dynamic tool used by creatives and production teams to attract potential investors, distributors, or collaborators, and if you have one, we would love to see it!
Submission Guidelines: The pitch deck may showcase projects such as short or feature films, documentaries, TV or web series, and plays of any genre. Lenght: Max 15 pages. Language: English. Accepted formats for the pitch deck include PDF or video files. Submission requires confirmation of either copyright ownership or explicit permission to submit the project. SIFCA and its affiliated companies provide assurance that the pitch deck will not be utilised, nor will any derivative works be created, thereby safeguarding the intellectual property of the submission.
Selected Pitch Decks: The best three pitch decks will receive feedback from the jurors. The winning entry will receive a cash prize of €100.
Fees: Early Bird - 31 March €6
Regular - 31 May €10
Late - 3 August €13

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SIFCA Short Screenplay Award

Showcase your storytelling talent in our second edition of the SIFCA Screenwriting Film Award! We're seeking engaging narratives with meticulously crafted characters, primed for production.
Submission Guidelines: Screenplays should be in English, between 10 and 20 pages.  Any genre is welcome.
Selected Screenplays: We will shortlist 4 screenplays. The winning entry will receive a cash prize of €500.
Fees: Early Bird - 31 March €8
Regular - 31 May €12
Late - 3 August €15

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SIFCA Stage Play Award

Calling all talented playwrights! We're thrilled to announce our new competition and invite you to submit your work. We're eager to discover original scripts and bring laughter to our audience.
Submission Guidelines:  Genre: Family-friendly comedy. Open to playwrights of all experience levels. Submissions from diverse perspectives and backgrounds worldwide are welcomed. Setting: preferred but not compulsory - Greece, with Greek character names. Time Period: Any era.
Creativity encouraged! Scripts should be in English, between 10 and 30 pages long. Two to four characters and basic setting.
By submitting you confirm either copyright ownership or explicit permission to submit the script.
Selected Script: The winning script will be performed at the Fokaia open-air Amphitheatre by professional actors during the SIFCA closing ceremony on Saturday the 28th of September.
Fees: Early Bird - 31 March €10
Regular - 31 May €15

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SIFCA VFX Award

Nowadays nearly every film incorporates VFX in some form either by creating entirely new worlds or subtly altering our own reality. VFX offers a vast array of visually stunning solutions, enhancing storytelling and pushing the boundaries of imagination. We're reaching out to filmmakers who have crafted their own VFX in-house, relying on their skills and creativity rather than hefty budgets.
Submission Guidelines: Any kind of VFX, Submitter should provide proof of VFX with stills, storyboard or rough sketches, Additional material should be sent to info@sifca.gr
Selected VFX: The winning entry will receive a certificate and a cash prize of €100.
Fees: Early Bird - 31 March €6
Regular - 31 May €10
Late - 3 August €13

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SIFCA Set Photographer Award

A set photographer doesn't just snap behind-the-scenes shots; they're storytellers, skillfully capturing the magic of filmmaking, preserving memories, and creating captivating content for promotion. We want to celebrate this craft which is at risk of disappearing due to the new technologies.
Submission Guidelines: Submission requires confirmation of either copyright ownership or explicit permission to submit the project. At least 5 pictures. Format and size: jpg, 300 DPI, B&W or colour, landscape. Submitters should include the film title and a link to the film trailer, along with the names of the talents featured in the pictures.
Selected Set Photographer: The winning entry will receive a certificate and a cash prize of €100.
Fees: Early Bird - 31 March €6
Regular - 31 May €10
Late - 3 August - €13

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