Founded in 1993, Astra Film Festival is one of the most important platforms dedicated to documentary cinema in Romania and Europe. The festival promotes author-driven documentaries, emphasizing the filmmaker’s perspective both formally and thematically. For this year’s edition, taking place in Sibiu from October 17–25, 2026, eligible submissions are documentaries completed after January 1, 2025. The organizers particularly value cinematic quality, honesty, courage in addressing challenging themes, originality, and creativity.
This year, Astra Film Festival will feature four competitive sections:
New Voices. Eligible are feature-length documentaries (over 60 minutes) by filmmakers presenting their first, second, or at most third documentary.
Eastern Europe. Eligible are feature-length documentaries (over 60 minutes) that explore issues specific to Central and Eastern Europe/former communist bloc countries.
Romania. Eligible are documentaries produced or co-produced in Romania or the Republic of Moldova, as well as international productions or co-productions addressing topics relevant to the Romanian context, regardless of duration. The Romania competitive section is juried by international experts and represents the most significant showcase of contemporary Romanian documentary. Priority is given to films presented as a national premiere at Astra Film Festival.
DocSchool. Eligible are documentaries produced or co-produced by film universities/institutes or created within postgraduate cinema programs, with a minimum duration of 15 minutes, in which the filmmaker is undergoing training in documentary cinema.
The official selection will be published on the festival website by the end of August 2026. Films not selected will not be notified individually. Filmmakers of selected films will be invited to attend the festival. Winning films in each competitive section will receive an additional screening on the festival’s final day.
Selections and awards at Astra Film Festival, an event included on the official list of festivals recognized by the European Film Academy, are acknowledged as merit criteria in applications for funding for future film projects. The Astra Film Festival program includes both competitive and non-competitive sections. Up-to-date information about Astra Film Festival’s activities can be found on the festival website and social media pages.
