Babel 48: How to Get Compete in 2026-27

Want to give your film students something to look forward to next school year?

Babel Film Workshop is now inviting high school film and media teachers from around the world to participate in the next Babel 48—the largest 48-hour film competition in the world for IB Film students!

What is Babel 48?

Babel 48 is an annual global film challenge that pushes high school film and media students to create some of their best work under time constraints. Starting with prompts (a prop, line of dialogue and cinematic technique) unveiled at the beginning of the competition, student teams race to write, shoot, and edit complete short films in just 48 hours—no travel required.

Why join Babel 48?

All completed films can be used in students’ IB Film Portfolios, supporting core curriculum areas like storytelling, production workflow, and creative reflection. In 2026, 19 schools from 13 cities around the world competed, with 300 students submitting 54 films. Nominated films from each school will be screened at the Babel Film Awards in Hong Kong in March 2027, where winners are announced.

Register & Vote on Competition Dates

The official Babel 48 competition runs in January 2027, but the exact dates are decided by participating teachers. This helps avoid conflicts with exams, school holidays and internal deadlines.

The International Competition is open to teachers who are members of Babel Slate—an online film education platform with resources for film educators. Non-member schools can also participate out-of-competition for free.

Want to take part?

Create a free account on Babel Slate by June 30, 2026 to vote on the competition dates and explore membership options!