Short Sounds Film Festival

About the festival

SHORT SOUNDS FILM FESTIVAL is the world’s first film festival dedicated entirely to the cinema’s crafts of sound and music.

We at SHORT SOUNDS FILM FESTIVAL love composers and sound designers, the unsung heroes of film, TV and games. Their work is integral to pace, setting, tone and atmosphere and we believe they deserve greater recognition.

At SSFF we screen short-form and feature-length documentaries, dramas and animations that push the boundaries of sound design and music. We want to open up conversations about the relationship between sound and film and inspire the next generation of moviemakers, composers and sound technicians.

FEATURE FILM AWARDS
Jury Award for Best Film
Best Sound Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Combined Use of Sound & Music

SHORT FILM AWARDS
Jury Award for Best Short
Best Sound Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Combined Use of Sound & Music
Award for Best Sound & Music in a Student Film

SCORE AWARDS
Best Original Score not produced for picture
Best Feature Film Score
Best Short Film Score

About

SHORT SOUNDS FILM FESTIVAL is the world’s first film festival dedicated entirely to the cinema’s crafts of sound and music.

FEATURE FILM AWARDS
Jury Award for Best Film
Best Sound Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Combined Use of Sound & Music

SHORT FILM AWARDS
Jury Award for Best Short
Best Sound Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Combined Use of Sound & Music
Award for Best Sound & Music in a Student Film

SCORE AWARDS
Best Original Score not produced for picture
Best Feature Film Score
Best Short Film Score

Terms and rules

To submit a film, your project must fulfil the relevant category's rules. We have no premiere requirements or prior screening restrictions and your film can have previous screenings at other festivals and/or be available on other platforms however the committee will favour films with less exposure.

All deadlines (earlybird, regular, late and extended) are the dates by which films must be submitted to the festival. Your digital upload, Vimeo link, or the physical disc must be received by the festival before the final deadline date for. All submissions are handled identically, regardless of which deadline you choose.

All films must be submitted via the Online Screener System on FilmFreeway, a Vimeo link entered directly on the submission application or the film posted on a DVD or Blu-Ray disc. If you intend to send the festival your film on disc please ensure this is region 0 or 2 and ideally PAL formatted. Submitting your film early is encouraged to take advantage of lower fees but please allow up to 24 hours for processing of digital video uploads. If you are submitting a physical disc, please post well in advance of the deadline.

We wish you the best of luck with your submission!

Ratings & Reviews

Categories and fees

Narrative Feature

Entry fees

Early Bird (31st July, 2020) €45

Regular (31st October, 2020) €60

Late (11th December, 2020) €80

Description

We accept feature-length narrative fiction films over 40 minutes in length produced at any time, from any country. We do NOT have a premiere policy (including online). Films submitted for consideration should demonstrate exceptional craft in the fields of sound design, music or both and is open entirely to creative interpretation. We look forward to watching and listening to your work.

Documentary Feature

Entry fees

Early Bird (31st July, 2020) €45

Regular (31st October, 2020) €60

Late (11th December, 2020) €80

Description

We accept feature-length documentary or factual films over 40 minutes in length produced at any time, from any country. We do NOT have a premiere policy (including online). Films submitted for consideration should demonstrate exceptional craft in the fields of sound design, music or both and is open entirely to creative interpretation. We look forward to watching and listening to your work.

Animated Feature

Entry fees

Early Bird (31st July, 2020) €45

Regular (31st October, 2020) €60

Late (11th December, 2020) €80

Description

We accept feature-length animations over 40 minutes in length produced at any time, from any country. We do NOT have a premiere policy (including online). Animations submitted for consideration should demonstrate exceptional craft in the fields of sound design, music or both and is open entirely to creative interpretation. We look forward to watching and listening to your work.

Short Narrative

Entry fees

Early Bird (31st July, 2020) €25

Regular (31st October, 2020) €35

Late (11th December, 2020) €45

Description

We accept short narrative fiction films under 40 minutes in length produced at any time, from any country. We do NOT have a premiere policy (including online). Films submitted for consideration should demonstrate exceptional craft in the fields of sound design, music or both and is open entirely to creative interpretation. We look forward to watching and listening to your work.

Short Animation

Entry fees

Early Bird (31st July, 2020) €25

Regular (31st October, 2020) €35

Late (11th December, 2020) €45

Description

We accept short animations under 40 minutes in length produced at any time, from any country. We do NOT have a premiere policy (including online). Animations submitted for consideration should demonstrate exceptional craft in the fields of sound design, music or both and is open entirely to creative interpretation. We look forward to watching and listening to your work.

Short Documentary

Entry fees

Early Bird (31st July, 2020) €25

Regular (31st October, 2020) €35

Late (11th December, 2020) €45

Description

We accept short documentary or factual films under 40 minutes in length produced at any time, from any country. We do NOT have a premiere policy (including online). Films submitted for consideration should demonstrate exceptional craft in the fields of sound design, music or both and is open entirely to creative interpretation. We look forward to watching and listening to your work.

Original score not produced for picture

Entry fees

Early Bird (31st July, 2020) €25

Regular (31st October, 2020) €35

Late (11th December, 2020) €45

Description

The category offers composers with music not created for or used in finished films, the chance to present their cues to the jury. Please submit via FilmFreeway using YouTube or Vimeo. The jury who will consider the arrangement, production quality, emotional significance and originality. We look forward to listening to your work.

Student Short Film

Entry fees

Early Bird (31st July, 2020) €15

Regular (31st October, 2020) €20

Late (11th December, 2020) €30

Description

We are looking for exceptionally crafted student films that demonstrate an authentic understanding of sound and music. Submissions for this award are restricted to those currently within education. We accept films under 40 minutes in length, any genre, produced at any time, from any country. We do NOT have a premiere policy (including online). We look forward to watching and listening to your work.