Leuven International Short Film Festival

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Leuven International Short Film Festival (LISFF) is an annual Academy Award qualifying, European Film Award qualifying and BAFTA recognised international short film festival, taking place in the first week of December. This year (2023) will mark its 29th edition. The festival was launched 28 years ago out of the enthusiasm and the need of a group of young filmmakers to find an audience for their works. Today, LISFF is the biggest of its category in the Benelux. During 9 festival days, LISFF presents and promotes new talent to the audience and to professionals. These visibility and awareness creating efforts are continued throughout the year via theatrical distribution, VOD, TV-sales and releases on DVD/Blu-ray. Every year, LISFF welcomes about 25,000 visitors for its screenings, during the event itself and throughout the year. Each festival edition, about 200 short films are screened, grouped in approximately 30 compilations. The competitive sections contain only European films, coming from more than 25 European countries. All related filmmakers are invited to Leuven to introduce their film to the broad audience and professionals present, both off- and online. The festival is a showcase and meeting place, an essential talent-scouting event and launching spot, a place to discover, to learn and to discuss. Film literacy initiatives and educational projects for both professionals, general audience and children are organised during the main event in December, as well as afterwards throughout the year. They include workshops, master classes, seminars, Q&As, panel debates, script residencies, pitch competitions and providing didactic materials for schools. As a well-known label for short film, the festival is the most important gatekeeper and ambassador for short film in the Benelux.