When the Short Film Becomes a School — CSFF 2026 Opens Its Doors Wide to Young Filmmakers
- Editorial team
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
For its 15th edition, the Chaktomuk Short Film Festival is not just receiving films: it is training those who will make them. A look back at a season of knowledge-sharing, encounters, and illumination.
The Chaktomuk Short Film Festival has never really been just a festival. Since its beginnings in 2012, it has been built on a simple conviction: Cambodian cinema will not renew itself without those who have not yet shot their first frame. This year, for its 15th edition, CSFF has taken this logic to its fullest extent—by reaching out to future directors where they study, in lecture halls and workshops across Phnom Penh, well before the lights go up.
Five meetings, one shared ambition
Called Chaktomuk Film Insights (CFI), these educational events brought together more than 300 young film enthusiasts and aspiring filmmakers from March to June. The Sunflower Film Alliance, a collective of passionate volunteers aged 15 to 40, organized five sessions with deliberately varied formats: masterclasses, technical workshops, and screening discussions.
The first, held in late March at PSE Film School, felt like a natural starting point. Non Vandet—director of the short film Old Building, finalist at CSFF 2025, and himself a former student of the school—came to share his journey with around fifty students. A return to his roots, simple and practical.
The second session, at Build Bright University’s Sen Sok campus in April, brought together three award winners from previous editions: Mony Kann Darung (February Wind, 2018), Chong Sievphin (What Now?, 2023), and Chhean Pisen (Black Light, 2024). Editing, storytelling, directing—the discussions focused on the essentials. Leang Mengly, an intern in charge of coordination, recalls an electrified room: “Questions were flying. The students wanted to learn from the concrete experiences of their seniors.”
Light as a language of its own
The third cycle expanded in scale. In partnership with Camera Hut, Aputure, and Amaran, CSFF organized a full day dedicated to mastering lighting across five institutions simultaneously: Norton University, Build Bright University, the Department of Media and Communication, PSE Film School, and Limkokwing University. Nearly 180 participants attended a demonstration by Richard Chen, a Singaporean cinematographer with fifteen years of experience in the Asia-Pacific region, supported by Him Thideth, a director of photography working on both local and international productions.
“These students deeply inspired me with their resilience and ingenuity,” Richard Chen said at the end of the tour. “Investing in their talent means contributing to the construction of Cambodia’s creative industry of tomorrow.”
The fourth CFI, held under the Canopy at Cambodian Living Arts in May, featured Kong Sreynet, an art director with a decade of experience across both commercial and film projects.
“Shoot Now, Shine Later”: the final word
The season concluded yesterday, Saturday, June 20, at the Institut français du Cambodge. Under the title Shoot Now, Shine Later, this fifth session screened the six finalist short films from the 2025 edition, followed by a discussion with their directors. A rare moment—a reflection for some, a turning point for others.
There is still time
For filmmakers who are still hesitating, CSFF has extended its submission deadline to July 31, 2026 at midnight (Cambodian time), following requests from many applicants. Six weeks to finalize a project, find the right angle, and shoot that missing final scene.
CSFF 2026 is supported by numerous partners, including the Show Me Shorts Film Festival (New Zealand), the Institut français du Cambodge, and Cambodian Living Arts, as well as technical partners (Camera Hut, Aputure, Canon) and media partners (Prochea Kaset, AMS).
Submissions open until July 31, 2026 — http://csff.co | com@csff.co | +855 12 684 955
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