Early Bird 2024

The 20th anniversary edition of the Early Bird International Student Film Festival (ISFF) will take place from November 1 to November 5, 2024, in Sofia, Bulgaria. Films from the competition program will be screened at the NATFA cinema hall and online on the Neterra TV+ streaming platform.

Yes, the films from the competition program will be available for free worldwide during the festival. They can be accessed on the Neterra TV+ streaming platform from 00:00 (UTC+2) on November 1, 2024, until 23:59 (UTC+2) on November 5, 2024. No registration is required, and the service is free of charge.

Yes, if requested by the authors, a film can be geo-blocked and made available only for viewers in Bulgaria.

The film file must meet the following specifications:

• Resolution: 1920x1080
• Format: ProRes HQ
• Audio Channels:
• Channels 1-2: 2.0 Stereo LR (Web Levels)
• Channels 3-8: 5.1 Surround LR, CL, FE, Ls, Rs
• Original Framerate
• Alternative Formats: H.264 with AAC audio, subtitle burn-in, .mp4
• Minimum Video Bitrate: 8 Mbps
• Subtitles Font Size: 22

September 08, 2024 - Submision deadline

October 02, 2024 - Official Selection announcment 

October 10, 2024 - Deadline for uploading the selected films

November 01-05, 2024 - Festival activities, including screenings, masterclasses, workshops, and other live events

The director of the selected film and member of their team will be kindly invited to attend the festival. The festival will cover the costs of accommodation in a hostel, meals, and local transport in Sofia. Please note that travel costs will be the responsibility of the attendees. Those wishing to participate in person must confirm their attendance by October 15, 2024, at the latest.

The directors of the selected films will receive an invitation to a video conference call via Zoom to participate in masterclasses, workshops, and live events.

Yes, you may submit your film as long as you were a student at the time of filming. Verification of your student status from the year of completion can be provided through a copy of your student ID or other relevant documents.

You need to complete the submission form available on our website by September 08, 2024.

Yes, submissions may be rejected for the following reasons:

• The director was not a student during the filming.
• The film lacks English subtitles if the dialogues are not in English.
• The provided link is broken or the password is invalid.
• The film has been submitted to a previous edition of the Early Bird ISFF.
• The film was completed before January 01, 2023.

The members of the Selection comittee do not share details regarding the submission review or selection process.

The contact person for the selected film will be notified via email on September 30, 2024. Each film selected for the competition program will have a dedicated page on our website under the "Official Selection" section.

Тhere is no entry fee.

You can stay informed about updates by checking our website regularly and following us on our social media channels.