Planet Earth Film Festival

„For Filmmakers and Musicians“

The Planet Earth Festival is a premier independent festival that brings together filmmakers and musicians from around the world.

Led by filmmakers and professionals from the film industry, it offers a unique platform for creative exchange and a strong sense of community – enhanced by the artistic charm and cultural diversity of Bayreuth.

The festival stands out for its professional organization and its carefully curated film selection, featuring a wide range of thematic focuses woven throughout the daily program.

All films are screened across several state-of-the-art cinemas, each equipped with professional projection and sound technology, ensuring an exceptional viewing experience for both filmmakers and audiences alike.

The first edition of the Planet Earth Festival will take place in Bayreuth, Germany, from July 20–23, 2026, just before the world-famous Bayreuth Wagner Festival – celebrating film, art, and cultural exchange on an international stage.

In addition to the film screenings, participating filmmakers can look forward to a dedicated festival venue in Bayreuth offering numerous networking opportunities – including Q&A sessions after the screenings, red carpet interviews, and exclusive after-parties.

The Planet Earth Festival is renowned for its relaxed, filmmaker-friendly atmosphere, providing participants with the opportunity to build valuable industry connections and forge new professional relationships in an inspiring cultural setting.

The festival culminates in a prestigious awards ceremony, where a jury of journalists and industry experts announces the winners and presents the official Planet Earth Festival trophies.

The Planet Earth Festival in Bayreuth offers filmmakers from around the world a unique opportunity to present their work not only to an expert audience, but also to invited guests, media representatives, and cinema enthusiasts. We warmly invite you to take part in the first edition of the festival, which will be held in Bayreuth, Germany, from July 20–23, 2026. Thank you for being part of the Planet Earth Festival – and don’t forget:

You can increase your chances of selection by submitting to multiple categories!

Awards

Planet Earth Award / Best Film

Planet Earth Award / Best Director

Planet Earth Award / Best Actor

Planet Earth Award / Best Actress

Planet Earth Award / Best Supporting Actor

Planet Earth Award / Best Supporting Actress.

Planet Earth Award / Best Screenplay

Planet Earth Award / Best Screenwriter

Planet Earth Award / Best Producer

Planet Earth Award / Best Picture

Planet Earth Award / Best Camera

Planet Earth Award / Best Editor

Planet Earth Award / Best Colorist

Planet Earth Award / Best FX

Planet Earth Award / Best Animation

Planet Earth Award / Best Filmscore

Planet Earth Award / Best Music Director

Planet Earth Award / Best Music Supervisor

Planet Earth Award / Best Sound

Planet Earth Award / Best Soundtrack

Planet Earth Award / Best Film Setting

Planet Earth Award / Costume Designer

Planet Earth Award / Best Make-Up Artist

Planet Earth Award / Best Hair Stylist

„Film as dream, film as music. No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls.“ – Ingmar Bergman –

Rules

  1. Entries for the Planet Earth Film Festival are open to everyone. Feature films, short films, documentaries, and music videos may be submitted. Participants under the legal age must provide a consent letter from a parent or guardian.
  2. Films and videos may be based on any theme or concept.
  3. Films can be in any language. However, all films must have English or German subtitles.
  4. The total runtime of a feature film, including opening and closing credits, must be at least 70 minutes and no more than 180 minutes.
  5. The total runtime of a short film, including opening and closing credits, must be at least 3 minutes and no more than 20 minutes.
  6. The total runtime of a documentary, including opening and closing credits, must be at least 30 minutes and no more than 120 minutes.
  7. The total runtime of a music video must be at least 2 minutes and no more than 12 minutes.
  8. All content used in feature films, short films, documentaries, and music videos must be either owned or properly licensed. If any copyrighted material is used, the participant must obtain permission and submit a copy to the festival organizers.
  9. The submission deadline for unsolicited films and documents is 7th March 2026. Please send advertising material (posters, flyers, etc.) only after the film has been invited.
  10. Permitted formats for the short film competition are DCP and Blu-ray. Other formats are accepted only upon request.
  11. Only films, documentaries, and music videos produced and completed after 1st January 2020 are eligible for the festival.
  12. We reserve the right to move your film to another appropriate category if there is a better chance at winning. -Acceptance and “being in consideration” is not a pre-requisite for getting an automatic screening at the festival. 2 weeks before the event we will make a decision on what films will be screening.
  13. The Planet Earth 2026 Film Festival will be held as an official event in Berlin. The screening of all selected films and videos will take place at two different venues and will be presented to a public audience. All files will not be distributed outside the Planet Earth Film Festival.
  14. Once invited to the festival program, a short synopsis, photo, short biography and filmography of the director as well as scene photos and – if available – press material must be submitted. If invited to a competition, a suitable high-resolution, approx. 60-second excerpt must also be provided free of charge, which can be used as part of the festival coverage and at the awards gala.
  15. For competition films, additional viewings are necessary for the internal festival preparation of the moderations and talks. Consent to the forwarding of the links or the DVD/BluRay to the responsible festival staff is deemed to have been given upon submission of the film.
  16. Planet Earth reserves the right to copy or use the material submitted by participants in any form, online or offline, for the festival’s promotional and archival purposes. Please note that your entire short film will never be shared with anyone or uploaded online without your permission. We understand that filmmakers want to keep their films private, and we will honor that.
  17. The jury’s decision is final and binding.
  18. The Planet Earth Festival organizers reserve the right to change, modify, or alter any rule, part of a rule, or event of this competition at any time.