Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2027 is an annual short-film awards program established by Creo and sponsored by Sony. It focuses on film, video and emerging storytelling formats, with the goal of identifying creators who are helping shape the future of cinema.
The 2027 competition spans Fiction, Non-Fiction, Animation, Immersive, Student and Future Format. The new Immersive category explores experiential filmmaking, while the Future Format brief specifically calls for films created for vertical 9:16 viewing.
By bringing narrative, documentary, animation and technology-led formats into one program, the awards create a clear benchmark for distinctive short-form storytelling. The competition connects creative craft with professional development and gives filmmakers a platform for strengthening their practice and industry understanding.
Entry fee: Free to enter in all six categories; no entry or submission fee is charged per film.
Eligibility
Open to filmmakers worldwide, including entrants under 18 with guardian consent; each entrant may submit one different finished short film per category, released between January 1, 2025 and December 15, 2026, with all rights cleared and English subtitles for significant non-English dialogue, AI assistance fully disclosed, previously submitted works significantly re-edited, and the Student category restricted to current film-course students or 2026 graduates at higher-education institutions.
Prize
Fiction, Non-Fiction, Animation, Immersive and Student each name one winner from shortlists of up to 10, 10, five, two and five filmmakers respectively, while Future Format names one winner and up to five commended entries. Shortlisted filmmakers in the first five categories and the Future Format winner receive return flights and accommodation for the four-day Los Angeles workshop program and awards ceremony; winners receive trophies, while winners, shortlisted filmmakers and commended entrants receive certificates. Fiction, Non-Fiction and Animation winners each receive US$5,000, Sony camera-and-lens equipment and a Meta VR device; the Immersive winner receives US$5,000 and a Meta VR device; the Student winner receives Sony camera-and-lens equipment and a Meta VR device, while the winner’s institution receives Sony camera equipment; and the Future Format winner receives US$2,500 and Sony camera-and-lens equipment. The Sustainability Prize adds US$5,000, Sony digital imaging equipment and promotion, while five shortlisted filmmakers may be selected for the Snapdragon Shorts Award production package, whose winner receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii for the official announcement and film premiere.