FIAPF Announces Major Revamp of Its Accreditation Program, and Welcomes Newly Accredited Festivals.

FIAPF – the International Federation of Film Producers’Associations – today unveils major changes in its accreditation program for international film festivals, marking a significant step toward strengthening the global film festival ecosystem.

Shaped by extensive consultations with professionals across the global film sector, the updated model offers a clearer mapping of festivals committed to supporting films and the industry at local, regional, and international levels.

A Redesigned Model for an Ever-Evolving Sector

FIAPF’s revamped accreditation introduces a streamlined, future-ready framework that aligns with the evolving needs of festivals and the film industry.

Key updates include:

• A single unified list, replacing the previous four-category system.

• An agnostic approach to programming, with no distinction by format, genre, or curation model.

• A reinforced focus on trust between festivals and the industry, and between festivals, consistent with FIAPF’s longstanding quality and reliability standards.

• Annual collection of quantitative and qualitative data from accredited festivals, highlighting their individual and collective contribution to films and the industry.

Key facts and figures from all accredited festivals are now publicly available on FIAPF’s website, which becomes the central entry point to understand and navigate the global festival circuit.

For accredited festivals, this approach offers clearer visibility of their role and contribution.

For industry players, it provides a more accessible, comprehensive map of the global festival landscape.

Among accredited festivals, those demonstrating the highest international impact— determined through a data-based system— receive the distinction of A-Festival.

A Growing Community: Newly Accredited Festivals

To mark the launch of the revamped program, FIAPF is pleased to welcome six new festivals into its accredited community. The full list of accredited festivals now includes 49 festivals across 29 countries and five continents, representing in 2025: 4 million admissions, 6,700 film invitations, and more than 111,000 industry delegates.

First series of newly accredited festivals in 2026 (sorted by country in alphabetical order):

- Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival (Armenia)

- Festival du Nouveau Cinéma (Canada)

- Hot Docs (Canada)

- Annecy International Animation Film Festival (France)

- Herceg Novi Montenegro Film Festival (Montenegro)

- Punto de Vista International Documentary Film Festival (Spain)

(Full list of the 49 accredited festivals in the appendix)

These new accreditations reflect the rich diversity of the festival world and FIAPF’s commitment to recognizing impactful events—whether their influence is local, regional, or global.

“Trust and cooperation have defined the relationship between FIAPF and festivals since the accreditation program was launched. At a time of rapid change, this revamp reinforces our commitment to a diverse, impactful and professionally robust festivals community—and ensures that our accreditation continues to serve as a reliable bridge between festivals, producers and the industry at large, worldwide” says Luis Alberto Scalella, President of FIAPF

“The revamped accreditation embraces a forward-looking, impact‑focused approach: it gives festivals greater visibility for the work they do individually and collectively, while offering the industry a clearer understanding of their value. This shift aims to strengthening the entire festivals ecosystem and reaffirming their role as key allies to films and the sector”,Florence Girot, FIAPF Festivals Senior Director, concludes.