Romania’s Astra Film Festival opens registrations for 2025 edition, adds Short Film to competitive sections

Astra Film International Documentary Festival has officially opened registrations for the 2025 edition. In addition, the organizers have announced the introduction of a new competitive section this year: Short Film.

This year, the festival will take place in Sibiu from October 19 to 26.

Filmmakers from around the world can submit their documentaries until April 1, competing in five categories: Emerging Voices of Documentary, Central & Eastern Europe, Romania, DocSchool, and Short Film.

Feature-length documentaries (over 60 minutes) by directors presenting their first, second, or at most third film are eligible for the Emerging Voices of Documentary section. Meanwhile, Central & Eastern Europe is open to feature-length documentaries (over 60 minutes) addressing issues specific to the former Eastern Bloc region.

The Romania section is dedicated to documentaries produced or co-produced in Romania and/or international productions or co-productions that explore topics relevant to Romania, regardless of their duration. At the same time, DocSchool is open to documentaries produced or co-produced by universities, film institutes, or postgraduate film specialization programs, regardless of their duration.

Short Film, the new competitive section introduced by AFF, welcomes documentaries with a maximum duration of 40 minutes. Only European productions or co-productions will be considered.

Further details are available on the event’s website, where the official selection will also be announced.

Founded in 1993, Astra Film Festival in Sibiu is the longest-running film festival in Romania and has grown into one of the leading documentary film platforms in Romania and Europe.

(Photo source: the organisers)