Short Cuts. New Competition at TAURON AFF. Submissions now open!
Yes, you heard that right. We are expanding our selection of American independent cinema to include a short film competition. Playfully referencing the title of Robert Altman’s masterpiece—which was brilliant, though definitely not short—the TAURON American Film Festival is opening submissions for films from across the ocean that do not exceed 30 minutes.
This November, during the 17th edition of the festival, a three-member international jury will select the winner of our inaugural Short Cuts – Short Film Competition. The Grand Prix winner will receive a cash prize of $3,000. This marks a milestone for AFF as our very first juried competition—our feature-length ones, Breakthrough and American Docs, will continue to be decided by the Wrocław audience.
For the 12th time, the American Film Festival has been named one of the 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee by „MovieMaker” magazine for 2026. For the past five years, we showcased short films non-competitively in partnership with the Cinemaforum festival. We believe that turning this showcase into the competitive Short Cuts – Short Film Competition section will prove to filmmakers once more that AFF is the perfect launchpad for their careers in Europe.
Who and what are we looking for?
We are looking for narrative (live-action) short films completed after January 1, 2025, with a maximum runtime of 30 minutes (please note that documentaries, animations, and experimental films are not eligible).
In line with the festival’s core mission, we strongly encourage submissions from underrepresented filmmakers and stories that highlight diverse, inclusive perspectives. While not strictly mandatory, preference will be given to Polish premieres.
Key Information
Submission Period: July 15 – September 1, 2026
Festival Dates: November 17–22, 2026 (in theatres in Wrocław) and online until December 6, 2026
Submission form
Regulations
Reminder: U.S. in Progress Submissions are Open
We would also like to remind US producers that submissions are still open for the 16th edition of our industry program, U.S. in Progress.
The total prize pool of post-production grants in Poland exceeds $100,000. The program aims to foster co-productions with Poland and encourage exchange between Polish and American independent filmmakers.
You can find more details about U.S. in Progress on our website and in the recent
