Cimasub - Ciclo Internacional de Cine Submarino de San Sebastián (49)

Festival start: 13 November 2025      Festival end: 15 November 2025

CIMASUB 2025. The 49th edition of the San Sebastián International Underwater Film Festival, to be held on 13, 14 and 15 november 2025, is organised by the Subacuáticas Real Sociedad, and aims to raise awareness of the underwater world, and raise awareness of respect and care for our seas and oceans, through the dissemination of audiovisual works.

Cash Prizes: 4,000€

DOCUMENTARIES (More than 15 minutes long. Recommended maximum: 40 minutes)

· 1st prize, with golden banister + REAL SOCIEDAD FUNDAZIOA Prize of 1,000€ + S.M.Y. ONDINA Prize, Cruise in Indonesia and 50% companion (valued at more than 6,000€) + FOOTAGE.film Prize, Pack 4K PRO, with licence to use film footage (valued at 990€).

· 2nd prize, with silver railing + 200€.

· 3rd prize, with bronze rail + 100€.


SHORT FILMS (Up to 15 minutes long)

Videos with voice-over

· 1st prize, with golden railing + S.M.Y. ONDINA Prize, Cruise in Indonesia and 50% companion (valued at more than 6,000€) + FOOTAGE.film Prize, HD CREATOR Pack, with licence to use film footage (valued at 290€).

· 2nd prize, with silver banister + 200€.

· 3rd prize, with bronze rail + 100€.

Music videos (without voice-over)

· 1st prize, with golden railing + Atmosphere Resorts & Spa Prize, 4 nights in Deluxe Suite for 2 persons. Breakfast included. Package of 10 dives per person. Return transfers by plane Dumaguete-Atmosphere (valued at more than 2,500€) + FOOTAGE.film Prize, HD CREATOR Pack, with licence to use film footage (valued at 290€).

· 2nd prize, with a silver banister + 200€.

· 3rd prize, with bronze banister + 100€.

Special prizes:

· CANTÁBRICO: Best work carried out in the Cantabrian Sea, with white railing + 300€.

· ECOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Best work with ecological denunciation, with white banister + 300€.

· JOURNALISTIC WORK: Best journalistic work, with white banister + 100€.

· WOMAN VIDEOGRAPHER: Best work by a woman, with white banister + 100€.

· YOUNG PROMISE: Best amateur work, with white railing + 100€.

The winners who attend the awards ceremony in San Sebastian will receive a Txapela and a Real Sociedad de Fútbol T-shirt.

The jury is sovereign in the awarding of prizes. The prizes may be modified according to the news provided by the sponsors of the event.

The jury reserves the right, but not the obligation, to award further prizes on the grounds of the quality or interest of the works submitted. These prizes will consist of a white handrail + the possibility, depending on the level provided, of a prize of up to €200.

Special prizes are not compulsory, the jury reserves the right not to award them if it sees no reason to award them or if the works to be awarded one of the special prizes have already been awarded a higher prize.

AUDIOVISUAL WORKS COMPETITION

CATEGORIES:

* DOCUMENTARIES, over 15 minutes long. Recommended maximum: 40 min.

* SHORT FILMS, up to 15 minutes long.
· Videos with voice-over
· Music videos (without voice-over)

WHAT IS VALUED:

· The script: Originality, theme, argument, narrative, plot, message, etc.... The judges will especially value the adaptation of the script to show the underwater wealth or denounce the delicate situation of our oceans.

· Fauna and flora: The quantity and variety of species that appear in the work, both fauna, flora and ecosystem of the area. Also the way in which they are integrated in the script and in the work.

· Technique: The editing and post-production, image quality, lighting and resources used. Variety of shots, integration in the script, cadence, rhythm and integration of music, voice-over or effects.

· Overall impression and artistic value: Effect on the viewer. The impact produced by the work will be valued.

· Awareness-raising: The work must show ecologically denouncing content, showing the difficult situation of our oceans and their inhabitants. If possible with a positive message showing solutions to this problem.

REQUIREMENTS:

· The work should have a significant amount of underwater images or prominence of the sea.

· Only MP4 files with a maximum size of 15 Gb and a minimum resolution of 1920x1080 (FullHD) and a frame rate of 25 fps are supported.

· Each entrant may submit as many works as he/she wishes. To do so, the entry form must be completed and submitted once for each work submitted.

· A synopsis must accompany the work in order to be able to add the text in the programme and in the publications on our website and social
networks.

· All works that are not voiced in Spanish must be accompanied by the script with the time code, for translation and subtitling. SRT format recommended.

· The works must be original works by the author or the production company.

· Works less than 2 years old are recommended. They will be better valued.

· Scenes that are suspected of mistreatment or manipulation of the species will not be allowed.

RULES OF PROCEDURE

Enrolment in the competition will be final after receipt of the entry form.

The jury is sovereign in the awarding of prizes. The prizes may be modified according to the news provided by the sponsors of the event.

Entries considered by the jury to be advertising or of insufficient quality will not be accepted. If there are no entries of sufficient quality in any of the categories, these may be declared void and the corresponding prize will not be awarded. If several entries are submitted in the same category, as a general rule, the prize will be awarded to the best-placed entry. Those works with images already submitted in previous editions may subtract points from the final evaluation. If necessary, the winning authors will have to prove the authorship of their works at the request of the jury.

For organisational reasons and in order to improve communication between the organisation and the participants, the latter will be automatically subscribed to the blog on our website www.cimasub.com when they fill in the participation form. In this way, they will receive all the latest news and updates on this edition of CIMASUB in the email address they have used to participate in the competition.

The organisers, in accordance with the rules established by copyright law, consider that the works presented at CIMASUB - Ciclo Internacional de Cine Submarino de Donostia - San Sebastián are free of any artistic property rights or any other rights that a third party may have. By virtue of their participation in CIMASUB, the authors undertake to guarantee to the organisers that the works presented are free of copyright.

The responsibility for any claim that may be brought against the works submitted is solely and exclusively that of the authors. The organisers of CIMASUB can in no way be held responsible in case of dispute or litigation.

Participants authorise the duplication of their works in the CIMASUB archives and their use during the competition in Donostia-San Sebastián and to use them totally or partially in the different towns where our competition is held throughout the year, as well as to use them to promote CIMASUB and/or the underwater, social and/or educational activities related to CIMASUB. Always citing the name of the author, but without giving rise to payment of royalties or compensation of any kind.

The jury's decisions are final. Participation in the CIMASUB - Donostia - San Sebastian International Underwater Film Festival implies acceptance of all the conditions set out in these Regulations.

The trophies and txapelas will be awarded to the winners attending the event on the last day at the closing gala. In the event of not attending the event, the trophy will be sent by post. The winners who visit us are invited to the two dinners that we will hold, if the situation allows it, during the event.

The prizes in products or services offered by the sponsors cannot be exchanged for their economic value.

In the event of cancellation of the event for reasons beyond the responsibility of the organisers and/or force majeure, or if any of the sponsors do not comply with the agreement established with the Ciclo Internacional de Cine Submarino, the prizes may be suspended. In the event of such a possibility, they may be postponed or replaced by others.

DATA PROTECTION POLICY

In compliance with the provisions of Organic Law 15/1999, of 13 December, on the Protection of Personal Data, CIMASUB - International Underwater Film Series of Donostia - San Sebastian guarantees the security and confidentiality of the data provided herein.

In this way, it undertakes to comply with its obligation to maintain the secrecy of personal data and its duty to protect them and to adopt all necessary measures to prevent their alteration, loss, processing or unauthorised use. Therefore, this information will not be passed on to third parties.

You have the right to access, rectify, cancel and oppose the processing of your data, which you may exercise by sending a request to CIMASUB - Ciclo Internacional de Cine Submarino de Donostia - San Sebastián indicating the reference "data protection".