Blog: Film festivals

Otras Miradas, was born with the commitment to be a screen that makes social reality visible.

Likewise, we support the different social groups, so that they show their audiovisual works and in this way their projects can be known by the general public.

In addition, we believe in cinema as an educational tool to raise awareness about current social realities, reflected in the works presented to Otras Miradas.

Dona i Cinema aims to generate a live space of artistic and social creation and investigation. A space led by women, which divulgates their works and productions, promoting equal opportunities in Performing Arts and fostering the end of discriminative practices towards women.

For this reason since 2011 we run the International Biennal Dona i Cinema – Mujer y Cine – Woman & Film, a week dedicated to cinema made by and for women, with the exhibition of a selection of features, shorts, documentaries, animation and video art. All made by women.

TEASERFRENIA is the film festival where adrenaline is measured in seconds. This unique event pays homage to the trailer as the ultimate art form, challenging the audience’s sanity with an uninterrupted blast of stories that are either yet to come... or will never exist.

TEASERFRENIA isn’t looking for the full feature; it seeks pure impact, uncontrolled hype, and the perfect deception. It is the meeting point for directors, editors, and cinephiles who know that, sometimes, two minutes of illusion are worth more than two hours of reality.

"If you can imagine it, you can edit it. Welcome to the madness of the teaser."

The deadline to register for the XXV International Short Film Festival “El Pecado 2026” is open. This year prizes are: 1,500 euros for the winning fiction short film and 700 euros for the other four main prizes. The registration period goes from Monday May 4th, to Sunday June 7th of this year, both inclusive. The duration of the short films (maximum 2 by participant) will not exceed 20 minutes (21 including credits). If it has spoken sound, Spanish or subtitles in this language shall be used. Works made before 2024 will not be admitted to the competition. More information at www.certamenelpecado.com.

Roca Film Festival is a non-profit cultural project held annually in the parish of Roca, Guitiriz, Lugo, Spain. Organized by Xermolos Cultural Association, this small-format musical film festival reaches its XIII edition in 2026.

Key Features:

Musical Focus:
The festival centers on musical-themed productions, providing a platform for filmmakers who explore the relationship between cinema and music.
Varied Program:
In addition to short film screenings, the festival offers a wide range of activities, including:
- Outdoor film screenings.
- Presentations of cultural projects.
- Live concerts.
- Art exhibitions.
- Colloquiums and debates.
- Guided tours of the area.
- Traditional games.

Short Film Competition:
The festival features a musical-themed short film competition, divided into two categories:
- Galician short films.
- Non-Galician/international short films.

Selected films from both categories will aim to the Deleite award, with a cash prize of 400€, and the winner will be selected by a professional jury made by industry talents.

Selected films will also aim to the Audience Award, with a handmade trophy by a local artist.


Roca Film Festival contributes to the diffusion of musical cinema and the promotion of culture in the region of Lugo. Furthermore, it promotes cultural exchange between Galician and international filmmakers.
The parish of Roca, in Guitiriz, offers a rural and natural environment that adds a special charm to the festival.

The seventh edition of the Hurlingham Film Festival will take place from noviembre 6 to 8, 2026, at the Leopoldo Marechal Cultural Center (Av. Gdor. Vergara 2396) in the city of Hurlingham, with free admission.

The festival aims to promote culture and film production both in the city of Hurlingham and in the rest of the country.

The FESTIHUR will host a new space in the audiovisual universe with the intention of giving visibility and synergy between the number of actors in the new city, revealing identity, diversity and future.

The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) is a unique artistic exploration and social entrepreneurship. It is the pioneer in Bangladesh for arranging a film festival where films are exclusively shot on mobile phones. DIMFF is the bridge that connects filmmakers to the world of storytelling by utilizing new mobile technologies. DIMFF started its journey in 2015 and gradually became an outreach program of the Department of Media Studies and Journalism of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. With each passing year, DIMFF’s popularity is increasing, and filmmakers from around the globe are enjoying this new platform to uphold their voices.

The festival promotes ‘New generation, New tools, New communication.’ DIMFF aims to inspire and spark creativity in storytelling from people with limited income or resources and encourage filmmakers to harness their dreams and recognize the immense possibilities to accomplish them. The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival is for newness, change, and opportunity. This new generation will establish a new form of communication by overcoming race, color, religion, and ideology with their new tools. DIMFF is the platform where language cannot be a bearer while discussing issues. These young minds need the right opportunity and guidance to make this world better.

DIMFF’s lookout towards building youth entrepreneurship skills has helped them achieve 25th rank in the Entrepreneurial Spirit category of WURI 2022. World’s universities with real impact (WURI) is the first global innovative university ranking designed to inspire and value universities’ adaptable and innovative efforts to nurture their workforce that meets industry and society’s demands. Wharton–Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) also recognized DIMFF with the Social Science Silver Award in the Reimagine Education Awards and Conference 2021, otherwise known as the “Oscars of Education.” The Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards and Conference is a global competition and conference that encourages educators to spot problems that prevent optimal learning and pedagogical outcomes. DIMFF shares the same mindset: everyone deserves equal opportunity to create a sustainable impact in their community.


1.OPEN DOOR CATEGORY for all

Anyone from any region can submit films shot on a mobile phone/camera. Any duration can be submitted in the Open Door category. Selected films will be screened at Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival, and the best film will get DIMFF Best Film Award.


2.VERTICAL FILM CATEGORY for all

Anyone from any region can submit films shot vertically on a mobile phone/camera. The film must be within 10 minutes for the Vertical Film category. Selected films will be screened at Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival, and the best film will get DIMFF Best Vertical Film Award.


3.SHORT FILM CATEGORY for university students

This category is open to Undergraduate and Graduate students only. Selected films either shot on mobile phone/camera will screen at the festival, and the best film will receive the ‘CinemaScope Best Film’ award. The film must be within 25 minutes for the Short Film category.


4.CITIZEN JOURNALISM CATEGORY for all

Anyone from any region can participate in this category. Documentaries (real-world events) must be shot on a mobile phone and within 10 minutes. Selected documentaries will be screened at the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival, and the best documentary will win the 'MSJ Best CJ' award.


5.ONE MINUTE CATEGORY for grade 1 to 12 students

Only 1 to 12 grade students can participate in this category. The film must be exactly one minute, including the title and credit line for the One Minute category. Selected films will be screened at Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival, and the best film will get the ULAB Young Film Maker Award.

The Julob International Film Festival is a yearly celebration of films and the people who create them.

It brings together storytellers from around the world—both new and experienced—to share their work, connect with audiences, and spark conversations through cinema.

More than just screenings, the festival offers workshops, Questions and Answers, and events that highlight the power of film to inspire, challenge, and bring people together across cultures.

The Films 26 Festival – ALCE Awards is a short film festival that celebrates emerging talent and creativity within the short film format.

From May 2nd to September 19th, 2026, the festival brings together filmmakers, professionals, and audiences in a space where stories, told in just a few minutes, achieve a powerful impact. Through screenings, meetings, and activities, the ALCE Awards recognize excellence in the various disciplines of short film, giving visibility to new voices and promoting narrative and visual innovation. The festival was created with the aim of bringing cinema closer to the public and becoming a meeting point between the industry and the audience, highlighting the power of the short film format to move, surprise, and provoke thought.

Vertical Movie Festival 2026 – 9th Edition

Vertical Movie Festival is an international film festival dedicated exclusively to vertical cinema (9:16), created to celebrate innovation, experimentation, and new audiovisual languages.

The festival invites filmmakers from all over the world to submit short films created specifically in vertical format.

Main Award

The Overall Winner will receive a professional digital cinema camera:
Canon EOS C50
(value: €3,800)
offered by Canon, Technical Sponsor of the festival.

Festival Dates & Venue

Rome, Italy – Casa del Cinema
September 30 – October 2, 2026

Competition Sections

* Vertical Green
* Vertical Voices
* Vertical AI
* Vertical Open

Technical Requirements

* Maximum duration: 10 minutes (credits excluded)
* Format: Vertical 9:16
* Accepted resolutions:
* 1080 × 1920 (Full HD)
* 2160 × 3840 (4K)
* or higher
* Accepted formats: MP4 / MOV
* Codec: H.264 / H.265

Films may be shot with any device, including smartphones, cameras, or professional cinema cameras.

Submission Deadline

August 31, 2026

Student Entries

Free submission for film students
(valid student ID may be required)


New for 2026

Vertical Talent – Powered by Canon
A special out-of-competition section for filmmakers residing in Italy, dedicated to the development of new vertical film projects.

The sixth Slemani International Film Festival will take place this October, bringing together renowned filmmakers from both national and international stages. This year's festival will feature seven competition sections, with a total of 19 awards to be presented. The festival's theme will focus on the Kurdish language and mother tongue, highlighting linguistic and cultural identity through cinema.

Eurasia Kinofest it's is a big film festival. Last year, 90 films from 25 countries were shown as part of the festival, and 400 guests from 30 countries came to the festival.

This year we are planning an even larger scale.

Three competitive programs
Special events
Non-competition screenings and retrospectives

Business program - panel sessions and public talks with experts from different countries

Master classes, theatre performances and much more...

festival without entry fees

♫ CALL FOR INDEPENDENT, EXPERIMENTAL WORKS OF ALL GENRES ♫

Applications for the Summer Screenings 2026 are now open! Summer Screenings will be streaming from June 14 to 22.

Pebbles Underground film and video art is an online platform focused on showcasing experimental, avant-garde, underground, and no-to-low budget independent films and video art projects by artist-humans from all over the world.

If you're making absurd, uncanny, witty, humorous, queer, political, slow film, performance, dance films, or something no one has the name for yet – we're here for you!

The artists selected for the programs keep ALL the rights.

Attention! We will never include your work in the screening without your permission. If your work is selected, you will receive a lengthy email containing details regarding the program, and asking for your permission to screen the work.

The selection process is continuous, we don't wait for the last day to watch all the submissions, we watch them as they come in.

✧ FORM/GENRE CRITERIA:

~ Experimental, expanded, artistic documentaries, and mockumentaries (any topic)
~ Experimental, avant-garde, underground, surrealist films, animation, cgi, video art, and mixed techniques (any topic)
~ Screendance, experimental dance, video performance (any topic)
~ Web-based experimental and/or interactive projects; e.g. interactive films/videos, games (any topic)
~ Experimental works 30 minutes and over, any of the above mentioned category (any topic)


✧ NOTIFICATION STATUS EXPLAINED:

~ Selected - your film is selected and will be included in the online screening (after receiving your permission)
~ Semi-Finalist - your film was not selected to be included in the online screening, but it was competing to be in the final selection.
~ Not selected - this makes us just as sad as you, but...

✧ DRM ENCRYPTED ONLINE FORMAT OF THE SCREENING

~ We are using a video hosting service with DRM encryption, to prevent illegal download of your films during our online screenings. We are not using youtube, or vimeo.

✧ ADDITIONAL INFO

~ All online programs will be FREE TO WATCH
~ If you are a filmmaker from Palestine, Georgia, Iran, Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, Belarus, North Korea, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Sudan, Ukraine, Ethiopia, please write to us for a submission discount or a fee waiver code. In your email, please include the link to the work you are planning to submit.

For questions: pebblesunderground@gmail.com
_

✧ ABOUT US
Pebbles Underground is an independent project not funded by any government or corporation, and we intend to keep it that way. The main source of funding is personal donations from humans organizing the project, who are artists themselves, and the main drive of the project is formed by the energy and involvement of the organizers, the filmmakers, and the public.

COCINE is a film show dedicated to exploring and celebrating the richness of gastronomy and food culture through audiovisual art. This event seeks to highlight the deep connection between food and culture, offering a window into the stories behind each dish, recipe and culinary tradition.

From innovation in the kitchen to the preservation of traditional food practices, COCINE is a space where filmmakers, chefs, farmers and food lovers can converge and share their passion for gastronomy. Here, we explore how planting clean and sustainable products can strengthen the traditional cuisines of towns and communities, and how gastronomic culture evolves and adapts in a constantly changing world.

COCINE is an event of the Corporación Gastronómica de Popayán in alliance with the Popayán Short Film Festival that takes place within the framework of the Popayán Gastronomic Congress.

LusOFest is a regional festival for Portuguese-language film in Offenbach am Main, Germany. It shows a small selection of feature films, short films and documentaries from the Portuguese-speaking world, known as the Lusophonia. Besides Portuguese-language films, the short film competition also accepts local productions from Hesse and the Rhine-Main area.

The festival takes place at the Hafen 2 Offenbach, the studio 57Nord, and the Digital Retro Park museum.

FilmeTrad – International Film Festival of Traditions is a film festival dedicated to documentary cinema exploring traditions, cultural heritage, and ways of life from different territories around the world.

The festival takes place in Asturias (Spain), with a territorial approach across several rural municipalities where cultural heritage remains an active part of community life. FilmeTrad aims to create a meeting point between cinema, territory, and citizens, using audiovisual language as a tool to reflect on collective memory and cultural identities.

The program focuses on documentary films — both short and feature-length — addressing traditions, crafts, rituals, music, and ways of life connected to intangible cultural heritage, offering contemporary and diverse perspectives on communities.

THE CULTURE DEPARTMENT OF GUADALCANAL TOWN COUNCIL (SEVILLE) IS ORGANISING THE 8TH EDITION OF THE GUADALCANAL EN CORTO SHORT FILM FESTIVAL, ENTITLED ‘SMILE, PLEASE’, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 22 TO 24 OCTOBER 2026.

The "Corto di sera" Festival takes place in August in Itala, in the province of Messina since 2012.

Participation to the Festival is free and open to all Italians and foreign authors, single filmmakers orcollectives/associations.

- The Festival is exclusively dedicated to short films that last less than 20minutes.

- Any genre will be accepted (documentary, fiction, classic and/or digital animation)

- All foreign works shot in any language which is not Italian must be subtitled in Italian . Non-subtitled foreign short films will not be selected.

- Each author may submit up to a maximum of three works.

- The organizers reserve the possibility to create additional sections.

Festival’s purpose is to promote the independent short film production in all its forms as an artistic and expressive language. The aim of to create an annual event in Italy where filmmakers, video makers, professionals or enthusiasts cinema can meet and connect different experiences.

We proudly announce 13th edition of PCISFF in December, 2026.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Before submitting your entry/entries please be informed that your film(s) will be screened in various Colleges, schools and Universities of Rajasthan, for free. The audience will watch and rate your film on the spot. On the basis of their ratings, best films will be short listed. These films will then be judged by our jury.

No compensation is admissible for the screening of your film(s). Your film(s) can also be shown on local or national TV channels. No royalty will be paid for such screening.

People expecting any payment for the screening of their films are requested not to send any entry to PCISFF.

La Oca Loca&Prisión Film Fest
Festival Internacional de Cine

Two Sections: JURY PRIZE FOR BEST FICTION SHORT FILM (Jury composed of prisoners from the Daroca Penitentiary Center - Spain) and PRIZE FOR BEST SHORT FILM MADE BY FILM WORKSHOPS IN PENITENTIARY CENTERS - FICTION AND/OR DOCUMENTARY - (Jury composed of Professionals from the audiovisual sector).

This is the only online Film Festival in the world in which the prisoners belonging to the Film Workshop of the Daroca Penitentiary Center (Spain) have an intense and active participation:

Viewing, pre-selecting and deciding the Awards (along with a Jury of professionals of the sector);

Participating in the filming of a comedy sketch alongside an honored star, as well as in all the previous phases – such as the script, planning, acting, lighting, sound and production – and in its post-production;

And in the preparation and conduct of interviews with the aforementioned honored star and other illustrious visitors to the prison.

A job lasting several months that has a very positive impact on their social reintegration.