French short films tour the world: June 2026

03 JULY 2026

A review of the French short films that traveled internationally in June, in the eight festivals supported by Unifrance. 

🏆 Awards for French short films 🏆

➡️ In Poland, the Krakow Film Festival honored three French short films.

The Silver Dragon was awarded to Faux bijoux by Jessy Moussallem.
Odonata by Adrien Fonda received a Special Mention.
And another Special Mention in the Best European Short Film category went to Easter Day by Mykola Zasieiev.

Faux bijoux

➡️ In Germany, the Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg also awarded three French short films.

God is Shy by Jocelyn Charles received the Jury Prize and the Audience Award in the International Competition.
L'mina by Randa Maroufi received the German Film Critics Assoction Award.

➡️ In Croatia, Animafest Zagreb gave French filmmakers significant recognition by awarding prizes to five short films.

The Grand Prix of the Grand Competition (Short Film) was attributed to Winter in March by Natalia Mirzoyan.
God is Shy by Jocelyn Charles received the Zlatko Grgić Award for Best First Film Made Outside an Educational Institution.
The Grand Competition jury members awarded to special prizes two Autokar by Sylwia Szkiladz and Water Girl by Sandra Desmazières.
The Mr. M Audience Award for Best Short Film went to Please by Anna Mantzaris.

Winter in March

➡️ In Tokyo, one French short film received an award at the Short Shorts Film Festival.

With Tapes and Toasts in the Car by Kiana Naghshineh received the Best Animation Award.

➡️ In Norway, three French short films won prizes at the Kortfilmfestivalen de Grimstad.

The Golden Chair for Best International Short Film went to Loynes by Dorian Jespers.
The Youth Jury gave an Honorable Mention to Dammen by Grégoire Graesslin
The Spectacle by Bálint Kenyeres received an International Competition Honorable Mention.

➡️ In the United States, the Palm Springs International ShortFest awarded the same film twice.

Agapito by Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero received the Best International Short Award and the Desert Views Award.

Agapito

✈️ The following people received travel funding ✈️

Bilal Bouchareb traveled to Tokyo to present Boomerang Atomic at the Short Shorts Film Festival. Here is what he had to say: "The festival went very well. We were very happy to be able to promote the film, meet the Japanese audience, network with industry professionals, and open up exciting prospects, particularly regarding future screening and distribution opportunities. What we were particularly struck by was the attention given to the film and the discussions it sparked. This trip to Tokyo was a very important milestone for us, both personally and professionally.”

Christophe Gomes, director of Seuls les poissons morts suivent le courant, also traveled to this festival and returned with a very positive impression: “This event was a real opportunity for exchange and discovery. The participation of industry professionals helped give the event a more dynamic feel. My film was acquired, so I can only say good things about it!
The team took great care of us. The screening conditions were also satisfactory. The selection of films struck me as high-quality, with a varied and interesting program.
Overall, this event left me with a very positive impression, both in terms of its organization and the richness of its program, as well as the exchanges it facilitated.”

Daniella Saba for her part, traveled to the United States to promote her film Mira at the Palm Springs International ShortFest. Here’s her account of the experience: “The festival is very well organized and very welcoming. I was most impressed by the quality and diversity of the selected films. The theater and the projection quality are excellent, and the audience is very engaged.
Access to industry professionals was, in general, very easy. I participated in a panel discussion, one-on-one meetings, and gatherings with programmers from North American festivals.
This was my first time in the United States and in the world of North American film festivals. My film was presented and showcased well. I made friends with filmmakers from all over, and I plan to collaborate with some of them in the future.”