Premio IberShorts (2)

Festival start: 26 February 2027      Festival end: 07 March 2027

IBERSHORTS aims to provide international visibility to the production of fiction and animation short films made in Ibero-American countries, including Portugal and excluding Spain.

IBERSHORTS is organised by Festival de Málaga in collaboration with Festhome and seeks to strengthen the cultural and cinematographic ties between these regions, offering a privileged showcase within one of the most relevant festivals in the Spanish and Latin American film landscape.

In order to fulfil these objectives, IBERSHORTS will take place within the framework of Festival de Málaga, which will hold its 30th Edition from 26 February to 7 March 2027.

The Official Short Film Jury of the 30th Edition of Festival de Málaga will grant one award among the five selected short films.

The decision of this jury shall be final and shall not have to be justified.

Persons with interests in the production, distribution or any other form of exploitation of or participation in the audiovisual works selected for IBERSHORTS may not form part of the jury.

The award may not be declared void and may not be granted ex aequo.

The jury undertakes not to publicly express its views on the selection of audiovisual works for which it is required to issue its decisions.

The Management of Festival de Málaga may be present, with the right to speak but not to vote, at the jury’s deliberations and communications.

The jury will grant the following award: Biznaga for Best Ibero-American Short Film


In addition, the five selected short films will form part of the Málaga Short Corner, an initiative within MAFIZ / Spanish
Screenings Content in which, in addition to the screenings, they will take part in the different industry activities.

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O Júri Oficial de Curtas-Metragens da 30ª Edição do Festival de Málaga atribuirá um prémio entre os cinco curtas-metragens selecionados.

A decisão deste júri será soberana, definitiva e não necessitará de justificação.

Não poderão integrar o júri pessoas que tenham interesses na produção, distribuição ou qualquer outra forma de exploração, participação ou envolvimento nas obras audiovisuais selecionadas para o IBERSHORTS.

O prémio não poderá ser declarado deserto nem atribuído ex aequo.

O júri compromete-se a não expressar publicamente as suas opiniões sobre a seleção das obras audiovisuais relativamente às quais deva emitir as suas decisões.

A Direção do Festival de Málaga poderá estar presente nas deliberações e comunicações do júri, com direito a voz, mas sem direito a voto.

O júri atribuirá o seguinte prémio:

Biznaga para o Melhor Curta-Metragem Ibero-Americano.



Além disso, os cinco curtas-metragens selecionados farão parte do Málaga Short Corner, uma iniciativa integrada no MAFIZ / Spanish Screenings Content, na qual, para além das exibições, participarão nas diferentes atividades da indústria.

Only submissions made by the qualifying festivals using an exclusive registration code will be accepted.


2nd EDITION
IBERSHORTS AWARD 2026


PARTICIPATION RULES

OBJECTIVES

IBERSHORTS aims to provide international visibility to the production of fiction and animation short films made in Ibero- American countries, including Portugal and excluding Spain.

IBERSHORTS is organised by Festival de Málaga in collaboration with Festhome and seeks to strengthen the cultural and cinematographic ties between these regions, offering a privileged showcase within one of the most relevant festivals in the Spanish and Latin American film landscape.

In order to fulfil these objectives, IBERSHORTS will take place within the framework of Festival de Málaga, which will hold its 30th Edition from 26 February to 7 March 2027.



SUBMISSION PROCESS

The network of qualifying festivals established for this purpose may submit works subject to compliance with the following requirements:

1. Each participating festival must submit two short films selected in its most recent edition: one awarded by the jury and another awarded by the audience, or their equivalents, provided that they were produced after 1 January 2026 and have not been commercially released in cinemas, on video, television or VOD platforms in Spain.
Exceptionally, festivals whose edition takes place within the first six months of the year may submit short films produced in 2025, provided that they participated in their 2026 edition. Should any of the award-winning short films fail to meet the requirements set out in these rules, the qualifying festival may propose new candidates, provided that they formed part of one of the official sections of the festival in its 2026 edition.

2. Fiction and/or animation works are eligible.

3. The maximum duration of the short films is 30 minutes.

4. Works from any country within the Ibero-American sphere, including Portugal (except Spain), or co-productions, may be submitted, provided that more than 50% of the production and the nationality correspond to any of the aforementioned countries.

In order to participate in the 2nd edition of IBERSHORTS, registration and completion of the submission form exclusively through FESTHOME (www.festhome.com) is mandatory before the following deadline:

• 30 November 2026

*Festivals whose edition takes place after 30 November may request an extension of the submission deadline.

Submission is free of charge and may only be carried out through the invitation system, using a code provided by Festhome to each qualifying festival.


1. Invitation codes

a.Only applicants holding the submission code issued by Festhome may complete the process.

b. This code is personal and non-transferable and guarantees exclusive access to the invited films.


2. Works already registered on the Festhome platform
When the film has been admitted to participate in the festival through Festhome, it will not be necessary to submit it again.

• The festival may request its final inclusion by writing to help@festhome.com and indicating the title.help@festhome.com


3. IBERSHORTS Authorisation Annex

All submitted works must provide the annex “Authorisation for Submission, Exhibition and Acceptance of Conditions for an Audiovisual Work – IBERSHORTS Call for Entries” and upload it in the Documents section of the platform.

• In the case of films that already exist in the Festhome system, this annex must be submitted before validating the
submission.

4. Enquiries regarding availability on the platform
Qualifying Festivals wishing to confirm whether any of the selected short films already appear in the Festhome system
must address their enquiry to help@festhome.com

During the submission and/or selection process, and due to Festival de Málaga’s commitment to parity and to supporting the presence of women in film production, applicants will be asked to indicate the gender of the people participating in the projects, with the aim of compiling reliable and accurate statistics to determine the degree of women’s participation in the
audiovisual sector.

The submission of an audiovisual work to IBERSHORTS implies full acceptance of and compliance with these Participation Rules and any annexes thereto.


SELECTED AUDIOVISUAL WORKS

A joint committee appointed by Festival de Málaga and Festhome will select five finalist short films from among all the works submitted by the qualifying festivals.
Festival de Málaga, as host festival and official interlocutor, will issue an invitation to each selected film. This information shall remain strictly confidential between the Festival’s management and the representatives of the invited film until the Festival decides to announce it officially.

The five finalist short films will be screened during the 30th Edition of Festival de Málaga and will therefore be subject to the same obligations, considerations and deadlines as the other audiovisual works selected in any of its competitive sections (see
https://festivaldemalaga.com/el-festival/bases-de-participacion/ https://festivaldemalaga.com/el-festival/bases-de-participacion/

In addition, the five selected short films will form part of the Málaga Short Corner, an initiative within MAFIZ / Spanish Screenings Content in which, in addition to the screenings, they will take part in the different industry activities.


VERSIONS

All screening copies of the selected audiovisual works shall be presented in their original version:

• With Spanish subtitles, if the original version of the
film is not in Spanish, either wholly or partially.

• With English subtitles, if the original version is in Spanish.

If the original version of the film is in other languages, it must be subtitled in Spanish or English.

In such cases, the Festival will provide, at its own expense, additional electronic subtitling in the missing language, subject to prior submission of the subtitle list in an online, downloadable file, which shall be used exclusively for internal and confidential purposes.

The projection of this electronic subtitling will be carried out by the subtitling company providing services to the Festival.


PRINT TRAFFIC AND FORMAT

Selected audiovisual works must deliver the screening copy in DCP format.

Screening copies in Digital Cinema Package (DCP) format must comply mandatorily with DCI standards and will remain in the possession of Festival de Málaga until the conclusion of the last scheduled screening within the Festival. In addition, the company that submitted the selected film must certify that the copy functions correctly (audio/video synchronisation, colour, etc.) by testing it in a cinema before sending it to Málaga. Said company shall also provide the technical department
with the necessary KDMs (with a minimum available window of 48 hours before the screening and 24 hours after it), assuming the costs arising from their generation, as well as the management of new KDMs (or DKDMs) where necessary.

The Festival reserves the right not to accept copies which, following the necessary technical checks, are not deemed suitable for screening.

Selected participants must send the film copies to the Festival before 13 January 2026, choosing one of the following methods:

• Physical shipment of the DCP together with a digital file that may be used as a backup copy.

Payment of shipping costs (transport and insurance policy) arising from the dispatch of the copy of each audiovisual work selected to participate in any of the Festival sections from the place of shipment to the Festival’s print warehouse shall be borne by the production companies.

In the case of participating films, the production companies must deliver the screening copies to the Festival, mandatorily before 13 January 2026, and must inform the Organisation of the dispatch date of the copy and the means of transport used.

All copies of participating audiovisual works must indicate the details for their return. Such returns will be carried out within a maximum period of fifteen days from the Festival closing date. Payment of the transport costs arising from this return shall be borne by the Festival.

The insurance taken out by the Festival covers the risks of fire, loss, theft, damage and destruction of the copy for the period between its arrival at the Festival and its return to the return address provided. The maximum period for submitting any claim regarding a copy shall be three months from the date of return.

• Digital delivery of the DCP through a platform enabled by the Festival for this purpose. In this case, the DCP must be hosted uncompressed, and ZIP or RAR files will not be accepted, before 13 January 2026. In addition to the DCP, a digital backup file in H264 must also be hosted, not exceeding 50 GB, with subtitles (SRT) in English and Spanish and with a minimum resolution of Full HD. Companies will have seven (7) days to upload the film, counted from the first day on which they receive access to this platform.

The Organisation will destroy these files once the edition has concluded.

Once this delivery method has been communicated to the Print Traffic department (always before 13 January), access details to the platform will be provided, as well as all information relating to the download.

If a technical screening in a cinema is required during the Festival, it may be requested before 22 January by email at gestiondecopias@ malagaprocultura.com. After this date, technical screenings may no longer be requested.gestiondecopias@malagaprocultura.com


JURIES AND AWARDS

The Official Short Film Jury of the 30th Edition of Festival de Málaga will grant one award among the five selected short films.

The decision of this jury shall be final and shall not have to be justified.

Persons with interests in the production, distribution or any other form of exploitation of or participation in the audiovisual works selected for IBERSHORTS may not form part of the jury.

The award may not be declared void and may not be granted ex aequo.

The jury undertakes not to publicly express its views on the selection of audiovisual works for which it is required to issue its decisions.

The Management of Festival de Málaga may be present, with the right to speak but not to vote, at the jury’s deliberations and communications.

The jury will grant the following award: Biznaga for Best Ibero-American Short Film



IMAGE RIGHTS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Mere participation in Festival de Málaga / IBERSHORTS will allow the insertion at the beginning of the audiovisual works of the IBERSHORTS “2nd Edition” 2026 logo. This logo and wording may also be included in all print press insertions, and this participation may be expressly mentioned in the various audiovisual media in which advertising for the film is included prior to or during the Festival. For the correct insertion of the logo, which may not under any circumstances be altered or adapted, the Festival’s corporate identity manual may be consulted at www.festivaldemalaga.com or, in case of doubt, the Organisation may be contacted. www.festivaldemalaga.com


CATALOGUE, MATERIALS AND DOCUMENTATION

Once an audiovisual work has been confirmed for participation, an exclusive online form for each film will be sent and must be completed with the content necessary for its programming.

The documentation requested by the Festival for the official catalogue, programme guide and website (synopsis, biofilmography, cast and crew credits, photographs of the director and the film, trailers and other audiovisual materials) will be taken from this form, which must be completed no later than 23 January.


PRESS AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL

The Festival Press Department will contact the selected audiovisual works in order to supervise and coordinate the materials included in the selection form, which will be accessible to the media and accredited professionals through the “Press Room” on the website.

The production and/or distribution companies and/or representatives of the selected short films authorise, by accepting their participation, the use of one or more excerpts from their title for dissemination as informational material in any media outlet.


ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

These participation rules may be supplemented or amended by the Festival Management and/or Festhome with any other
annexes they deem appropriate, prior to the start date of the 30th Edition of Festival de Málaga.

The interpretation of these rules shall fall under the exclusive competence of the Festival Management and Festhome.

CONTACT

FESTIVAL DE MÁLAGA

SUBMISSIONS DEPARTMENT
Teatro Cervantes
C/ Ramos Marín S/N. 29012. Málaga (Spain)
T. (+34) 952 224 109
inscripciones@festivaldemalaga.com
www.festivaldemalaga.com
www.malagaprocultura.com


Enquiries and technical submission issues relating to the upload of materials:
help@festhome.com
T. (+34) 683 158 619
www.festhome.com