Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival

In 1979, a Short Film Week was organised by the Clermont-Ferrand University Film Society. This event was repeated in 1980 and 1981, and was enthusiastically received. In 1982, the Festival became competitive, with a jury attributing awards to films selected from the recent French short film production. International films were shown in special programs highlighting a particular theme, genre, country or region of the world. The audience was also presented with tributes to the great short film makers of the past and present.[3]

In 1986, the first Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market was organized, with the intention to raise the economic profile of the short films. The market contains a video library for French and foreign television buyers, distributors and festival programmers to view the all of the films in competition, as well as the films out of competition, that were submitted for consideration.[4]

Clermont has been the biggest short film festival for 40 years, the essential meeting place for spectators, professionals, youngsters and school children. Audiences has a choice of 600 films, across all sections, and the three competitions (national, international and Lab). The programming team receives each year more than 7000 short films submissions between March and October, included 1500 French productions.

The festival has revealed many directors who then launched their film career successfully, for example:

• Cédric Klapisch, winner of the Special Jury Prize in 1987 for In Transit (his graduation film ), then again the Special Jury Prize in 1990 for I am moving
• Jean-Pierre Jeunet, winner of the Audience Award and Press Award in 1990 for Bullshit
• Jan Kounen, Prize winning research in 1994 for Vibroboy
• Erick Zonca, Grand Prix in 1995 for Eternal
• The short film Logorama which won the Oscar for best short film at the 82nd Academy Awards

• Official website