The regional battles on the Road to The International have concluded, and we now know all sixteen teams destined to clash in Copenhagen this September.

But there's also another competition to remember — in which the auteurs of the Dota scene grab their pens, friends, and camera lenses and treat the community to a breadth of cinema that rivals any film festival.

That's right, it's time for this year's Dota 2 Short Film Contest, officially open for submissions. Filmmakers will have until 3:00pm PDT on August 18, 2024 to submit their short film creations of 90 seconds or less to the Dota 2 Steam Workshop to be eligible for consideration.

All Dota players are welcome to visit the Workshop to discuss, vote on their favorites, and help us select the best entries. The top ten finalists will be showcased as part of The International live broadcast. After reviewing the Workshop ratings and discussions, Valve will nominate the top entries to be featured in the Dota client for a final voting process by the community to determine the winners.

The top three selections will score prizes of $25,000, $10,000, and $5,000, and each of the other top ten finalists will win $500. (As a refresher for anyone who missed the winners last year, or wants to enjoy them again, the top three entries from last year were Chemical Rage by 4fun, Finish Pls by Keller Max, and GAME BREAKERS by Anomidae.)

Visit the Dota 2 Short Film Contest site for more information and guidelines on the submission process. And be sure to stop by the Workshop page regularly to help review the submissions you would like to see showcased at The International, coming to you live from Copenhagen in September.