FOLCS
International Short Film Competition
ISFC 2026 (13th Annual Awards Night) took place on May 5, 2026 at Symphony Space “Thalia Theater.”
This year, we were thrilled to have received over 200 submissions from filmmakers representing more than 40 countries, showcasing a diverse range of powerful stories and perspectives.
Thank you to all the filmmakers who shared their work with us this season — we are inspired by your dedication to illuminating justice, human rights, and societal change through film.
The FOLCS International Short Film Competition (ISFC) invites independent filmmakers worldwide to submit bold, original short films that challenge, inspire, and spark dialogue on justice, culture, and society.
In 2026, ISFC received submissions from over 40 countries and recognized 12 films from multiple continents. For 2026, we evaluated films that pushed boundaries and captured resistance, resilience, or a reimagination of the future.
Why Submit?
You have the change to screen your film in New York City, one of the world’s most dynamic cultural hubs.
You get to join a global community of filmmakers committed to storytelling with impact.
You get to compete for awards in various categories, including Best Short Film (1st, 2nd & 3rd), Best Screenplay, Best Young Filmmaker (21 & under), and more.
Eligibility
Films must be 20 minutes or fewer. Films of all genres welcome — animation, documentary, comedy, drama, sci-fi, musical, experimental, and more. We encourage a broad interpretation of social justice — from human rights and identity to climate, migration, technology, and beyond.
About the ISFC
The FOLCS International Short Film Competition (ISFC) was created in 2011 to encourage the creation of short films exploring themes of law and justice. Expanding in reach each year, independent and aspiring filmmakers from around the globe are invited to submit their original shorts. Entrants have the chance to have their work screened before a New York audience and their shorts viewed by distinguished professionals from the legal and entertainment fields. Each year, ISFC features renowned filmmakers, actors, writers, journalists, public intellectuals, and members of the legal profession. ISFC also attracts overflowing and diverse crowds of film enthusiasts, which provides a great platform for showcasing your winning work!
Annual Awards Night
The FOLCS Awards Night plays host to emerging filmmakers, screening a diverse set of legal, social justice, and human rights-themed shorts from around the world. This FREE event is the closing night of the competition and includes a red carpet and an awards presentation.
FOLCS believes that film is a powerful way to address issues of injustice and human rights. Movies and documentaries, beyond being entertaining, can be enlightening; they can be a catalyst for conversation and a call for social change. The International Short Film Competition seeks to give a platform to these emerging voices.
Forum on Life, Culture & Society
Past Jury
William Fichtner, Actor (Contact with Jodie Foster; The Perfect Storm with George Clooney; Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down); Margarita Levieva, Actress (The Deuce, In From The Cold, Diary Of A Teenage Girl, Sleeping With Other People); Isaiah Sheffer, co-founder of Symphony Space; Annette Insdorf, film historian and director of undergraduate film studies at Columbia University; Daniel Anker, Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker; Miguel Cruz, Director, producer, and writer (Emmy nominated Disney show Bunk’d, the #1 Spanish Sitcom Aida); Ali Fakhrmousavi, Award-winning filmmaker, writer, and producer; Federico Torrado, Award-winning director and producer; Neo Li, Award-winning screenwriter and director; Herschel Faber, Chair of Filmmaking Department, New York Film Academy (South Beach Campus); Crickett Rumely, Director, Film Festival Department, New York Film Academy (LA Campus); Henry Bean, director/screenwriter; Piero Basso, Chair of Cinematography, NYFA; Randall Dottin, Chair of Screenwriting Department, NYFA; Andrea Swift, Chair of Documentary Filmmaking, NYFA; Jonathan Whittaker, Chair of Short-Term Intensive Programs, NYFA; Ronald Guttman, film and TV actor; Nikzad Nodjoumi, art critic and fine art painter; Mark Ethan, actor and film professor; Sandy Gotham Meehan, Producer/Director/Writer; Larry Gross, producer/screenwriter; Dahlia Lithwick, Slate senior editor, and legal correspondent; Veleka Gray, director/actress/Emmy judge; Sara Nodjoumi, producer/screenwriter.
Explore FOLCS Past Competitions
"Independent short films give us perspective, ground us, take us outside of the realm of our day-to-day, connect us with people we otherwise would not encounter and inevitably inspire us to reflect on our own values and the values of the society within which we live."
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