$500
Cash prize
A cash award for the Grand Jury winners, paid directly with nothing to claim back.
Awards
Awards & Categories
What the festival gives, what you can enter, and when it closes.
The Grand Jury Prizes
The jury's overall winners
Given by the jury to the overall winners in film and in screenwriting.
Trophy
The official award
A physical trophy, presented at the live event in Rotterdam.
$5,000+
Industry package
PR distribution, network exposure and production service discounts from the festival and partner service providers, for the winners' next project.
Category winners
Diploma and laurels
Every category winner receives the official Rotterdam Indie Festival diploma and laurels.
Selected filmmakers and screenwriters are invited to the live screening and pitching event in Rotterdam on 16 January 2027.
Categories
What you can enter
- Best Feature Film
- Best Feature Documentary
- Best First-Time Feature Director
- Best Indie Short Film
- Best Indie Super Short
- Best Short Documentary
- Best First-Time Short Director
- Best Experimental Film
- Best Drama
- Best Animation
- Best Horror
- Best Comedy
- Best Actor
- Best Actress
- Best Student Film
- Best Music Video
- Best European Film
- Best American Film
- SCRIPT - Best Feature
- SCRIPT - Best Short
- SCRIPT - Best TV Pilot
- SCRIPT - Best Drama
- SCRIPT - Best Comedy
- Best Editing
- Best Cinematography
Every category is judged by the same jury under the same criteria, and no fee, discount or extra service changes the jury's decision. Entry fees vary by category and deadline and are listed on our FilmFreeway page, which is always the current one.
Deadlines
Dates for the 2027 edition
20 Aug 2026Submissions open
27 Aug 2026Earlybird deadline
28 Sep 2026Festival deadline
26 Oct 2026Indie deadline
19 Nov 2026Late deadline
9 Dec 2026Final deadline
16 Dec 2026Notification date
16 Jan 2027Live screening and pitching event at a cinema in Rotterdam, a Saturday.
Ready when you are
Entries run through FilmFreeway, where the current deadline and fee are always shown.