Kickstarter Short Film Call: Long Story Short 2026

From Nia DaCosta to Don Hertzfeldt, Matthew Cherry to Georgia Oakley, Ben Whishaw to Molly Manning Walker — all these award-winning filmmakers have launched short films on Kickstarter. It’s never too early to start planning for Long Story Short, Kickstarter’s annual celebration of bold short films and the visionary people who make them. Whether you’re established or emerging, working in narrative, animation, or documentary, now is your time to launch a short film campaign.

Between now and March 2026, Kickstarter will share resources for short-form filmmakers. Then, in March, they’ll promote shorts in Kickstarter newsletters, on social media, and more.

Application Instructions

Have an idea for a short film? Here’s how to get involved:
- Apply to participate by filling out the quick application
- Create a short film project on Kickstarter and select “Shorts” as your subcategory
- Launch your project anytime between March 1 and 31, 2026
- Register for the webinar and read the film campaign guide