International Short Film Festival Oberhausen

What International Short Film Festival Oberhausen does

The International Short Film Festival Oberhausen (Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen) is the world's oldest short film festival, founded in 1954 in Oberhausen, Germany, and operated as a non-profit limited company (gGmbH) wholly owned by the City of Oberhausen. It runs an annual six-day festival (73rd edition scheduled for April 27 – May 2, 2027) featuring five competitive sections — International, German, NRW, Children's and Youth, and MuVi (music video) — alongside curated thematic programs, industry panels, and an academic Seminar. The festival receives approximately 6,300+ submissions annually from filmmakers in roughly 60 countries, with around 50 films selected for the International Competition and total prize money exceeding €40,000. The organization is FIAPF-accredited, making it an Oscar-qualifying festival for short films.

The core technology stack is third-party operated: FilmChief powers online film submissions, and the THIS IS SHORT streaming platform is jointly operated with seven other European festivals under the European Short Film Network (ESFN). The festival maintains a proprietary curated archive of approximately 78,000 titles in the Market Catalog, with roughly 40 new works acquired annually into the Verleih distribution service. Distribution channels include the in-person annual event, the year-round Verleih service lending films to cinemas/museums/galleries/Goethe-Institutes globally, the 14th-edition Oberhausen on Tour program, and the ESFN streaming platform with a December 2025-launched subscription tier (€0.99/month or €9.99/year).

Revenue mechanics rely primarily on public subsidies from the City of Oberhausen and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (Land Nordrhein-Westfalen), supplemented by submission processing fees (free for the first five films per filmmaker, €20 per film thereafter), Verleih licensing fees, and the newly launched THIS IS SHORT subscription revenue. The festival operates with a team of approximately 30 people. Customer segments are horizontally distributed across international filmmakers (primary supply side), industry buyers/distributors/curators accessing the Video Library market, general festival audiences, and film students/educators — with no concentrated enterprise customer dependency.

Name

International Short Film Festival Oberhausen

Legal name

Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen gGmbH

Website

https://kurzfilmtage.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Short Film Festival Oberhausen is the world's oldest short film festival (founded 1954), operated as a municipal non-profit in Germany. It serves international filmmakers through five annual competitions, industry buyers via a year-round Video Library market of ~78,000 titles, and global audiences via distribution and the ESFN streaming platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Festival / Cultural Events

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live-Action Short-Form Production (Short Films, Web Series) (MPADABAE), Alternative Content Exhibition (Live Broadcasts, Concert Films, Sports, Opera) (MPADAKAG)

Keywords

• Short film festival
• Film distribution services
• Music video awards
• Experimental cinema programming
• Film market catalog

Headquarters

HQ city

Oberhausen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Festival Operations and Public Funding: The festival is organized by Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen gGmbH with the City of Oberhausen as shareholder and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (Land Nordrhein-Westfalen) as the main funder. This constitutes the primary operational funding.
2. Submission Processing Fees: First five submissions are free; subsequent submissions incur a 20 EUR processing fee per film. This applies to all competition categories including MuVi-Preis submissions.
3. Film Distribution (Verleih): The festival operates a non-commercial international distribution service based on one of the oldest and most significant short film collections worldwide. They annually acquire approximately 40 new works from current festival programs and lend films to cinemas, museums, galleries, festivals, and Goethe-Institutes globally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Organizes and runs the world's oldest short film festival with five competitive sections (International, German, NRW, Children's and Youth, MuVi music video) as well as curated thematic programs, panels, and industry activities. Operates a year-round short film distribution service (Verleih) based on one of the world's oldest short film collections, a password-protected Video Library / Market Catalog of approximately 78,000 titles, and the THIS IS SHORT streaming platform for ongoing access to festival content.

Product overview

International Short Film Festival Oberhausen is the world's oldest short film festival, established 1954, operating as a multi-platform cultural organization. The core offering is the annual festival featuring five competitive sections: International Competition, German Competition, NRW Competition, Children's/Youth Competition, and MuVi-Preis (music video). Supporting platforms include the Video Library (year-round market catalog with ~78,000 titles), THIS IS SHORT streaming (European Short Film Network), and the online Channel. Additional programs include the Oberhausen Seminar, curated sections (Thema, Profile, Podium, Expanded), distribution/Verleih service, and Oberhausen on Tour international touring program. Film submissions managed via FilmChief platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MuVi-Preis: Award for the best German music video, established in 1999 as the world's first festival prize specifically for music videos.
• THIS IS SHORT
• Oberhausen on Tour

Products and services

• International Short Film Festival Oberhausen (Hauptprogramm) The annual flagship festival held in Oberhausen, Germany, featuring five competitive sections (International, German, NRW, Children's and Youth, MuVi) alongside curated thematic programs, panel discussions, and a film industry market for accredited professionals.
• International Competition (Internationaler Wettbewerb) Core competition open to short films up to 35 minutes from any country outside Germany; requires a German festival premiere. Features the Grand Prize of the City of Oberhausen (€8,000) and main prize (€4,000) plus FIPRESCI and Ecumenical jury prizes. For international filmmakers seeking German festival premieres.
• German Competition (Deutscher Wettbewerb) Competition for short films produced or co-produced in Germany, up to 45 minutes; no festival premiere required. Includes the 3sat Nachwuchspreis (€2,500) with broadcast acquisition offer. For German filmmakers and producers.
• NRW Competition (NRW-Wettbewerb) Regional competition for films produced in North Rhine-Westphalia, with separate jury and prizes (€1,000 prize plus €500 encouragement award). For NRW-based filmmakers.
• Children's and Youth Film Competition (Internationaler Kinder- und Jugendfilmwettbewerb) Age-group competition for children and youth programming (from age 3), drawing from approximately 800 international submissions. Awards include Children's Jury (€1,000), Youth Jury (€1,000), and ECFA nomination for the European Children's Film Association award at Berlinale. For filmmakers producing children's and youth films.
• MuVi-Preis (Best German Music Video Award) Competition for German music videos up to 15 minutes. Features jury prizes (€2,000 first, €1,000 second) and an online audience vote (€500). For music video directors and German music industry professionals.
• THIS IS SHORT Streaming Platform Joint streaming platform of the European Short Film Network (ESFN) where competition programs are presented for 24 hours during the festival window and accessible via subscription thereafter. For festival audiences and film enthusiasts seeking curated short film content.
• Video Library / Market Catalog (Marktkatalog) Year-round market catalog containing approximately 78,000 titles since 1997, with password-protected professional access providing contact information. During the festival, accessible on-site for accredited industry professionals (buyers, distributors, curators, festival representatives); post-festival online access available until June 7, 2027 for accredited attendees. For film industry professionals seeking short film acquisition.
• Verleih (Short Film Distribution Service) Non-commercial international short film distribution service based on one of the world's oldest short film collections, offering single titles and curated programs for cinemas, museums, galleries, festivals, and Goethe-Institutes globally. Approximately 40 new works acquired annually from current festival programs. For institutional exhibition venues and cultural programmers.
• Oberhausen on Tour Annual international touring program in its 14th edition (2026), sending festival films to cinemas, museums, galleries, festivals, and Goethe-Institutes worldwide for global screening. For international cultural institutions and festival partners.
• Oberhausen Seminar Experimental academic course examining moving image in contemporary art within the festival context, with international artists, curators, and scholars participating. For film students, educators, and academics.
• Online Submission System (FilmChief) Digital film submission portal for all competition categories (International, German, NRW, MuVi). First five submissions per filmmaker are free; €20 fee per additional film. Submission deadlines: January 18, 2027 (general) and February 22, 2027 (MuVi). For international filmmakers.
• Online Channel (Video Streaming Archive) Online video channel featuring festival content, archived programs, and curated playlists including Oberhausen Revisited, MuVi Retro, and thematic selections, with email subscription for new video notifications. For festival audiences and film researchers.

Quantifiable outcome

• World's oldest short film festival with 73-year continuous operation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• THIS IS SHORT / European Short Film Network (ESFN)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026THIS IS SHORT is a joint streaming platform of the European Short Film Network (ESFN), a collaboration of eight international film festivals (Curtas Vila Do Conde, Clermont-Ferrand, Tampere, Go Short, Alcine, Brussels Short Film Festival, Short Waves Festival, interfilm Berlin). The Kurzfilmtage present their competition programs on this platform during the festival window.
• City of Oberhausen (Stadt Oberhausen)coreOthersThe City of Oberhausen is the sole shareholder (Gesellschafterin) of the festival organizer Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen gGmbH. This represents the primary institutional ownership and support structure.
• State of North Rhine-Westphalia (Land Nordrhein-Westfalen)coreOthersThe state of North Rhine-Westphalia is the main funder (Hauptförderer) of the festival, providing primary operational funding through the Ministry of Culture and Science (Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen). The ministry also sponsors its own jury awarding prizes totaling 8,000 EUR.
• Goethe-InstitutminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Goethe-Institut is a partner venue for 'Oberhausen on Tour,' the festival's global distribution program sending films to partner organizations worldwide.
• Arsenal Filminstitut (Germany)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of the international distributors presenting works from their catalogs in the 'Distributors' Collection' section of the festival.
• sixpackfilm (Austria)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustrian international short film distributor presenting works from their catalog in the 'Distributors' Collection' section.
• LI-MA (Netherlands)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDutch media art distributor presenting works in the 'Distributors' Collection' section of the festival.
• Filmform (Sweden)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwedish film distribution organization presenting works in the 'Distributors' Collection' section of the festival.
• MuVi Prize Media Partners (3sat, Byte.FM, kaput, kultur.west, netpoint media)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting media partners for the MuVi-Preis competition for best German music video. 3sat is the public broadcaster partner, with additional support from Byte.FM, kaput Magazine, kultur.west, and netpoint media.
• Shiny Toys FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative partnership with Shiny Toys, the festival for time-based experimental culture, for the 'Expanded' program section featuring live performances.
• European Children's Film Association (ECFA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECFA jury at the Children's and Youth Film Competition nominates one film for the ECFA Short Film Award, presented at the Berlin International Film Festival.
• Filmbüro NWminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilmbüro NW provides free individual consultations for filmmakers from North Rhine-Westphalia attending the festival, covering questions about production, funding, and festival placement.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival): One of the world's major film festivals based in Germany. Comparable as a German festival with short film competition (Berlinale Shorts) and industry market, but operates at much larger scale focused primarily on feature films; serves as a career destination for filmmakers who may have premiered at Oberhausen.
• Locarno Film Festival: Major Swiss film festival with strong short film competition (Pardi di domani). Comparable as a European festival with FIAPF accreditation, experimental programming, and filmmaker discovery focus, though broader in scope than a pure short film festival.

Direct peers

• Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival: The largest short film festival in the world and a co-founder of the European Short Film Network (ESFN). Directly comparable as a major international short film festival with overlapping filmmaker base, FIAPF accreditation, and shared streaming infrastructure via THIS IS SHORT.
• Tampere Film Festival: Finnish short film festival and ESFN co-founder. Directly comparable as a major European short film festival with similar experimental programming, market activities for industry professionals, and joint participation in THIS IS SHORT streaming platform.
• Alcine (Madrid): Spanish short film festival in Madrid and ESFN member. Direct peer as another European short film festival with similar focus on international short film competitions and shared streaming platform.
• Go Short (Nijmegen): Dutch short film festival and ESFN member. Directly comparable short film festival with similar audience profile, industry market activities, and shared streaming infrastructure through THIS IS SHORT platform.
• Short Waves Festival (Poznan): Polish short film festival and ESFN member. Direct peer with comparable competition format, international short film focus, and joint streaming infrastructure through European Short Film Network.
• Curtas Vila Do Conde: Portuguese short film festival and ESFN co-founder. Direct peer in the European short film festival circuit with similar experimental programming focus and shared THIS IS SHORT streaming partnership.
• interfilm Berlin: Berlin-based short film festival and ESFN co-founder. Direct peer focused on short film exhibition in Germany with similar competition structure, industry market, and joint participation in European Short Film Network streaming platform.
• Brussels Short Film Festival: Belgian short film festival and ESFN member. Direct peer as another European short film festival with overlapping filmmaker base, shared streaming infrastructure, and comparable competition format targeting international short films.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/kurzfilmtage
• Facebookfacebook.com/kurzfilmtage
• Instagraminstagram.com/kurzfilmtage.oberhausen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kurzfilmtage

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Short Film Festival Oberhausen