ON DUTY - FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE CORTOMETRAJES (1)

Festival start: 05 September 2026      Festival end: 05 September 2026

Thematic Festival of Police, Military, and Crime Short Films

We seek stories that explore the human, technical, or social aspects of those who live "in uniform" or on the fringes of the law (police officers, military personnel, agents, or criminals). The festival is open to works of any film genre (action, thriller, drama, comedy, horror, sci-fi, etc.), as long as the central theme of the story corresponds to the proposed theme.

A departure from the usual archetype we've become accustomed to seeing on screen.

Awards

- Best Fiction Short Film – Trophy, certificate, and Winner's Laurel

- Best Animated Short Film – Trophy, certificate, and Winner's Laurel

- Best Documentary Short Film – Trophy, certificate, and Winner's Laurel

Fiction Category Finalists (2) – Certificate and Selection Laurel

Nominations - Certificate:

- Best Actor/Actress

- Best Director

- Best Screenplay

- Director of Photography

- Costume Design/Art Direction/Makeup

- Editing

- Visual Effects/VFX

- Original Score

- Stunt Coordination and Technical Consulting

The awards will be presented at the screening of the winning and finalist short films on September 5th.

Participants will be officially notified by email if their work has been awarded, is a finalist, or has received any of the nominations.

ENTRY GUIDELINES AND FESTIVAL RULES

1. Date:

The Short Film Festival will be held on September 5, 2026, and is open to filmmakers from around the world. Participants may be individuals or organizations, regardless of nationality.


2. Requirements and Conditions:

Short films of fiction, animation, and documentary genres dealing with police, military, or crime themes are eligible, with a maximum duration of 15 minutes.

There is no production date limit, as long as the final version is submitted. Films may have been previously broadcast on television or published online.

The link to the film (hidden) must be submitted via YouTube. The film must be in high quality, at least Full HD, with a standard 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio.

All short films whose original dialogue is not in Spanish must be subtitled in Spanish.

Participation in this festival implies the transfer of rights to the images submitted within the scope of the festival itself, which will be withdrawn at its conclusion, after viewing by the jury and, if applicable, after exhibition to the attendees as an award-winning short film in the Artistic Metropol hall, in Madrid, on the day of the screening.


3. Registration.

The registration period for entries will begin on May 11 and end on August 20.

Registration will be completed by sending the link (in private) of the work from the YouTube platform to the email address chemagarcia@escenasdeaccion.com.

Upon acceptance of these rules, it will be understood that the participant holds the copyright/ownership rights to the work (script, image, visual and musical content) and grants the right to exhibit the work within the framework of the festival. The participant releases the festival organizers from any third-party claims.

A high-resolution image of the short film's poster must be attached. This image will be published on Escenas de Acción SL's social media channels as the participating short film.

The registration fee is 5 Euros, in to the Festhome plataform.

Submission of the work to the Festival implies the express acceptance of these regulations by its authors.

Data Protection (LOPDGDD 3/18): In accordance with Organic Law 3/2018 and the GDPR, the personal data provided by participants will be processed by Escenas de Acción S.L. for the sole purpose of managing their participation in the “ON DUTY” International Festival and communicating the results. The data will not be transferred to third parties, except where legally required or for the proper management of the exhibition at the Artistic Metropol venue. Participants may exercise their rights of access, rectification, erasure, and objection by sending an email to chemagarcia@escenasdeaccion.com


4. Sections

Short Films of:

- Fiction, including various genres, but must adhere to the police, military, or crime theme. (Sci-Fi, Horror, Western, Drama, Comedy, Thriller, etc.).

- Animation

- Documentary

All categories include national and international entries.


5. The Jury

The Jury will be responsible for awarding the prizes. It will be composed of professionals from the audiovisual industry:

Mirta Renée: Actress and presenter

Mario Leclere: Director of photography

Alberto Hidalgo: Actor, director, and producer

Chema García: Tactical Advisor and director


The jury's decisions are final.