The Sapporo International Short Film Festival & Market (Sapporo Short Fest) in Hokkaido, Japan, has presented short films since 2006. It treats the short as a form in its own right and accepts works of any genre, music videos included, up to 30 minutes long. Japanese and foreign productions compete together in one international competition, divided into programmes such as International, National, Family & Children, Japan Premiere, Midnight and the late-night Drunken Night. An Outdoor Adventure Cinema competition for outdoor-sports shorts was added in 2025, and the Best Children Short award is chosen by a jury of children under 12.
The festival is run by the NoMaps | FILM division. Next to the international competition it has a national competition with a Hokkaido Selection and the Micro Docs section. Long held in cinemas on the Tanukikoji shopping arcade in central Sapporo, the festival holds its 21st edition on 23–25 October 2026 at Concarino, a cultural venue next to Kotoni Station.
Awards and prizes
Grand Prix.
Category awards: Best Director, Best National Short, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Contemporary & Experimental Short, Best Animation, Best Documentary, Best Mini Short (under 5 minutes), Best Non-Dialogue Short, Best Student Director, Best Original Score, Best Children Short, Midnight Audience Award, Outdoor Adventure Cinema Award.
Best Children Short is chosen by a children's jury under 12 years old from the Family & Children programme.
Optional awards, depending on the selection: Best Cinematography, Best Actor and Actress, Best Child Actor and Actress.
Japan Premiere Award for the Japan Premiere programme; Hokkaido Media Award and Hokkaido Director Award for the Hokkaido Selection.
The international competition is judged by three international jurors appointed by the organiser; prize money depends on sponsors.
Festival rules
Short films of any genre, including music videos, up to 30 minutes including credits; for the 2026 edition, completed after 1 January 2025.
International Competition: international films (non-Japanese productions) and Japanese films (separate Japanese Film Entry). Films selected for the competition are screened in programmes such as International, National, Family & Children, Midnight and Drunken Night.
Japan Premiere: Japanese productions not yet shown publicly in Japan; for the 2026 edition, completed in 2026 or still in post-production; screenings elsewhere in Japan only after the festival.
Midnight: genre films such as horror and other light-hearted genre work, programmed in the Midnight or Drunken Night programmes.
Outdoor Adventure Cinema: shorts about outdoor sports and activities, up to 15 minutes; films without dialogue are preferred.
National Competition: Hokkaido Selection for films by directors from Hokkaido or produced in Hokkaido; Micro Docs, with its own entry form.
Films whose main language is not English must have English subtitles (no closed captions), and every film needs an English or international title. Screening files: Apple ProRes or H.264, no DCP.
Entries are submitted through FilmFreeway; the submission fee is non-refundable. No screening fee is paid for selected films. The official selection is announced on the festival website.
