Tibet Short Films

Tibet Short Films

Now in its 17th year, Tibet Film Festival’s short film competition has become a launchpad for Tibetan filmmakers in Tibet and across the diaspora. Every film in the program had a person of Tibetan heritage in a key creative role, as director, writer, producer or cinematographer. This year’s preselected shorts, each 15 minutes or less, range across documentary, fiction, animation and experimental work, and share a fresh, unconventional take on what Tibetan cinema can be.

You pick the winner. Every audience member gets a ballot. The film with the most votes wins the Washington, D.C. Audience Award and a $500 prize. Separately, an international jury of film professionals, artists and academics will give the $3,000 Yak Prize to the best short of the year. The Yak Prize statuette was designed by Thubten Purang, a Tibetan artist living in Switzerland.

About the competition Tibet Film Festival launched the competition in 2010, and has awarded the Yak Prize since 2014. Past jurors include filmmakers Kunsang Kyirong, Tenzin Tsetan Choklay, Sonam Tseten and Yangzom Brauen. The 2022 winner was Tschuedok by Tenzin Yangdon Nesar.

2026 preselection: See the films in competition at tibetfilmfestival.org/2026-preselection.