Open Call something CINEMA

The State of Fashion Biennale is an international fashion exhibition that explores the social, cultural, ecological, and political systems shaping fashion today. Each edition brings together designers, artists, researchers, and communities to rethink how fashion works and how it might work differently.

The 2026 edition explores the hidden systems that make fashion happen: the material, digital, social, economic, ecological, and logistical networks that operate behind, beneath, beside, and beyond clothing.

Fashion is more than garments.

It is:
– roads, ports, and warehouses
– algorithms and apps
– hands and bodies at work
– data and dashboards
– waste and ecologies
– time, speed, waiting, delay
– things that look like fashion – and things that don’t

We’re curious about all of it.

What We’re Looking For
The something CINEMA open call welcomes all kinds of videos – documentary, animation, vlog, experimental, fictional, performative, or something else entirely, as long as it reveals how fashion happens. New or old, reworked or re-edited, all forms and styles are welcome, from phone footage and archival remix to glitch, found material, screen capture, or text on black, all is possible.

Participation is OPEN TO EVERYONE

We welcome submissions from:
– filmmakers and artists
– students and collectives
– fashion workers and photographers
– researchers and writers
– coders and game makers
– workers, neighbours, friends
– people anywhere on the planet
And if you’ve ever thought “I’m not a fashion person” – you’re exactly who this call is for.

Purpose
something CINEMA creates an open entry point into the State of Fashion Biennale 2026, expanding participation beyond established networks and track records, and offers a platform for experimentation and exchange. Through moving image, it approaches fashion as a world-making machine. The programme will be presented within the main exhibition in Arnhem as a dedicated screening space that is part of the exhibition narrative.

What we offer
– Screening in the State of Fashion Biennale 2026 main exhibition in Arnhem, an event that attracts tens of thousands of visitors
– Public evening screenings in a pavilion in central Arnhem as part of the Biennale
– Visibility within an international curated fashion and cultural context
– Connection to a global network and possible online or programme exposureSelected works will screen on a continuous loop alongside other selected films.

What to Submit
– Your video (max. 3 minutes): include the title of your film and a link to a screener (e.g., Vimeo or YouTube) or send the video file via a transfer service (such as Swisstransfer or Dropbox)
– Concept (max. 100 words): briefly tell us what your video is about and why you made it
– One sentence introducing yourself (max. 30 words)
– Your details: name, country, contact information, and social media (if applicable)

Practical Things
Key Dates:
– Submission deadline: 30 April 2026, CET 23:59 h.
– Selected works announced to makers:late April 2026
– Screening dates: 14 May – 28 June 2026

Video length: max 3 minutes or under (short form videos are encouraged)
Technical Specifications: :
Minimum resolution: Full HD (1920 x 1080)
Aspect ratio: 16:9 or ultra‑wide
File format: MP4
Maximum file size: 2GB

– All participants retain rights to their work
– Subtitles in English are encouraged. All languages are welcome.
– There is no submission fee. Please note this open call does not include an artist fee and is intended as an open and voluntary participation platform alongside the curated exhibition
– Selected works may also be shared online as part of the Biennale programme.

How to Submit
Email us: somethingcinema@stateoffashion.org
Subject line: Submission | Your Name | Your Video Title

Different ways of working and creating are welcome. If the submission format is a barrier, just let us know.

Selection process
All submissions will be reviewed by the State of Fashion Biennale co-curators. We’re looking for works that connect to the exhibition theme and offer fresh perspectives. We’re curious to see what you notice, question, or make visible.

We look forward to receiving your submissions!