Cineminuto – Festival Internacional de Cine Ultracorto (1)

Festival start: 10 May 2026      Festival end: 27 May 2026

Call for Entries 2026

The CINEMINUTO International Ultrashort Film Festival invites filmmakers from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Latin diaspora to participate in its first edition. From Puerto Rico, the festival celebrates brevity as a cinematic language of freedom, innovation, and cultural resonance.

CINEMINUTO seeks to amplify authentic and diverse voices, offering a legitimate space for one-to three-minute films that challenge the boundaries of audiovisual storytelling. Short films of any genre — fiction, documentary, animation, or experimental — are welcome, as long as they express an original and coherent vision.

More than a competition, CINEMINUTO is a platform for discovery and connection. Each selected work will be part of a hybrid experience combining online screenings, an in-person gala in Puerto Rico, and international audience voting.

One minute is enough to leave a mark.

Key Dates:

- Early Call: November 1 – December 31, 2025
- Regular Call: January 1 – February 28, 2026
- Late Call: March 1 – April 15, 2026
- Student Call: November 1, 2025 – April 15, 2026
- Notification of Selected Films: May 5, 2026
- Online Exhibition: May 10 – 24, 2026
- In-Person Gala & Awards Ceremony: May 27, 2026
- Post-Festival Report: June 2026

Official Awards

The CINEMINUTO Festival recognizes artistic, narrative, and technical excellence in ultrashort cinema. Each selected work competes on equal terms, highlighting creativity and impact within minimal running times.

Best 1-Minute Short Film
Best Ultrashort Film (1:01–3:00)
Best Student Short Film
Best Social Impact Short Film

Winners receive the CINEMINUTO Award, an exclusive physical trophy of the festival, along with digital certificates.

Regulations and Terms of Participation

1. Objective

The CINEMINUTO Festival celebrates the power of short stories.

Born in Puerto Rico as an international platform dedicated to ultrashort cinema (1 to 3 minutes), it aims to make audiovisual creation more accessible to filmmakers, showcase the cultural diversity of Latin America and the Caribbean, and connect the diaspora with new and authentic narratives.

The festival combines art, innovation, and sustainability, fostering a community that values creativity and cultural expression at its most concentrated.

2. Call for Entries

- Early Call: November 1 – December 31, 2025
- Regular Call: January 1 – February 28, 2026
- Late Call: March 1 – April 15, 2026
- Student Call: November 1, 2025 – April 15, 2026

Official submission platforms:

- Festhome

Accepted running times:

- Short films of exactly 1 minute (01:00)
- Ultrashort films from 1:01 to 3:00, including credits

Notification of selected films: May 1, 2026
Official Selection announcement: May 5, 2026

3. Participation Requirements

3.1. Eligibility

- Open to filmmakers of any nationality, age, or experience level.
- Submissions accepted from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Latin diaspora worldwide.
- A maximum of two short films per participant, submitted separately.

3.2. Language and subtitles

- Main language: Spanish.
- Films in other languages must include correct synchronization.SRT subtitles in Spanish.
- Text must be legible and faithful to the original content.

3.3. Formats and Technical Specifications

- Duration:
- “1 Minute”: 01:00
- “Ultrashort”: 01:01–03:00 (including credits)
- File: MP4 or MOV, H.264 or similar high-quality codec
- Minimum resolution: 1080p (Full HD)
- Recommended resolution: 2K or 4K (for theatrical projection)
- Audio: Stereo or 5.1, clean and balanced mix.
- File name: Title_DirectorName.mp4

3.4. Themes and Genres

- Fiction, documentary, animation, and experimental films are accepted.
- Originality, narrative synthesis, and cultural diversity will be valued.
- Erotic or sexually explicit works are not accepted; strong scenes are allowed only if artistically justified.

3.5. Rights and Authorizations

- The participant must hold all rights to their work.
- By submitting, they grant the festival a non-exclusive, limited license to:
- Exhibit the work during the 2026 edition (online and in person)
- Use excerpts or stills for promotional purposes
- Screen winning and mentioned works in future editions, retrospectives, or on the official website, with visible credit
- Copyright remains with the creator.

3.6. Submission and Validation

- Submission exclusively via Festhome.
- Each film must include the video file, technical sheet, and .SRT subtitles.
- The platforms allow uploading these materials during submission.
- The committee will review technical and formal compliance.
- Works not meeting requirements may be disqualified without a refund.

3.7. Evaluation Criteria

- Originality and creativity
- Narrative and emotional impact
- Direction and visual coherence
- Performance and rhythm
- Cultural or social value
- Technical quality

4. Official Categories

4.1. Festival Grand Prize

Jury Award – CINEMINUTO Grand Prize

- The highest distinction of the festival, awarded by the jury among all selected works.
- Prize: Special CINEMINUTO Award (exclusive physical trophy).

4.2. Main Category awards

- CINEMINUTO Grand Prize (Jury Award) – Festival’s highest recognition
- Best 1-Minute Short Film – Honors excellence in narrative synthesis
- Best Ultrashort Film (1–3 min) – Recognizes the best expanded short narrative
- Best Social Impact Short Film – Highlights works of social, cultural, or environmental relevance
- Best Student Short Film – Encourages emerging talent

4.3. Artistic and Audience Recognitions

- Best Direction – Official Certificate
- Best Performance – Official Certificate
- Online Audience Award – Certificate (digital voting)
- Audience Award – Live Screening – Certificate (on-site voting)
- Honorable Mentions – Certificates in screenwriting, cinematography, animation, editing, or technical innovation

4.4. General Provisions

- The Grand Prize and CINEMINUTO awards are exclusive physical trophies.
- Other recognitions: digital or physical certificates.
- Awards are non-transferable and not exchangeable for cash.
- The jury may declare a category void or add special mentions.

5. Selection and Jury

5.1. Programming Committee

Evaluates all submissions and defines the official selection. Its decisions are final and unappealable.

5.2. Festival Jury

- Composed of 3 to 5 professionals from film, visual arts, or culture.
- May include local and international experts.
- Deliberates independently and autonomously.
- Decides awards and mentions according to section 3.7.

5.3. Official Selection and Results

- Publication: May 5, 2026
- Award Ceremony: May 27, 2026, in Puerto Rico
- Physical trophies delivered at the event or shipped by mail.

6. Exhibition

6.1. Formats

- Digital (May 10–24, 2026): Screening on the official platform and online audience voting.
- In-person (May 27, 2026): CINEMINUTO Gala, 2K/4K projection, 5.1 sound, screening of finalists and winners.

6.2. Screening Materials

- Master copy in 2K/4K (MOV or MP4, Apple ProRes or H.264).
- DCP optional.
- The festival will review the image and sound to ensure optimal quality.

6.3. Authorization

Submission implies authorization to screen the work during the 2026 edition and in future showcases or retrospectives.

7. Awards and Delivery

7.1. Ceremony

- May 25, 2026 · Puerto Rico
- Screening of finalists and winning short films.
- Presentation of CINEMINUTO awards and certificates.
- Online broadcast via official channels.

7.2. Delivery

CINEMINUTO awards: physical trophies.
Certificates: physical or digital.
Postal shipping coordinated with winners (international costs shared depending on destination).

7.3. Audience awards

- Online: Digital voting (May 10–24).
- In-person: Voting during the gala.
- In case of a tie, the festival may declare a shared award.

7.4. Promotion

Results are published on the website, social media, and partner media. Winners authorize the use of excerpts and stills for cultural communication.

8. General and Legal Conditions

- Submission implies full acceptance of these rules.
- The festival may modify dates or venues in case of force majeure.
- Participants guarantee that their works do not infringe third-party rights.
- Jurisdiction: San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Regulations valid exclusively for the 2026 edition.

9. Cultural Vision

From Puerto Rico, CINEMINUTO projects Latin American and Caribbean creativity to the world. It promotes diversity, inclusion, and creative freedom, strengthening cultural identity and emerging talent.

ULTRASHORT CINEMA · INFINITE IMPACT