Blog: Film festivals

Bonito CineSur – South American Film Festival – 2026

The heart of South American cinema beats in Bonito

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela

Competitive screenings of new South American feature films and short films produced between 2025 and 2026;

Parallel exhibition of South American children’s animation films;

Competitive screening of environmental-themed films;

Competitive screening of films from Mato Grosso do Sul, produced between 2025 and 2026;

Awards, debates, and roundtable discussions aimed at international cooperation;

Workshops for professionals, film and audiovisual academics, and local residents;

Exchange with leading South American film festival directors.

VENUES

Bonito Convention Center and public squares.

ECOTOURISM, CULTURE AND CINEMA

In the heart of Brazil, the city of Bonito is part of the Serra da Bodoquena National Park and is one of the most important ecotourism destinations in the country.

Mato Grosso do Sul borders Bolivia and Paraguay, from where it has received strong cultural influences that shape the ethnic identity of its people.

Bonito has approximately twenty thousand inhabitants and, in this charming city, there are crystal-clear rivers, waterfalls, caves, and some of the most beautiful landscapes in Brazil’s Midwest. As a cultural hub of Mato Grosso do Sul, Bonito hosts literary and jazz festivals, as well as a winter festival.

Bonito CineSur is a space for meeting and integration of South American cinema and audiovisual production, presenting the most recent works and bringing together professionals from across the continent.

In 2025, its third edition enriched the cultural calendar of the city, the country, and the continent with the screening of 63 films from 10 South American countries, in 120 hours of free programming.

Bonito CineSur received wide coverage in local and national media, with 1,665 published news pieces, reaching more than 619 thousand people on social media. It grew in size and relevance with the participation of 60 public and private institutions, reaching 9,000 people and fostering the local creative economy through the hiring of 250 professional services, including production, technical equipment, hotels, restaurants, and transportation, generating income and visibility.

In 2026, Bonito CineSur will continue to occupy venues throughout the city of Bonito and will further consolidate the convergence between culture, environment, and tourism, promoting South American cinematic exchange, highlighting environmental issues, and internationally promoting the tourist destination of Bonito and our beloved Brazil.

TEAM

NILSON RODRIGUES – Director
Producer of the films “O Outro Lado do Paraíso” (2015) and “O Pastor e o Guerrilheiro” (2022). Nilson served as director of the Festival de Brasília do Cinema Brasileiro (1995, 1997, 1998, and 2011) and of the Brasília International Film Festival (2012 to 2017), as well as Bonito CineSur (2023 to 2026).

ANDREA FREIRE – Coordinator
Coordinator of the Bonito Winter Festival (2000 to 2006, 2015, and 2016); coordinator of the Festival América do Sul (2004, 2005, 2015, and 2016); coordinator of the Vídeo Índio Brasil Showcase (2009); of the audiovisual production course Mídias Contemporâneas Narrativas Populares (2010); director, researcher, and screenwriter of the audiovisual series EVOÉ – Dramatic Stories in Campo Grande (2021). Coordinator of Bonito CineSur (2023 to 2026).

GUSTAVO DE ARRUDA CASTELO (Cegonha) – Coordinator
Cultural producer, coordinator of Temporadas Populares (1999 to 2002); General Director of the Mato Grosso do Sul Culture Foundation (2020 to 2022); Coordinator of Bonito CineSur (2023 to 2026).

JOSÉ GERALDO COUTO – Curator
Born in Jaú, São Paulo, in 1957, he is a journalist, translator, and film critic. He worked for more than twenty years at Folha de S. Paulo newspaper and currently works at the Moreira Salles Institute. He has translated works by Henry James, Norman Mailer, Truman Capote, Martin Scorsese, and Nelson Mandela, among others.

CECILIA DIEZ – Curator
University professor and general producer of the Mar del Plata International Film Festival (2021–2023) and Ventana Sur (2022–2023).

RODRIGO FONSECA – Curator
Curator, critic, and researcher of Brazilian cinema, known for his work curating film exhibitions and festivals, as well as for his work as a journalist and professor.

LUCIANA DRUZINA – Director of Druzina Content, where for over fifteen years she has produced animated series, films, fiction, and games distributed in more than fifty countries across various platforms and channels. Curator of the children’s parallel program of Bonito CineSur (2023 to 2026).

ELIS REGINA – Curator of the Environmental Film Section Journalist, has worked as a curator at several events, including Comitiva dos Chefs Festival Movie Showcase (2019); Making Of Showcase – O Cinema Está Aqui – Festcine América do Sul (2014); A Imagem do Índio – Vídeo Índio Brasil(2014 and 2015); Comida em Movimento Festival – Cinema and Gastronomy (2023); and the Bonito CineSur South American Environmental Film Festival (2023 to 2026).

MARCOS PIERRY – Curator of the Mato Grosso do Sul Film Section, Journalist, critic, audiovisual curator, screenwriter, short film director, and film professor. He holds a Master’s degree from USP and a PhD from UFMG. Member of the Brazilian Association of Film Critics (Abraccine). Curator of the Mato Grosso do Sul film section of Bonito CineSur (2024 and 2026).

BONITO CINESUR – South American Film Festival
Production – Associação Amigos do Cinema e da Cultura – AACIC

The Associação Amigos do Cinema e da Cultura – AACIC is a private, non-profit organization founded in 2007, which has been developing cultural, educational, and training projects for over fifteen years.

The association’s experience and technical capacity to develop and carry out activities in the field of cinema, as well as in education, training, and culture in general, have been officially recognized by the Education, Health, and Culture Commission of the Legislative Chamber of Brasília and by the University of Brasília.

The annual Merlion Film Festival Singapore (MFFS) is an inspirational event bringing together all the film organisations, storytellers and artists in Singapore, to celebrate their efforts towards a sustainable future and accelerate their impact. The festival hopes to foster more collaboration, raise awareness & ignite a public passion towards independent talent film makers and artists around the world!

The Merlion Film Festival Singapore showcases a selection of world films, giving local audiences a taste of world’s diversity and creativity. Films screened are recent and have encountered success in their country of origin.

Filmeraa Film Festival is one of it's kind festivals to promote independent films, web series across the globe. We are committed to release content across the globe via our screens exclusive to screen only independent films. Every year the festival acknowledges independent work with unique flavor in them and can bring about a change into the society and the thought process.

The Filmmakers/audience will gain the insights of the reel world & how to make your projects effective & efficient at the same time.
​
Every film maker is invited to be a part of this exclusive premier league screening festival.
​
The best films will get a chance to feature their film on our distribution portal www.filmeraa.com and on Indian Television.

In 1998, the Benalmádena Cinematographic Youth Association (ACIBE) recovered the spirit of the defunct SICAB (Benalmádena International Author's Film Week, 1969-1989) to undertake the project of creating a film festival for the city. The result, after seventeen years of management, is the Benalmádena International Short Film and Alternative Film Festival (FICCAB), a meeting forum for lovers of quality cinema. More than four hundred short films are presented each year at a festival for all ages that unites the glamor of the stars to the best auteur, independent, alternative and unknown cinematographies, paying special attention to European ones.

El Festival Internacional de Cine Experimental de Paraguay (FICEPY) o ULTRACINE en su Edición II, es un encuentro internacional dedicado al arte cinematográfico experimental, el cual tuvo su exitosa I Edición en octubre de 2022 bajo el nombre de FESTIVAL DE CINE EXPERIMENTAL ULTRAcinema por haberse gestado a partir de la Muestra Mexicana de Cine Experimental ULTRAcinema, en y gracias al Centro Cultural de España Juan de Salazar de la Ciudad de Asunción, con una gran aceptación del público cineasta paraguayo.

El Festival en su I Edición presentó muestras de cine experimental local y mexicano, mesas redondas, talleres de formación abiertos a todo público, funciones performáticas de intercambio y experimentación en vivo.


Gracias a la fructífera edición inaugural, se llevará a cabo nuevamente en octubre de 2023, la II Edición del Festival Internacional de Cine Experimental de Paraguay (FICEPY) - ULTRACINE con los objetivos de:

- Seguir fortaleciendo los vínculos y la escena experimental de la comunidad local y el intercambio con otros festivales Latinoamericanos, principalmente con ULTRAcinema MÉXICO por ser éste, el mentor y principal apoyo de la programación y curaduría del FICEPY.

- Seguir educando a través de talleres para la formación de público y profesionales. Uno de ellos lo dictará el Maestro Michael Ramos-Araizaga (México), director y curador del Festival ULTRAcinema México.

- Seguir potenciando e incentivando la expansión de ideas de expresión no convencionales o tradicionales, generando espacios de contagio creativo entre todas las artes experimentales libres y el pensamiento crítico.

- Generar el interés en el arte y cine experimental.

Continuando con las actividades que nos lleven a los objetivos mencionados como en 2022, realizaremos dentro de la programación muestras de cine experimental local y mexicano, mesas redondas, talleres de formación abiertos a todo público, funciones performáticas en vivo.

El festival, cada año seguirá contando con una temática protagonista a la que le ofrecerá un destaque y participación mayoritarios con el fin de visibilizar comunidades minoritarias, y, en esta II Edición tenemos especial interés en aquellos trabajos que respondan al eje conceptual de nuestra edición, los afrofuturismos*, desde sus propuestas estéticas, códigos y/o discursos para conformar un programa especial dedicada al cine surgido desde las miradas de las afrodescendencias. A través de esta mirada, vamos a prefigurar futuros, a explorar la producción de la diáspora africana contemporánea y a revisitar las raíces de las afrodescendencias en Latinoamérica para buscar nuevos vínculos entre futuros utópicos y pasados posibles y, así, reinventar la historia que nos merecemos tener.

*AFROFUTURISMO: es un tipo de estética literaria y cultural que combina elementos de ciencia ficción, ficción histórica, fantasía y realismo mágico con cosmogonías no occidentales. El movimiento también ha sido definido por la autora y cineasta Ytasha L. Womack, como la exploración de «la intersección entre cultura negra, tecnología, liberación e imaginación, con una pizca de misticismo también. […] Es una forma de unir el futuro con el pasado y, en esencia, de ayudar a reinventar la experiencia de las personas de color».1​ Su objeto es criticar no solo la problemática actual de las personas de color sino también revisar, cuestionar y reexaminar los eventos del pasado.

**Afrodiaspórico: El pensamiento afrodiaspórico debe entenderse como un proyecto humanista que refleja la voluntad de vida por la dignificación del ser humano africano y sus descendientes.

Son bienvenidas obras experimentales de cineastas emergentes y establecidos de cualquier parte del universo, en cualquiera de sus géneros audiovisuales, tanto en cine como en video: Ensayo, Poema, Danza, Musical, Performático, Ritual, Abstracto, Avant Garde, Confesional, Documental de Archivo, Livecinema, así como en cualquiera de sus técnicas, formatos o estrategias como la animación y la apropiación, sin límite de duración, ni año de producción.

Contamos con una sección especial para cineastas de la región (nacidos o residentes en Paraguay o provincias limítrofes a Paraguay de otros países: Bolivia, Argentina o Brasil).

Esta II Edición de ULTRACINE Festival Internacional de Cine Experimental de Paraguay es posible gracias al apoyo de: Centro Cultural de España Juan de Salazar de Paraguay, el Instituto Nacional del Audiovisual Paraguayo y la Secretaría de Cultura de Paraguay.

Cassette Audiovisual International Fest is a celebration of musical audiovisual and cinematographic projects: Videocilp, Musical Short&Feature Films, Rockumentary, Videodance, Mashup, Experimental Music Film.

The festival activities will take place in the month of May, we will carry out face-to-face in Mexico City and streaming.

We receive cinematographic and audiovisual works that address the following musical concepts. The extension is free as well as the genres: fiction, non-fiction, animation, experimental and hybrids.

International categories

Videoclip
Under 10 minutes
Fiction, animation, experimental and hybrid genres

Monoaural
Musical shortfilm
Under 30 minutes
Fiction and animation

Rockumentary
No-Fiction musical shortfilm
Documentary
Under 30 minutes

Loop
Experimental musical shortfilm
Experimental, mashup, found footage
Under 30 minutes

Fantasound
Videodance, performance musical shortfilm
Under 30 minutes

Stereophonic
Medium and feature musical films
Fiction, documentary, animation, experimental and hybrid genres
Between 30 minutes and 130 minute

Brussels Short Film Festival is an exhibition intended for cinema lovers, both audience and professionals. The purpose is to promote and circulate short films and to generate contacts between audience, young directors and professionals.

Since 2018, the winner of the Great Prize of the International competition will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film/ Live Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.

WE CAM FEST is the first inclusive film festival in Colombia. It brings together the cinematographic content related to disability in the world. An innovative proposal that, in addition to showing other perspectives of life through cinema, seeks to be a platform for the creation of content made by and with people with disabilities, in order to recognize their contribution and talent for the environment and society.

Horror, Thriller, Fantasy, Fantastic etc.
(Short Film: 30 minutes or less)
(Feature Film: 60 minutes or more)

VI International Short Film Festival "Make me visible in your memory" aims to promote reflection on death and the subsequent process on personal and family, social and historical memory.

13th edition of the fantastic film festival of Bourg-en-Bresse.

SHort film competitions (french languages, international, middle school) and also screening of features films.

In the city of culture, art, and heritage. Yellowstone International Film Festival is dedicated to celebrating the world-class cinema. Yellowstone International Film festival is home to independent cinema from around the world.

YIFF puts filmmakers first and provides the opportunity for recognition and publicity for quality films and documentaries. Our aim is to be an advocate for filmmakers with a unique vision and to promote their work by showcasing it to a large audience. which is why our mission is to carefully consider and select a wide range of films to promote to the indie film-loving crowd.

YIFF will be a global adventure of the premiere, screenings, nightly red carpets, daring documentaries, eye-opening short films, We also focus films under special categories such as LGBTQ films, Women Empowerment films, environmental films, Students Films,

YIFF will be host to Opening & Closing Night Gale, Opening & Closing night Red Carpet , Press Interaction for participants, Official Portraits for nominated filmmakers, Festival Interviews of Nominated filmmakers, nightly parties, live music performances, filmmaker panels, award presentations, and an enhanced filmmaker hospitality program that includes city tours and more

We invite you to add your voice to the conversation. At YIFF, filmmakers are invited to the festival to participate in a variety of programs, Q&A sessions and a series of panel discussions, Press Conferences. masterclasses where filmmakers have the opportunity to discuss their work and careers with a new generation of content creators.

1) YIFF understands that independent films must get amplification. Two weeks before the festival begins, the YIFF PR team does Pre festival press release and post-festival press releases announcing winners.

2) We create numerous filmmaker's panels and masterclasses with industry professionals for filmmakers to take part in.

South International Series Festival

A festival for professionals of the audiovisual sector and for the public, in an exceptional location such as the city of Cadiz, which had an incredible success in last year's edition.

70 premieres of fiction and non-fiction series, as well as presentations of projects and trends for the upcoming season. The public will have the opportunity to interact on the carpet with the protagonists of their favorite series and will also be able to enjoy a side program with a multitude of activities.

The International connection will be developed through different actions and activities that will promote the synergy between creators from all over the world.

The Cyprus Dance Film Festival is the most important film festival for filmmakers and dancers in Cyprus.

Our purpose is to celebrate the art of dance films, the joy of dance and the passion for music and filmmaking. We bring the dance filmmaking art to the big screen and top that with a unique after event dance party.

We value your work and promote your dance film all over the year on our social media with a rapidly growing number of followers. We give you space on our platform for background information regarding your work and your regular news.

You and your team members are welcome to join the glamorous red carpet event and award ceremony taking place at the Rialto Theater in Limassol on the 5th of November 2023.

Our festival is organized by “Cult Experiences”, which helps dancers, choreographers, producers, directors, actors, screenwriters, musicians and many other artists showcasing their voice.

What we consider a Dance Film:

A dance film, also known as a screen dance, dance-based film, is a genre of film that focuses primarily on dance as its central theme or storytelling element. Dance films typically feature choreographed dance sequences as a prominent aspect of the narrative or as the primary form of artistic expression. These films often combine elements of dance, music, and visual storytelling to create a unique cinematic experience.

In a dance film, the plot may revolve around a specific dance style or form, the journey of a dancer or dance group, or the exploration of dance as a means of personal or cultural expression. The narrative structure can vary, ranging from straightforward stories to abstract or experimental formats that emphasize the physicality and visual aesthetics of dance.

Dance films can encompass various dance styles, including ballet, contemporary dance, hip-hop, jazz, tap, and cultural or traditional forms of dance. They can be fictional narratives or documentaries that showcase real-life dancers, dance companies, or dance competitions.

Judging criteria Dance Film:
- Music
- Script / Scenario / Idea
- Dance Skills
- Choreography
- Directing
- Performances / Acting
- Cinematography
- Production Design
- Costume Design
- Editing
- Hair & Makeup
- Creativity
- Originality
- Emotion

What do we consider A Dance Photograph?

Dance photography is a genre of photography that focuses on capturing the artistry, movement, and physicality of dancers. It involves photographing dancers during their performances, rehearsals, or in specially arranged photo shoots. The aim is to freeze a moment of motion and convey the grace, athleticism, and expression of the dancer through the medium of photography.

Dance photography requires a good understanding of both photography techniques and the nuances of dance. It involves capturing dynamic poses, jumps, leaps, turns, and fluid movements that dancers perform. Photographers often work closely with dancers and choreographers to create visually striking images that showcase the beauty and energy of dance.

Dance photography can be seen in various contexts, including promotional materials for dance companies, dance magazines, online publications, and personal artistic projects. It not only documents the performances but also serves as a form of artistic expression, capturing the emotion, storytelling, and the spirit of dance through the lens of a camera.

Judging criteria Photography:
- Composition
- Photographic Technique
- Visual Storytelling
- Theme
- Aesthetics
- Impact
- Dancer's Performance
- Production Design
- Styling
- Hair & Makeup
- Representation of Movement
- Creativity
- Originality
- Emotion

VII Almassora International Short Film Festival (Castellón) SPAIN

The FiCSor main objective to contribute to the struggle for recognition of the social, cultural and linguistic rights of the Deaf community. In this connection, we believe that this artistic event is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of the cultural, linguistic, social and anthropological perspective of Deaf people.

The festival is composed by :
- the official short films competition.
- many special screenings.

FESCIMED was born with the desire to consolidate itself as a reference in the panorama of short film festivals organized in Spain in order to help raise awareness of the need to deepen and protect the values ​​that underpin justice, freedom and democracy. As a film festival, it is a tool for the promotion of Human Rights in various aspects, ranging from the exhibition and compilation of audiovisual material on the subject of the Right to the Truth as a file, to the programming of debates, performances, exhibitions and lectures on the subject of the hands of historians, filmmakers, journalists and any other culture professional in order to foster dialogue.

Top 100 best rated and reviewed in the world and IMDb listed - Global India International Film Festival

IMDb QUALIFYING: https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0008445

Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam!! Yes the whole world is a one family; From the Spiritual soil of India. From the bottom of the heart, we believe that the whole humanity is a one family and an every individual human being is a beautiful character or a player with a supreme god particle, who perform his or her great role on this global prosperous World Stage.

We really wish to share international thinking which is developed in the form of films with the society and the young generation of humanity. Every human being has a unique story to tell, but few from them are capable to express their own to the world. But the Filmmakers are the great storytellers and world wants to watch their stories through films or digital media. Because they channelize & nurture these stories through films and our motto is to spread these stories from all across the world to the masses and especially to the youngsters. Filmmakers from all across the globe are respectfully welcome to share and submit your beautiful films into the GIIFF.

We understand that you understand the realm of understanding and so you have created your wonderful films with your conscious understanding.

Connecting World with India through Audio-Visual.

Films are really a strong medium to share, yes to share, but what creates a filmmaker is a sense of what to share. Through vantage point we see that entertainment is just the medium to share realm of life with film lovers. If we penetrate the meaning of life sometime we feel that there is no such meaning or purpose to life, yes! Sometime, but we must have to give a great meaning or purpose to life to create it more beautiful for the whole world as a one family. for whole humanity or for our next generation.

We are really very small people; please understand what we want to say. But the task or mission which we want to empower is very big. One can understand it by the example of river. The beginning or origin of every river is so small but her consistency with selflessness leads her towards more hugeness.

The Zaragoza Film Festival was born in 1995 to create a cinematographic activity in the city. In principle its main denomination was that of Young Directors. As of 2007, its official name became the Zaragoza Film Festival.

Festival with different Contests, of a general and national nature (although some of its Contests are International).

As of our silver anniversary, we are carrying out a renovation and updating of the project.

As of our 28th edition and within the Official Section of our Festival, the Short Film Contest for New Latin American Talents was born, thanks to the collaboration with the Pampa Film Commission, from Argentina.