I don’t have a big budget.

The most important thing is an idea.

Screening: 30 September 2026
Where: Open air, Golfe-Juan, Cannes
Selection: Every 6 months

Three smiling guests in white plastic chairs, a full open-air audience behind them — Festival archive: the audience at an open-air screening

To create a coherent and interesting work does not require a large investment. The most important thing is a worthwhile and in some sense unique idea. Cannes Indie International Film Festival

An idea
and some time.

The CIIFF community is open for all those filmmakers who have ideas and time. To create a coherent and interesting work does not require a large investment.

Every 6 months we announce the works that will be presented at our Annual Event in Cannes, France. It is an open air festival, held on one of the best beaches in Cannes.

Selected authors are invited to join our community.

The cast.

Five kinds of film take the stage. Experimental work sits next to features on equal terms, and music videos are cinema here too.

Short FilmBest Short Film: awarded in 5 of 6 seasons
Feature FilmBest Feature Film: awarded in 6 of 6 seasons
Experimental FilmBest Experimental Film: awarded in 6 of 6 seasons
Music VideoBest Music Video: awarded in 6 of 6 seasons
Short DocumentaryUnder 25 minutes. Best Short Documentary: awarded in 6 of 6 seasons

Beyond the five, each season also names winners in direction, acting, screenplay, cinematography, sound, colour, make-up and genre.

How a season
runs.

You submit

Send your film through FilmFreeway: a short, a feature, an experimental film, a music video or a short documentary under 25 minutes.

filmfreeway.com/CannesIndie
We select

Every 6 months we announce the works that will be presented at our Annual Event in Cannes, France.
The screening

An open-air evening on the beach at Golfe-Juan. This year the films are shown on 30 September 2026.
After the lights

Selected authors are invited to join the CIIFF community.

First prize: you become a jury member and take part in the CIIFF Feature Film, with further distribution in cinemas.