About/ Rules

Global Shorts is a Los Angeles-based international awards competition that recognizes and promotes short films with a runtime of 55 minutes or less. It is a sister competition of One-Reeler, which accepts films 12 minutes or less. So why a second competition? You asked for it! The number-one request we’ve received from our One-Reeler submitters (and would-be submitters) over the years is to extend the competition’s 12 minute limitation. Thus Global Shorts was born. Attracting filmmakers from all over the world, our competitions emphasize original, impactful storytelling – the same qualities film festivals and distributors look for. Whether you’re hoping to promote your work as “Award-winning”, or perhaps looking to test the waters before submitting to screening festivals, our competitions are a great way to receive feedback so you can gain a clearer understanding of how your film ranks among other films worldwide. We hope to see a submission from you soon!

Past competition Winners have also won or been nominated for: BAFTAs, British Independent Film Awards, Cannes Film Festival Awards, Emmys, Genie Awards, Golden Globes, Saturn Awards.

Some of the countries we have received Winning submissions from include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK, USA.

JUDGING:

Judging is done by in-house staff and a committee of industry professionals. There is one required primary category: Best Short Film. All subcategories (Best Actor, Best Director, etc) are optional and for an additional fee. In addition to Best Short Film, all submissions will be considered for Awards of Excellence, Merit, Honorable Mentions, and Special Mentions. These placements are our way of honoring Finalists. All films that place in the competition are awarded Winner laurels, IMDb Awards credit, and in indefinite listing on the Global Shorts website. The Winner of our Best Short Film category will receive our custom Global Shorts statuette which we ship anywhere in the world at no cost.

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENTS:

A biannual competition, Global Shorts Winners are announced twice a year. Our deadlines are March 31st and September 30th. Winners are notified 3-4 weeks after deadlines, via electronic mail. Submissions are accepted year-round.

RULES/ ELIGIBILITY:

• Submissions must be 55 minutes or less (including end credits).

• Submissions in other than English must be submitted in subtitled in English.

• The required entry fee for Best Short Film consideration is $60USD.

• Subcategories are $40USD each.

• Please provide an online link to your film and be sure to include the password on our submission form if applicable. DVDs and other physical media are not accepted.

Still have questions? Visit our FAQ page.