Festival start: 16 July 2026
Festival end: 19 July 2026
A unique short film festival situated in the backdrop of a beautiful village in the north of Castellón: Herbers.
Promoting film talents that highlights the importance of repopulation, rural environment, biodiversity and diversity in the rural environment giving them the platform to showcase and promote their work.
Cash Prizes: 1,140€
-Best Short Film Award: Trophy and €500, awarded by the Festival’s Official Jury
(All films in the Official Selection are eligible.)
-Xeic Award: Trophy and €250, awarded by the Xeic Jury
(Eligible are Official Selection films that are more than 50% in the Valencian language, or whose director(s) or producer(s) are from or reside in the Valencian Community, and that specifically address rural realities.)
-Youth Award: Trophy and €150, awarded by the Youth Jury
(Eligible are Official Selection films made by creators under 27 years of age and debut works.)
-Diversity Award: Trophy and a weekend stay at Hotel Mesón La Lonja (valued at €120)
(Eligible are Official Selection films that specifically address issues related to sexual diversity.)
-Audience Award: Trophy and a weekend stay at Hotel Mesón La Lonja (valued at €120)
(All films in the Official Selection are eligible.)
-Àmbit Penitentiary Centers Award: Trophy
(Eligible are films that are specifically screened in penitentiary centers affiliated with the festival’s organization.)
The prize amounts are subject to tax withholdings in accordance with current legislation.
Cash prizes will be distributed as follows:
-Best Short Film Award:
50% to the person or persons responsible for directing the film.
50% to the production company or, failing that, to the person holding executive production responsibilities or management rights to the work.
-Xeic Award; Youth Award:
100% to the person or persons responsible for directing the film.
-Diversity Award; Audience Award:
To be enjoyed by the person or persons responsible for directing the film.
The Festival reserves the right to declare any award void.
ESPIGOL FEST 2026 – RULES & REGULATIONS
PARTICIPANTS
This call is open to all directors, producers, and short-film distributors from any country.
Each author may submit as many short films as they wish. All works not in Spanish must include English and Spanish subtitles. The theme must address repopulation, the rural environment, biodiversity, and diversity in rural contexts.
The film’s production completion date must be after January 1, 2024, for both national and international short films.
The maximum duration is 30 minutes, including credits.
Advertising or industrial films will not be accepted.
Rights holders must ensure they own all intellectual property, image, and related rights, so that the Festival cannot be held liable when the films are exhibited or disseminated. Any third-party claim related to a film will result in its exclusion from the competition.
SUBMISSION
Submissions must be made exclusively online via the Festhome platform.
The Festival reserves the right to invite works that are considered of special interest due to their content.
Submission period: from February 1 to May 1, 2026.
Once submitted, content will remain private and accessible only to the Festival and its collaborators. Films must include accurate contact details, as well as the film poster and stills for promotional purposes.
The Festival does not require a premiere status, although special attention will be given to films that have not yet been publicly screened. When submitting, please indicate previous festivals and awards.
AWARDS
Best Short Film Award: Trophy and €600, awarded by the Official Festival Jury
Xeic Award: Trophy and €300, awarded by the Xeic Jury
Youth Award: Trophy and €150, awarded by the Youth Jury
Diversity Award: Trophy and a weekend stay at Hotel Mesón La Lonja (valued at €120)
Audience Award: Trophy and a weekend stay at Hotel Mesón La Lonja (valued at €120)
Àmbit Penitentiary Centers Award: Trophy
SELECTION AND JURY
Selected films will be notified individually by email. The final festival program will be sent to all participants.
Once participation is confirmed, a screening copy must be submitted by June 24, 2026. Submitted copies must meet the following technical requirements:
Video: MP4, H.264 codec
Resolution: Full HD
Audio: Stereo, 320 kbps
Spanish subtitles embedded, where applicable
The official festival program will be publicly announced in early July 2026. Selected films may not communicate their participation or selection until the official program is publicly released.
The jury composition will be published on the festival’s website and social media channels and will include recognized professionals from the audiovisual and cultural sectors.
The jury’s decision will be final.
A selection of winning films may be screened again at the opening of the following year’s festival.
ESPIGOL FEST 2026 DATES
Submission period: February 1 to May 1, 2026
Festival dates: Thursday, July 16 to Sunday, July 19, 2026
Awards ceremony: Sunday, July 21, 2026
ACCEPTANCE OF THE RULES
Participation in the Festival implies full and unconditional acceptance of these rules. The Festival reserves the right to cancel a submission and take any appropriate measures in the event of non-compliance with the regulations or behavior contrary to the proper functioning of the Festival.
Producers and directors authorize free of charge the representation, reproduction, and dissemination, on Spanish terrestrial, digital, cable, satellite, ADSL, internet, and electronic/digital channels, of excerpts and/or images from selected films. Such excerpts may not exceed 10% of the film’s total duration and, in any case, will be limited to 3 minutes, and will only be used in the context of festival-related information, reports, television or web broadcasts, interviews, and promotional or advertising material for the Festival, for a period of one year from the date of film registration, renewable by tacit agreement unless terminated by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt at least two months before the annual expiration date.
The person responsible for the submission guarantees that they own or have acquired all necessary rights and permissions for the film’s participation in the Festival and for the uses granted under these rules, including, but not limited to, rights to images, music, locations, scripts, and the rights of authors, directors, performers, as well as the right to use, quote, and reproduce photographs, names, surnames, and pseudonyms of participants.
In this regard, they hold the Festival harmless from any complaint, claim, eviction of any kind, or action by third parties for any reason. The submitter shall be liable for damages and costs, including all expenses related to any dispute (pre-litigation, judicial, administrative, or criminal), including fees, disbursements, expert fees, and enforcement measures.
Failure to possess all necessary rights and authorizations for participation in the Festival and the uses granted herein may result in civil and criminal penalties as provided by law, and may also lead to exclusion from the competition.
Temática: repoblación, reinserción, biodiversidad y diversidad en el entorno rural.
Festhome holds accountable fees festivals by holding the payment of the fees of most newer festivals until they have viewed the submissions, held their festivals and other methods.
-8%
1.84€
Festhome holds accountable fees festivals by holding the payment of the fees of most newer festivals until they have viewed the submissions, held their festivals and other methods. 