Szolnok once again hosts the world’s only film festival where production design, visual arts, and science meet in a shared creative space. The international Alexandre Trauner ART/Film Festival welcomes audiences from 13 to 18 October 2025 at the TISZApART Cinema.
This year’s festival offers a rich and diverse programme: the competition section features premiere films distinguished by their outstanding visual worlds, alongside documentary and short film competitions. The week is further enriched by masterclasses led by acclaimed international filmmakers, inspiring visual art exhibitions, dynamic professional roundtable discussions, and evening concerts.
ATAFF is an ideal meeting point for all those interested in production design and costume design, visual arts, or documentary filmmaking — whether experienced professionals or students in film, media, or art education.
As a vibrant Central European film hub, the festival connects international audiences with Hungarian filmmaking, its creators, and their works. The event creates an open professional and community space where creators and enthusiasts of feature films, short films, animation, and documentaries can engage in dialogue, build connections, and draw inspiration from one another.
If ATAFF seems like the ideal platform for your international introduction, submit your film to one of the following categories:
1. Feature Films Competition (only invitation)
Open to feature films completed after January 1, 2024, with a strong emphasis on visual storytelling. The competition will feature 10 invited films evaluated by an international jury, focusing on the coherence of narrative and visuals, overall aesthetic design, and use of visual techniques (sets, locations, CGI). (Awarded: Production Designers).
Payment of the award to foreign citizens is subject to the submission of a Tax Residency Certificate. For administrative and legal purposes, the festival will also request certain personal data from award recipients, which must be provided in order to process the payment.
2. Documentary Films Competition (Scientific and Fine Arts films)
In this category, we welcome films completed after 1 January 2024:
1. dealing with scientific topics, discoveries, and research,
- presenting the achievements of science,
- as well as films addressing nature and environmental protection,
2. films related to fine arts,
- presenting visual artworks, movements, periods, or artist groups,
- and films portraying the life and career of artists or a significant period of their lives.
Documentaries, mockumentaries, and works using other cinematic forms of expression may also be submitted.
Portrait films, as well as works that seek to renew cinematic language through technological innovation, are also eligible.
Within this category, films with scientific themes and those with fine arts themes will be evaluated separately.
Maximum running time of submitted films: 90 minutes.
Payment of the award to foreign citizens is subject to the submission of a Tax Residency Certificate. For administrative and legal purposes, the festival will also request certain personal data from award recipients, which must be provided in order to process the payment.
3. Short Films Competition (Live-action and Animated short films)
This category is open to live-action and animated short films completed after January 1, 2024, under 30 minutes in length. No restrictions on genre or age group. A special prize will be awarded to the most visually impressive short film (awarded: Production Designers).
Within this category, live-action short films and animated films will be evaluated separately.
Payment of the award to foreign citizens is subject to the submission of a Tax Residency Certificate. For administrative and legal purposes, the festival will also request certain personal data from award recipients, which must be provided in order to process the payment.
4. DIGITAL REALITIES – Student Films Competition for Under-18s (Only Hungarian & Diaspora Creators)
This category awards works by Hungarian and cross-border Hungarian creators that aim to develop media literacy, critical media awareness, and digital culture. Entries should highlight the importance of conscious consumer decision-making, emphasize the benefits of online opportunities, and promote awareness and protection against online risks.
Suggested topics:
1. My Life on Social Media
2. Digital Future: What can we expect, and how is the world of digital media transforming our lives?
3. "AI and Me" – Is artificial intelligence a friend or an enemy?
4. Online Addictions – The psychological and social impacts of social media and smartphone dependency
Submissions are welcome in any technique or genre.
Payment of the award to foreign citizens is subject to the submission of a Tax Residency Certificate. For administrative and legal purposes, the festival will also request certain personal data from award recipients, which must be provided in order to process the payment.
5. Signal Film Competition (for college and university students)
The Alexandre Trauner ART/Film Festival is announcing an open call for the creation of the festival’s official signal film.
Eligibility:
The call is open to university students enrolled in film-related higher education programmes in Hungary or in Hungarian-language institutions abroad, provided they hold an active student status at the time of the announcement.
We are looking for short, striking works that capture the spirit of the festival through a distinctive visual language. The technique is open: live-action, animation, or any combination of the two.
The top three submissions will receive awards.
Detailed submission requirements are available at the following link: Call for Signal Films.
Please submit the completed works via the designated Google Form, in accordance with the published guidelines.
Submission deadline: August 1, 2026, at midnight
Payment of the award to foreign citizens is subject to the submission of a Tax Residency Certificate. For administrative and legal purposes, the festival will also request certain personal data from award recipients, which must be provided in order to process the payment.
Submission deadline: June 12, 2026
Deadline for the DIGITAL REALITIES category: Friday, September 25, 2026, at midnight
Deadline for the SIGNAL FILM competition: August 1, 2026, at midnight
Submissions can be made exclusively via the festival's FilmFreeway page.
Payment of the award to foreign citizens is subject to the submission of a Tax Residency Certificate. For administrative and legal purposes, the festival will also request certain personal data from award recipients, which must be provided in order to process the payment.