Open Call

FASHIONCLASH Festival 2026

Fashion film project

bootcamp & pitch

Are you interested to learn more about film making, gain inspiration from collaborating with makers from various disciplines, and get the opportunity to actually co-create a short fashion film? This is your chance!

Join the Fashion Film Bootcamp on Thursday 26 March in Amsterdam during Cinedans and the online Fashion Film Pitch on Tuesday 7 April 2026! This project is open to recently graduated designers, artists, art students, self-taught makers, and other creative professionals living in the Benelux region. Experience in filmmaking is not required; we value motivation, availability, flexibility, and interest in collaborative work more than previous experience!

In both 2023 and 2024, a short documentary was created to document the trajectory, including experiences from participants.

watch 2024 documentary on youtube
View last years process

Please note: This project is not an application for funding or individual mentoring, but an opportunity to learn and co-create within a supportive group environment.

Fashion Film Bootcamp

This 1-day Bootcamp takes place at Solid Ground in Amsterdam from 10:00 – 19:00, and includes masterclasses and brainstorm sessions with Hadi Moussally, (multi-faceted artist), Puck Litaay (film director) and Steven Elbers (film maker), amongst others. After the masterclasses, we will form small teams to start a brainstorm and eventually develop a first draft of the concept for a short fashion film.  

Read more about Hadi, Puck & Steven

Cinedans evening program after bootcamp

In addition to the Bootcamp day, participants can also register for the evening program(20:00-23:00) of Cinedans. Cinedans FEST is an international dance on screen festival celebrating dance film as an art form, showcasing a curated selection of dance films, documentaries, and special programmes. The festival brings together choreographers, filmmakers, and audiences to explore the dynamic blend of choreography and cinematography, with screenings, discussions, and related events taking place at venues such as the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.

Fashion Film Pitch

Two weeks after the Bootcamp, on Tuesday 7 April, 19:00 – 20:00 (CET), all teams are invited to pitch their proposal in an online meeting. Two teams will be awarded with a budget of €5500 to realize the film under guidance of two film maker experts. The brand-new fashion films will premiere during FASHIONCLASH Festival 2026 (13-15 November)! After the festival, the films can be submitted to other (fashion)film festivals for 2027.

Phases throughout the Trajectory

Phase 1: Fashion Film Bootcamp & Pitch (April 2026)
FASHIONCLASH will select two concept after the online pitch, in consultation with the masterclass providers, that is convincing in terms of content and feasible in production.

Phase 2: Development, winning pitch (April – October 2026)
The winning teams will be guided in filming and editing and receives a budget to create the short film. FASHIONCLASH is the coordinator, manages the budget and is overall end-responsible of the project.

Phase 3: Premiere at FASHIONCLASH Festival 2026, winning pitch
The premiere of the films will take place during FASHIONCLASH Festival in Maastricht. This is a good time to present the films to an international audience!

Phase 4: Submitting to film festivals, winning pitch
After the premiere, the films can be submitted to other (fashion)film festivals for 2027. A budget has been reserved to pay the entry fees.

Important details

  • Please read the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy carefully before you apply!

  • Participation is free of charge, but places are limited – so don’t wait too long.

  • You will receive a final confirmation by e-mail of your participation for the bootcamp on Monday 23 March;

  • It is mandatory to be physically present at the Fashion Film Bootcamp in Amsterdam;

  • We take care of lunch during the Fashion Film Bootcamp!

  • There is a production budget of €5.500 (incl. VAT) for each of the two winning teams to create the film;

  • The winning teams will be guided by a film maker for expert guidance, coaching, and feedback throughout the process;

  • Each participant of the winning team is joint artistic owner of the film.

Important dates

  • Application deadline: Friday 20 March 2026, 23:59 (CET)

  • Fashion Film Bootcamp: Thursday 26 March Solid Ground in Amsterdam from 10:00 – 19:00

  • Online Pitch: Tuesday 7 April, 17:00 – 19:00 (CET)

  • FASHIONCLASH Festival: Friday 13 November, Saturday 14 November, Sunday 15 November 2026.

Checklist

submit your application

Het aanmeldformulier is in het Engels. Als je het lastig vindt om het formulier in het Engels in te vullen, mag je dit ook in het Nederlands doen.

Questions?

Please get in touch via film@fashionclash.nl if you have any specific questions about the Fashion Film Project.

Background information

As an interdisciplinary platform, FASHIONCLASH has always paid attention to film by producing short films themselves, collaborating with filmmakers, and by presenting short fashion films during the annual FASHIONCLASH Festival.

In 2016, the ACT! CUT! PLAY! project, in collaboration with MoMu Antwerp and Vlaams Cultuurhuis De Brakke Grond, resulted in the creation of four innovative fashion films that reached over 30 festivals worldwide and gathered 15 awards.

In 2017, FASHIONCLASH organized FFFF, the first festival dedicated to fashion film in the Netherlands. After that, a number of film projects were realized, such as ‘Off the Top of My Hat in 2021, with Luca Tichelman and Rens de Waal, in co-creation with teenagers & young adults from Tilburg. In 2022, the participation project ‘Moving Portraits’ was initiated, with STUDIO AKATAK and Mulas Hybrid House.

In 2023, FASHIONCLASH organized the Fashion Film Project for the first time with 25 participants in the Bootcamp with workshops by Diek Pothoven (creative director MARTAN/ CZAR), Daniel van Hauten, and Jeroen Mourmans (screen writer). The concept of ‘The Leap’ won the pitch and the film premiered during FASHIONCLASH Festival 2023. ‘The Leap’ has been included in the selection of various international film festivals, including Fashion Film Festival Amsterdam, ASVOFF 16 PARIS, and New York City International Fashion Film Festival, amongst others.

For the Fashion Film Project 2024, FASHIONCLASH selected 3 pitches, resulting in the films: 'm i k', 'Purification' and 'A Breath Moment'. ‘A Breathe Moment’ is already selected for ‘Judges Select Shorts’ for Berlin Lift-Off Film Festival!