Festival Internacional de Cine de la Universidad de Buenos Aires (FIC.UBA) (3)

Festival start: 01 October 2025      Festival end: 08 October 2025

The UBA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (FIC.UBA), organized by the University of Buenos Aires and the School of Architecture, Design and Urbanism (FADU), through the Secretariat of Design and Technological Innovation Policies, the Secretariat of Institutional Affairs, Culture and Communication and the Audiovisual Design Degree, will be held from 1 to 8 October, based primarily in the School of Architecture, Design and Urbanism -FADU- (Pabellón 3 of Ciudad Universitaria).

Submissions are open and free of charge from 28 May to 30 June 2025, for Argentine and international feature-length films completed after July 2024. Additionally, Ibero-American and UBA short films are accepted.

The program includes three competitions:
- International Feature Film Competition
- Ibero-American Short Film Competition
- UBA Short Film Competition

All screenings will be free of charge.

Contact us at infofic@uba.ar

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM COMPETITION

Argentine and international personalities of the academic and audiovisual world. The members of the jury, after watching the films selected for the competitions by the Committee, will determine a winner for Best Feature Film. The University of Buenos Aires will grant the winner an award of SIX MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (ARS 6,500,000). The award cannot be declared void, and up to TWO (2) special mentions may be given.

IBERO-AMERICAN SHORT FILM COMPETITION

The jury, previously designated by the Festival’s Art Direction, will be composed of renowned Argentine and international personalities of the academic and audiovisual world. The members of the jury, after watching the films selected for the competitions by the Committee, will determine a winner for Best Short Film. The Festival will grant the winner an award of TWO MILLION PESOS (ARS 2,000,000). The award may not be declared void, and up to TWO (2) special mentions may be given.

In addition, the best Argentine short film in this competition will receive the Festhome Distribution Award, which consists of one year of international distribution by Festhome.com, with submission fees
included.

UBA SHORT FILM COMPETITION

The jury, previously designated by the Festival’s Art Direction, will be composed of renowned Argentine and international personalities of the academic and audiovisual world. The members of the jury, after watching the films selected for the competitions by the Committee, will determine a winner for Best Short Film and Best Director.
The Festival will award the Best Short Film winner TWO MILLION PESOS (ARS 2,000,000) and a grant to participate in the 2026 Training Program offered by the Malaga Talent Campus at the Malaga Festival Industry Zone in Spain. The grant includes airfare, accommodation, meals and the training scholarship.
https://mafiz.es/en/evento/malaga-talent/presentacion
A Best Director award will also be presented, consisting of a trip to Colombia to participate in the BIFF BANG young talents program at the Bogotá International Film Festival in its 2026 edition. The award includes access to workshops, masterclasses, visits, and screenings, as well as accommodation and airfare for the winner.

Rules and regulations

FIC.UBA 2025

SUBMISSION IS FREE OF CHARGE

ARTICLE 1
The UBA International Film Festival (FIC.UBA), organized by the University of Buenos Aires through the Secretariat of Design and Technological Innovation Policies of the UBA, alongside the Secretariat of Institutional Affairs, Culture and Communication, the School of Architecture, Design and Urbanism (FADU) and the Audiovisual Design Degree aims to promote the establishment of democratic values and to be, through its films, a window to the world that places a true value on a fairer society, in freedom, diversity and respect. The Festival’s third edition will be held in Buenos Aires from 1 to 8 October, 2025.

ARTICLE 2
Submission of films is free of charge and open to both Argentine and international films finished after July 2024. Fiction, documentary and animation short films and feature films all are accepted. There are three competitions:

International feature film competition

Ibero-american short film competition

UBA short film competition

Since the festival is tied to a universitary institution, during the selection process priority will be given to films in which students, graduates, teachers and/or non-teaching staff of Argentine and international universities or film schools have an essential role.

ARTICLE 3
The Festival’s Art Direction, composed of a representative of the Secretariat of Design and Technological Innovation Policies (UBA) and a representative of the Audiovisual Design Degree (FADU, UBA), will designate a Selection Committee made up of teachers from the School of Architecture, Design and Urbanism (FADU). Said Selection Committee will recommend to the Festival's authorities the films that, according to its members, should be selected to form part of this edition. The films that partake in the competitions will ultimately be selected by Art Direction, and they must be in line with the Festival’s objectives and reveal a relevant and/or refreshing artistic value.

ARTICLE 4
The Festival’s program will include the following sections: competitive, not competitive and retrospectives. The programmed films will be included in the section deemed appropriate by the Festival’s Art Direction (competitive, not competitive and retrospective). In addition, tributes, seminars and special events will be held.

ARTICLE 5
In order to submit a film for Festival selection, it is necessary to complete the following steps:

a) Complete the Online Submission Form.

b) Send a downloadable link without a due date. Links to submitted films must compulsorily have the option of being downloaded so that they may be viewed by the Festival’s Selection Committee. A maximum size of 2GB is recommended. Its use will be strictly internal.

Closing date is 30 June, 2025, for all categories.

It is expressly clarified that the entire submission process takes place exclusively online.

Entries may be submitted either through the Festival's platform or via the website Festhome.com.

ARTICLE 6
Once the Festival has communicated the selection of a film and the producer or representative has stated their consent and has attested its conditions during the submission process through a completed and signed sworn statement, it cannot be removed from the Festival. Its producer or designated representative must send the materials (including promotional materials) upon request. These materials will be used for the catalog, the web page, press, advertising and communication about the film’s participation in the Festival.

Programmed films should not be publicly exhibited or commercially released in Argentina until the Festival has ended.

Any expenses incurred in the delivery of the materials will be met by the applicant. The Festival will not be held responsible for any damage or loss of the materials in transit after delivery.


ARTICLE 7
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM COMPETITION
Participation is open to both Argentine and international films, in the fiction, documentary and animation genres. The films must have been finished after July 2024. Their screening in the Festival must be a premiere within the territory of Argentina and they must not have had any kind of public exhibition in Argentina. These conditions must be attested through a sworn statement and shall not be modified until the Festival has ended.

If selected, the films must not be exhibited in any other places until the last of their screenings in the Festival.

The jury, previously designated by the Festival’s Art Direction, will be composed of renowned Argentine and international personalities of the academic and audiovisual world. The members of the jury, after watching the films selected for the competitions by the Committee, will determine a winner for Best Feature Film. The University of Buenos Aires will grant the winner an award of SIX MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (ARS 6,500,000). The award cannot be declared void, and up to TWO (2) special mentions may be given.

ARTICLE 8
IBERO-AMERICAN SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Participation is open to films made by students, graduates and teachers of Ibero-American educational institutions. The films must have been finished after July 2024. Their screening in the Festival must be a premiere within the territory of Argentina and they must not have had any kind of public exhibition in Argentina. These conditions must be attested through a sworn statement and shall not be modified until the Festival has ended.

If selected, the films must not be exhibited in any other places until the last of their screenings in the Festival.

Short films cannot exceed TWELVE (12) minutes length, including credits.

The jury, previously designated by the Festival’s Art Direction, will be composed of renowned Argentine and international personalities of the academic and audiovisual world. The members of the jury, after watching the films selected for the competitions by the Committee, will determine a winner for Best Short Film.

The Festival will grant the winner an award of TWO MILLION PESOS (ARS 2,000,000). The award may not be declared void, and up to TWO (2) special mentions may be given.

In addition, the best Argentine short film in this competition will receive the Festhome Distribution Award, which consists of one year of international distribution by Festhome.com, with submission fees included.

ARTICLE 9
UBA SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Participation is open to films made by students of the University of Buenos Aires. The films must have been finished after July 2024.

Short films cannot exceed TWENTY (20) minutes length, including credits.

The jury, previously designated by the Festival’s Art Direction, will be composed of renowned Argentine and international personalities of the academic and audiovisual world. The members of the jury, after watching the films selected for the competitions by the Committee, will determine a winner for Best Short Film and Best Director.

The Festival will award the Best Short Film winner TWO MILLION PESOS (ARS 2,000,000) and a grant to participate in the 2026 Training Program offered by the Malaga Talent Campus at the Malaga Festival Industry Zone in Spain. The grant includes airfare, accommodation, meals and the training scholarship.
https://mafiz.es/en/evento/malaga-talent/presentacion

A Best Director award will also be presented, consisting of a trip to Colombia to participate in the BIFF BANG young talents program at the Bogotá International Film Festival in its 2026 edition. The award includes access to workshops, masterclasses, visits, and screenings, as well as accommodation and airfare for the winner.

ARTICLE 10
Once programmed, a film may not be withdrawn from the Festival.

During the submission process, the producers or filmmakers must certify through a completed and signed sworn statement that they possess the relevant rights of exhibition, and therefore they will be held accountable and the University of Buenos Aires disclaims all civil or criminal liability.

ARTICLE 11
Producers and distributors of the films that partake in competitions commit to including in all their advertising and press materials the phrase “Official Selection of the UBA International Film Festival (FIC.UBA)”, using the Festival’s logo.

Producers and distributors of the films that have won an award commit to highlighting it in all their advertising and press materials, using the Festival’s logo.

The logo, property of the University of Buenos Aires, will be available on the Festival webpage and it must be used exclusively for press and advertising by the films that have participated in this edition.

ARTICLE 12
The submission of a film for participation in the UBA International Film Festival (FIC.UBA) implies the acknowledgement and acceptance of these Rules and Regulations by the applicant.

All the information provided on the submission form will be considered a sworn statement.

The Secretariat of Design and Technological Innovation Policies (UBA), as the Festival’s authority, will sort out any matter regarding these rules with no right to appeal.