No Fee
Submissions deadline
05 Sep 25
0€
**RULES FOR THE CALL FOR ENTRIES – NATIONAL FEATURE FILM COMPETITION “ÓPERA PRIMA”**
**9th INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF PILAR DE LA HORADADA 2025**
1. The competition is national in scope. All Spanish production companies or directors who hold the rights and legal control over the submitted works may participate.
All Spanish feature films that represent the director’s **first solo work** are eligible. Directors who previously participated in co-directing may also enter with their first solo feature film.
Films must be submitted in their original language. If not in Spanish, they must include Spanish subtitles. Registration is free.
2. Only **fiction feature films** will be accepted. Documentaries, commercials, promotional, educational or informational videos, fashion films, and music videos are not permitted. The minimum running time must be **over 60 minutes**.
3. Feature films produced in **2024 and 2025** are eligible, provided they have **not been submitted in previous editions** of this competition.
Films may have premiered or been screened at other festivals, but they must **not be available for free viewing on any public online platform**.
4. Only **one feature film per director** is allowed. However, a production company may submit as many entries as it wishes.
5. The call for entries opens on **July 1, 2025**, and the **deadline** for submission is **September 5, 2025**.
6. Submissions must be made **online via the platform Festhome**.
7. A **Selection Committee** composed of industry professionals and members of the Festival's organizing team will be responsible for selecting the feature films that will participate in the **OFFICIAL “ÓPERA PRIMA” FEATURE FILM SECTION**, to be screened during the Festival, **from November 5 to 15, 2025**, at the venue designated by the organization. These films will compete for the **PILAR AWARD for Best “Ópera Prima” Feature Film**.
The decision of the Selection Committee is final. The official selection will be announced in **October 2025**.
The Festival will notify all selected participants in writing via the email address provided at registration, at least two weeks prior to the Festival. The selection will also be published on the official website and may be gradually announced on social media for promotional purposes, with simultaneous communication to the selected filmmakers.
The Festival will provide transportation from the nearest train station, bus station, or airport to Pilar de la Horadada so that the filmmaker or a representative may attend the screening of the selected film.
Selected works must be submitted in a **digital format suitable for screening**, along with promotional materials.
8. The **audience attending the screenings** will be responsible for **selecting the winner by vote**.
9. Feature films in the **“ÓPERA PRIMA” FEATURE FILM SECTION** will compete for:
**PILAR AWARD FOR BEST “ÓPERA PRIMA” FEATURE FILM 2025**,
endowed with **€800 in cash + statuette**.
The winner will be announced at the **PILAR AWARDS 2025 GALA**, to be held on **November 15, 2025**, in **Pilar de la Horadada (Alicante)**.
10. Nominees will be **invited to attend the Closing Gala and Awards Ceremony**. The organization will cover **two nights of accommodation** (Friday, November 14 and Saturday, November 15), as well as transport from the nearest station or airport to the Gala venue. Therefore, **technical or artistic representation**—preferably the director—of each nominated film must be present.
11. The **audience vote is final** and will be made official through a record issued by the Pilar de la Horadada Town Council. If there are no participants, if the turnout is lower than expected, or if the quality of the entries does not meet the Festival’s minimum standards, the award may be declared void. Likewise, if any winner does not meet the conditions set forth in these rules, the prize may also be declared void.
12. The **screening rights** for selected works are granted **exclusively for screenings within the “Ópera Prima” Official Feature Film Section**.
The winning feature film may also be screened again at a later date, after the Festival, to promote the winning entries. By registering, producers and directors **authorize the Festival’s promotional use** of up to **three minutes of their submitted film** to be used in any media strictly for promotional purposes for the Festival in any of its editions.
13. Award-winning feature films may be **re-screened in future Festival programming**, to commemorate past editions, in special events such as **“Cortopilar Classics”**, always with **free admission and non-profit** purposes.
14. Materials received from selected feature films will be **archived in the Festival’s library**.
15. Participants guarantee that the submitted works **are not subject to any legal claims** and that they **comply with Spanish Intellectual Property Law**. The Festival is not liable for any unlawful content in the submitted films.
16. The Festival may grant **honorary mentions** not specified in these rules. The organization **will not provide feedback** on the submitted films or the selection process. Participation implies full acceptance of these rules.
17. The Festival will promote its events and programming through its official website **[www.cortopilar.com](https://www.cortopilar.com)** and social media:
**Instagram**: @cortopilar
**Facebook**: [facebook.com/cortopilar](https://facebook.com/cortopilar),
as well as through regional TV, radio, and print media.
18. Participation in the competition implies **full acceptance of these rules**, including the organization’s resolution of any issues not covered herein.
19. **Cash prizes** are subject to **applicable tax withholdings**.
20. The organization reserves the right to **modify these rules**, notifying participants of any significant changes. It also reserves the right to **change the Festival dates** should unforeseen circumstances require it.
