Submissions are now open for the Short Film Competition and the International Co-Production Competition of the 13th WAMA Film Festival, taking place 1–5 September 2026 in Olsztyn, Poland.
Filmmakers from Poland and around the world are invited to submit their works to two competition sections:
- Short Film Competition
- International Co-Production Competition
The submission deadline is 30 June 2026.
Cinema Open to the World
For years, the WAMA Film Festival has remained a meeting point for diverse cultures, perspectives, and cinematic languages. The festival programme focuses on formally daring and socially engaged cinema — stories unafraid to address issues of identity, freedom, migration, exclusion, and contemporary social tensions.
Short Film Competition
The short film competition has long been one of the festival’s key programme sections. We invite submissions of fiction, documentary, animated, and experimental films.
Films selected for the competition will compete for the WAMA Film Festival Grand Prix and nominations for the Jan Machulski Awards. The jury may also grant special mentions.
As every year, the Warmia and Mazury Jury — composed of representatives of the region’s artistic and social communities — will present its own award. Since 2021, the distinction has carried the name of Anna Wasilewska, in recognition of her exceptional contribution to the development of the festival in Olsztyn.
International Co-Production Competition
The International Co-Production Competition is open to feature-length fiction films produced through international co-production partnerships.
Over the years, the section has presented one of the most compelling selections of European and international arthouse cinema. The competition winner will be chosen by the festival audience through audience voting following the screenings.
Previous editions have featured films awarded and screened at the world’s leading film festivals, including Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Sundance.
Submission Guidelines and Regulations
To submit a film to one of the two competition sections of the 13th WAMA Film Festival:
- read the festival regulations
- complete the submission form
The list of films selected for both competitions will be announced in August 2026 on the festival’s official website and social media channels.
About the Festival
The WAMA Film Festival will take place from 1–5 September 2026 in Olsztyn, Poland.
The festival is organised by the KOSMOPOLIS Institute Foundation for Science, Culture and Education and produced by the FILMFORUM Association.
WAMA Film Festival is one of the leading film events in northeastern Poland, consistently building an international platform for artistic exchange, film education, and intercultural dialogue.