diff --git a/doc/filters.texi b/doc/filters.texi
index d19fd346ae..94323495f0 100644
--- a/doc/filters.texi
+++ b/doc/filters.texi
@@ -17851,6 +17851,9 @@ The filter accepts the following options:
 @item filename, f
 Set the filename of the subtitle file to read. It must be specified.
 
+@item shift
+Shift subtitles timings by the specified amount.
+
 @item original_size
 Specify the size of the original video, the video for which the ASS file
 was composed. For the syntax of this option, check the
@@ -17907,6 +17910,11 @@ To make the subtitles stream from @file{sub.srt} appear in 80% transparent blue
 subtitles=sub.srt:force_style='FontName=DejaVu Serif,PrimaryColour=&HCCFF0000'
 @end example
 
+To re-sync subtitles after seeking the input e.g. with @code{-ss 20:20}, use:
+@example
+subtitles=filename=sub.srt:shift=-20\:20
+@end example
+
 @section super2xsai
 
 Scale the input by 2x and smooth using the Super2xSaI (Scale and
diff --git a/libavfilter/vf_subtitles.c b/libavfilter/vf_subtitles.c
index a3b4029af4..47a38b55b1 100644
--- a/libavfilter/vf_subtitles.c
+++ b/libavfilter/vf_subtitles.c
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ typedef struct AssContext {
     char *filename;
     char *fontsdir;
     char *charenc;
+    int64_t shift;
+    char *shift_opt;
     char *force_style;
     int stream_index;
     int alpha;
@@ -68,6 +70,7 @@ typedef struct AssContext {
 #define COMMON_OPTIONS \
     {"filename",       "set the filename of file to read",                         OFFSET(filename),   AV_OPT_TYPE_STRING,     {.str = NULL},  0, 0, FLAGS }, \
     {"f",              "set the filename of file to read",                         OFFSET(filename),   AV_OPT_TYPE_STRING,     {.str = NULL},  0, 0, FLAGS }, \
+    {"shift",          "shift the timing of the subtitles",                        OFFSET(shift_opt),  AV_OPT_TYPE_STRING,     {.str = NULL},  0, 0, FLAGS }, \
     {"original_size",  "set the size of the original video (used to scale fonts)", OFFSET(original_w), AV_OPT_TYPE_IMAGE_SIZE, {.str = NULL},  0, 0, FLAGS }, \
     {"fontsdir",       "set the directory containing the fonts to read",           OFFSET(fontsdir),   AV_OPT_TYPE_STRING,     {.str = NULL},  0, 0, FLAGS }, \
     {"alpha",          "enable processing of alpha channel",                       OFFSET(alpha),      AV_OPT_TYPE_BOOL,       {.i64 = 0   },         0,        1, FLAGS }, \
@@ -103,6 +106,16 @@ static av_cold int init(AVFilterContext *ctx)
         return AVERROR(EINVAL);
     }
 
+    if (ass->shift_opt) {
+        if (av_parse_time(&ass->shift, ass->shift_opt, 1) < 0) {
+            av_log(ctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Invalid subtitles shift: %s\n",
+                   ass->shift_opt);
+            return AVERROR(EINVAL);
+        }
+        ass->shift = av_rescale_q(ass->shift, AV_TIME_BASE_Q, av_make_q(1, 1000));
+        av_log(ctx, AV_LOG_DEBUG, "Shifting subtitles by %0.3fsec.\n", ass->shift/1000.0);
+    }
+
     ass->library = ass_library_init();
     if (!ass->library) {
         av_log(ctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Could not initialize libass.\n");
@@ -297,7 +310,7 @@ AVFILTER_DEFINE_CLASS(subtitles);
 
 static av_cold int init_subtitles(AVFilterContext *ctx)
 {
-    int j, ret, sid;
+    int j, ret, sid, nskip;
     int k = 0;
     AVDictionary *codec_opts = NULL;
     AVFormatContext *fmt = NULL;
@@ -448,6 +461,7 @@ static av_cold int init_subtitles(AVFilterContext *ctx)
     av_init_packet(&pkt);
     pkt.data = NULL;
     pkt.size = 0;
+    nskip = 0;
     while (av_read_frame(fmt, &pkt) >= 0) {
         int i, got_subtitle;
         AVSubtitle sub = {0};
@@ -458,8 +472,17 @@ static av_cold int init_subtitles(AVFilterContext *ctx)
                 av_log(ctx, AV_LOG_WARNING, "Error decoding: %s (ignored)\n",
                        av_err2str(ret));
             } else if (got_subtitle) {
-                const int64_t start_time = av_rescale_q(sub.pts, AV_TIME_BASE_Q, av_make_q(1, 1000));
+                const int64_t start_time = av_rescale_q(sub.pts, AV_TIME_BASE_Q, av_make_q(1, 1000)) + ass->shift;
                 const int64_t duration   = sub.end_display_time;
+
+                if (start_time + duration < 0) {
+                    nskip++;
+                    goto pkt_end;
+                } else if (nskip > 0) {
+                    av_log(ctx, AV_LOG_INFO, "Skipped %d subtitles out of time range.\n", nskip);
+                    nskip = 0;
+                }
+
                 for (i = 0; i < sub.num_rects; i++) {
                     char *ass_line = sub.rects[i]->ass;
                     if (!ass_line)
@@ -472,6 +495,8 @@ static av_cold int init_subtitles(AVFilterContext *ctx)
                 }
             }
         }
+
+pkt_end:
         av_packet_unref(&pkt);
         avsubtitle_free(&sub);
     }
