Festival start: 18 October 2025
Festival end: 25 October 2025
The Gáldar International Film Festival (FIC Gáldar) is one of the most important film festivals in the Canary Islands, and has concentrated in each of its editions the very best of national and international cinema. Organized by the City Council of Gáldar through its Council of Culture since 2013, this festival proposes a live event with important health measures to ensure complete safety and confort.
Our event as of today will be hosted on the original intended dates. We are closely following the rules and regulations set by the government of Spain and, since our hope is that cinemas are allowed to full capacity before our event, we are also open to open our venues in a limited capacity if that was mandatory. If any plans change for our live event, we will notify all selected filmmakers with new dates.
The festival will take place in the city of Gáldar, on the island of Gran Canaria, in october 2025, and its philosophy focuses on the film as the only and great gravitational center, without losing sight of the creators, who deserve a parangonable respect for their works.
Thus, this festival will not make a difference between themes, formats or genres. Submissions are open to all types of feature and short films. We are looking to showcase the best in drama, comedy, horror, sci-fi/fantasy, thrillers/suspense, noir, both in fiction and documentary, both in life action and animation. Submissions are open to films from all over the world.
FIC is committed to cinema for cinema, to a true vision that does not respond to stringings neither social, nor ideological, nor formal. It is, at its core, a film festival without borders.
Finally, the festival will also pay homage to different personalities from the film industry and will organize workshops and parallel activities.
Cash Prizes: 4,000€
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Feature Film. - €2000 winner prize + Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Director in a Feature Film. - Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Actress in a Feature Film. - Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Actor in a Feature Film. - Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Short Film. - €1000 winner prize + Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Spanish Short Film. - €1000 winner prize + Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Director in a Short Film. - Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Actress in a Short Film. - Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Actor in a Short Film. - Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Canarian Short Film. - €1000 winner prize + Physical trophy.
1. Submission.
The Gáldar International Film Festival opens call for submissions for its 2025 edition to short films and feature films of all genres (drama, comedy, noir, bizarre, experimental, horror, science fiction, fantasy, thriller...), both fiction and documentary, both animation and live action. Films of all nationalities may be submitted, either in Spanish or in original language with subtitles in Spanish.
The only way to submit feature length films or short films for the consideration of the Festival's Programming Committee is via Festhome.
-The submission deadline is on 15th July, 2025.
The submission of works in progress will not be accepted. No premiere status will be considered in order to be selected, but films with no commercial premiere in cinemas will be preferred.
2. Terms for the Short Film Official Section:
The Program Committee will only take into consideration short films fulfilling the following conditions:
- Production date: Only films completed after January 1st 2024.
- Runtime: The maximum runtime accepted for short films is 25 minutes.
-All submissions are final, no refunds are available.
- Format: In order to reduce carbon footprint, the submission of screening copies for the festival will always be in digital formats such as DCP or MP4. In particular cases, other formats may be accepted.
3. Terms for the Feature Film Official Section:
- Production date: Long feature films of any genre, fiction and documentary, animation and live action, completed after January 1st 2024 , preferably (but not necessary) unreleased in Spain, may participate in this section.
- Runtime: The minimum runtime accepted for long feature films is 70 minutes. There are no limitation in their maximum runtime. The Festival reserves the right to make exceptions to this rule.
- Format: In order to reduce carbon footprint, the submission of screening copies for the festival will always be in digital formats such as DCP or MP4. In particular cases, other formats may be accepted.
4.Terms for the Canarian Short Films Section:
The Program Committee will only take into consideration short films fulfilling the following conditions:
- Any fiction, animation or documentary short film which has been directed by a person born in Canaries, or at least 50 % shot in Canaries, or produced by a production company setted in Canaries. Short films in this category are also eligible for the Short Film Official Section.
- Production date: Only films completed after January 1st 2024.
- Runtime: The maximum runtime accepted for short films is 25 minutes.
-All submissions are final, no refunds are available.
- Format: In order to reduce carbon footprint, the submission of screening copies for the festival will always be in digital formats such as DCP or MP4. In particular cases, other formats may be accepted.
5. Terms for the Award for Best Spanish Short Film:
For this award, the Program Committee will only take into consideration short films in the Official Section fulfilling the following conditions:
- Only shorts directed by people born in Spain or produced by a productión company settled in Spain.
- Production date: Only films completed after January 1st 2024.
- Runtime: The maximum runtime accepted for short films is 25 minutes. The Festival reserves the right to make exceptions to this rule.
-All submissions are final, no refunds are available.
- Format: In order to reduce carbon footprint, the submission of screening copies for the festival will always be in digital formats such as DCP or MP4. In particular cases, other formats may be accepted.
-All Spanish shorts will also be eligible for the Best Short Film Award of the Official Section.
6. Participation:
The selected titles will receive the entry form to formalize their participation in the Galdar International Film Festival.
The company lending the feature film/ short film must provide the Festival with promotional material: stills, posters, press books, trailers, etc., so that the Festival can promote the film correctly. In order to reduce carbon footprint, this material must be submitted in a digital format.
The Festival reserves the right not to return this material.
By submitting the short film or the long feature film, the production and distribution companies which hold the rights of these works authorize the Festival the use of the trailer or a maximum three-minute clip of the selected works exclusively for broadcasting in the media. These clips will be sent to the press department of the festival.
Spanish subtitles or the material needed for subtitling the film must be submitted: a downloading link and a list of dialogues and/ or a subtitle file. If the film already has distribution in Spain, the distribution company will provide a screening copy with Spanish subtitles.
The submission of the film in the fourth edition of the competition section of the Festival means full acceptance of the Competition Rules, as well as the recognition of the Festival Organisation to solve any circumstances not covered by these rules.
Once the selection of the film has been communicated and announced, and confirmed by the production or the distribution company, the works in competition cannot be withdrawn from the Festival on no account.
7. Selected feature films and short films can participate in following sections of the Festival:
- FIC Gáldar Short Film Official Section. In competition.
- FIC Gáldar Feature Film Official Section. In competition.
- FIC Gáldar Spanish Short Films Section. Non official, in competition.
- FIC Gáldar Canarian Short Films Section. Non official, in competition.
8. Official selection for competition.
The Selection Committee will announce the selected films (shorts and feature films) to participate in the competition of the 12th edition of the Festival before September 8th, 2025. The festival reserves the right to extend this date.
The selection of a feature film or a short film at the Festival in any of the sections does not imply an invitation to a representative of the work (distributor, filmmaker) to attend the Festival, but the Festival will do its best to assume any cost regarding travel , accommodation or meals of the representatives of the awarded works.
The Festival reserves the right to invite any representative of the selected works to attend.
9. Dispatch.
The selected feature films and short films must be available for the organisation before September 15th, 2025.
In order to reduce carbon footprint, the submission of screening copies for the festival will always be in digital formats such as DCP or MP4.
In particular cases, other formats may be accepted. All costs for shipping and insurance of the copies and promotional material are at the sender’s expense.
The Festival reserves the right to reject those copies that do not fit the technical requirements for screening. New screening copies may be requested to the representatives of the work.
If the screening copy does not arrive in time for its exhibition, the Festival reserves the right to substitute it for another film.
The only costs that the Festival assumes are those resulting from the returning of screening copies in physical format (hard drives or similar) provided by the distribution company. Were there a third party (another Festival) interested in the selected film, the distribution company or this third party would assume the shipping costs.
The screening copies in the accepted formats will not be returned immediately. The way of returning them shall be agreed upon between the parties.
10. Festival Program:
The selected films will be screened at the Gáldar International Film Festival XII edition.
The organisation of the Festival will decide the screening dates and times of each film and these could change according to the needs of the organisation . In case of change, the new date and times will be communicated appropriately.
The date of the festival may change or the screening days extended due to programming or due to the pandemic evolution.
11. awards:
The awards of Gáldar International Film Festival are economic or physical Trophies.
- Jury awards. The Jury will consist of film industry, performing arts or communication professionals. They will choose the winning films of the official competitive sections. The Jury will present the following awards:
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Feature Film. - €2000 winner prize + Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Director in a Feature Film. - Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Actress in a Feature Film. - Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Actor in a Feature Film. - Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Short Film. - €1000 winner prize + Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Spanish Short Film. €1000 winner prize + Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Director in a Short Film. - Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Actress in a Short Film. - Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Actor in a Short Film. - Physical trophy.
-FIC Gáldar Award for Best Canarian Short Film. - €1000 winner prize + Physical trophy.
The Jury’s decision will not be open to appeal.
The jury of the different sections will not express publicly their impressions of the selected films. The direction of the Festival may attend with voice but no vote the jury deliberations.
In addition, the Jury will reserve the possibility to give a maximum of two honorable mentions to highlight the technical and artistic aspects of some of the films in competition.
Awards could be ex aequo.
11. Legal responsibilities:
The competitor will be the only one responsible for the short / feature film, as for copyright, civil and/ or criminal liabilities of any kind or jurisdictional and/or administrative order resulting from its content.
12. Acceptance of these rules:
The participation in the Gáldar International Film Festival implies the total acceptance of these rules and possible enclosures.
Any matter arising during the Gáldar International Film Festival, which is not covered by these regulations, will be decided on by the Festival organisation in accordance with international rules.
Short Films Official Selection
Short Films 29'<
Standard Fee5€ -8% 4.6€ PRO 18% 4.1€
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Submissions deadline
15 Jul 25
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0.9€
Submit
Spanish and International short fiction or documentary films of all genres, including animation, live action and fantasy, are considered for FIC's Official Section. The Festival may schedule, out of competition (The Darkest hour), a short genre film (fantastic, horror, science-fiction) which has been submitted to the competitive Official Section.
Feature Films Official Selection
Short Films >70'
Standard Fee12€ -8% 11.04€ PRO 18% 9.84€
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Submissions deadline
15 Jul 25
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2.16€
Submit
Spanish and International feature fiction or documentary films of all genres, including animation, live action and fantasy, are considered for FIC's Official Section. The Festival may schedule, out of competition (The Darkest hour), a feature genre film (fantastic, horror, science-fiction) which has been submitted to the competitive Official Section.
CANARIAN SHORTS
Short Films 25'<
No Fee
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Submissions deadline
15 Jul 25
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0€
Submit
Any fiction, animation or documentary short film which has been directed by a person born in Canaries, or at least 50 % shot in Canaries, or produced by a production company setted in Canaries. Short films in this category are also eligible for the Short Film Official Section.
Spanish Shorts
Short and Feature Films (2024+)
Standard Fee5€ -8% 4.6€ PRO 18% 4.1€
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
15 Jul 25
Save up
0.9€
Submit
- Only shorts directed by people born in Spain or produced by a productión company settled in Spain.
- Production date: Only films completed after January 1st 2024.
Festhome holds accountable fees festivals by holding the payment of the fees of most newer festivals until they have viewed the submissions, held their festivals and other methods.
-8%
4.6€
Festhome holds accountable fees festivals by holding the payment of the fees of most newer festivals until they have viewed the submissions, held their festivals and other methods. 