The Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (Festival International du Court Métrage) is held every February and has become the world's most important marketplace for short films. Founded in 1979, it now attracts around 160,000 spectators over its ten days, with programmes running across multiple venues throughout the city. The competitive selection draws entries from over 80 countries; the parallel market is where industry professionals buy and sell short films for broadcast and distribution rights.
If you happen to be in Clermont-Ferrand in February, the festival is worth experiencing. Screenings are held in cinemas across the city, tickets are inexpensive, and the programming ranges from experimental animation to documentary to narrative. The city buzzes in an unusual way during the festival period — Clermont-Ferrand is not a place associated with glamour, which makes the sudden influx of filmmakers and industry people from around the world all the more incongruous and enjoyable.