Festival Rizoma 2026 (14)

ONLY FOR SPANISH PRODUCTIONS OR FILMS CO-PRODUCED WITH SPAIN

Festival start: 17 November 2026      Festival end: 22 November 2027

RIZOMA, Festival Internacional de Cine & Cultura Entrelaza aims to celebrate groundbreaking work on the international scene, discover and support new voices in Spanish-language cinema, and reflect contemporary trends in audiovisual creation.

Financial and non-financial awards may be expanded throughout the submission period. At the time these Rules & Regulations are published, the following awards are confirmed:

The National Official Selection –includes the following awards:

• A theatrical release at Cineteca Madrid (Matadero) in 2027. The release date will be agreed jointly with Cineteca. The screening will take place under a box-office revenue-sharing agreement.

• A VOD distribution agreement with FILMIN, including a €4,000 financial award. Should the film already have a distribution agreement with FILMIN, this financial award will not apply.

• RIZOMA Tour: Since 2017, RIZOMA has offered the winning film the opportunity to tour Spain through film archives, cultural venues and commercial cinemas. The winning film of the National Official Selection will have the opportunity to participate in this tour, which reaches more than 2,400 spectators. Participation is optional and subject to the agreement of the film’s distributor, where applicable, or its producers.

• AEC Award for Best Shot

The Contemporary Surrealism Selection –includes the following awards:

• Best Film with €1,000 cash prize

• Best Sound Design with €500 cash prize

• AEC Award for Best Surrealist Cinematography

The Ibero-American Official Selection –includes the following awards:

• Best Film

• Jury Special Mention

Financial awards shall be granted first to the film’s distributor, where applicable, or otherwise to its director(s) and producer(s). Prize amounts are expressed in euros, are gross amounts, and are subject to Spanish tax legislation and applicable withholding taxes.

The winning film will receive a new DCP Master incorporating the Festival laurels and/or Festival leader, together with a Master MP4 version for digital platforms. The DCP will include the language versions and subtitles used during its screening at the Festival. This master should be used for the film’s subsequent exhibition in cinemas and at other festivals. The Festival will cover the laboratory costs, valued at €500.

RIZOMA FESTIVAL 2026

RIZOMA Transatlantic Turnstiles, SL, the managing and promoting company of the RIZOMA Festival in Madrid, hereby announces the call for entries for the 15th edition of the festival, which will take place from November 17 to 22, 2026.

1. OBJECTIVES

RIZOMA, Festival Internacional de Cine & Cultura Entrelazada aims to celebrate groundbreaking work on the international scene, discover and support new voices in Spanish-language cinema, and reflect contemporary trends in audiovisual creation.

1.2. Festival Sections

Competitive Sections

- Contemporary Surrealism Selection

International and national Surrealist Cinema
National Official Selection

New voices in Spanish Cinema

- Ibero-American Official Selection

Cinema from Ibero-America

Non-Competitive Sections

Based on the submissions received, RIZOMA also programs parallel sections and Special Premieres out of competition.

1.3. Awards Granted

Contemporary Surrealism Selection
- Best Film
- Excellence in Sound Design
- AEC Award for Best Surrealist Cinematography

National Official Selection
- Best Film
- Special Jury Mention
- AEC Award for Best Shot

Ibero-American Official Selection
- Best Ibero-American Film
- Special Jury Mention


2. SUBMISSION & DEADLINES

2.1. The call is open from Monday, July 6, 2026 until August 15,, 2026 at 11:59 PM.

2.2. Submissions must be made online through Festhome.

2.3. All applicants will receive confirmation of their submission.

2.4. Selected projects will be notified no later than Friday, October 9, 2026.

3. REQUIREMENTS

3.1. All sections are open to fiction, documentary and experimental films, screened in DCP or 16mm projection format.

3.2. The minimum running time for films submitted to the competitive sections is 40 minutes.

3.3. There is no competitive section for short films, series or other formats. However, submissions in these formats are accepted, and the Selection Committee may invite them to participate in the Festival’s non-competitive sections at its discretion.

3.4. Only works produced on or after January 1, 2025 may be submitted. The Committee reserves the right to invite films produced prior to this date where deemed appropriate.

3.5. Feature-length films of any nationality may be submitted. The Festival Programming Team will determine the most appropriate section for each selected title.

3.6. Films that have been broadcast on television or commercially released on VOD platforms in Spain will not be admitted to the competitive sections.

3.7. Madrid premiere status is required for competition. International or national premiere status will be considered positively. Exceptionally, the Committee reserves the right to select a film that has previously screened in Madrid if its previous exhibition has been limited.

3.8. Specific Section Requirements:

- Contemporary Surrealism International – 8th Edition. Open to feature-length films from any country and in any language.

Preference will be given to films that incorporate a surrealist
element, whether through their visual language, narrative style or the themes they explore, embracing a broad interpretation of surrealism.

- National Official Selection – 14th Edition. Open to Spanish feature-length productions, films directed by Spanish filmmakers and minority co-productions with other countries. This section is dedicated to supporting emerging talent presenting their first, second or third feature film. The Festival reserves the right, on an exceptional basis, to select filmmakers with more than three completed feature films where deemed appropriate.

- Ibero-American Official Selection – 3rd Edition. Open to feature-length films from Ibero-American countries, directed by Ibero-American filmmakers and/or minority co-productions with Spain.

3.9. Films in languages other than Spanish must include Spanish and english subtitled versions for jury consideration.

3.10. Each filmmaker, producer or distributor may submit as many films as they wish, provided that a separate submission is completed for each film.

3.11. Any submitted film may be considered for any section of the Festival, including the Opening or Closing Film, as well as parallel sections. The Festival Directorate reserves the right to determine the final number of screenings according to programming availability, with each selected film receiving between one and two screenings.

3.12. If available, an audio-described version should also be submitted.

3.13. Entrants must hold the international exhibition rights for the submitted film.

3.14. Films that violate the sexual, religious, ethnic, emotional or human dignity of individuals will not be accepted.

4. SUBMISSION PROCESS

4.1. Submissions via Festhome must include the following materials:

- A digital file of the film with Spanish audio and english subtitles, in any standard digital format (maximum file size: 20 GB; e.g. .mov, .mp4, .mkv). If the original language of the film is not Spanish, both english-subtitled and Spanish-subtitled versions must be provided.

- At least three (3) still images from the film and the official poster, both in high and low resolution.

- Technical information, a short biography of the director and the production company, a short synopsis, a long synopsis, and a short highlighted quote or tagline about the film.

- Trailer or film clip.

- Press kit (optional but recommended).

5. OFFICIAL JURY

5.1. The festival management will appoint an Official Jury of international professionals in cinema, audiovisual arts, cultural management, or other creative disciplines. No juror may have a vested interest in any of the competing films.

5.2. The jury's decision is final.

5.3. The organization reserves the right to expand the award categories.

6. AWARDS

6.1. Financial and non-financial awards may be expanded throughout the submission period. At the time these Rules & Regulations are published, the following awards are confirmed:

The National Official Selection –includes the following awards:

• A theatrical release at Cineteca Madrid (Matadero) in 2027. The release date will be agreed jointly with Cineteca. The screening will take place under a box-office revenue-sharing agreement.

• A VOD distribution agreement with FILMIN, including a €4,000 financial award. Should the film already have a distribution agreement with FILMIN, this financial award will not apply.

• RIZOMA Tour: Since 2017, RIZOMA has offered the winning film the opportunity to tour Spain through film archives, cultural venues and commercial cinemas. The winning film of the National Official Selection will have the opportunity to participate in this tour, which reaches more than 2,400 spectators. Participation is optional and subject to the agreement of the film’s distributor, where applicable, or its producers.

• AEC Award for Best Shot

The Contemporary Surrealism Selection –includes the following awards:

• Best Film with €1,000 cash prize

• Best Sound Design with €500 cash prize

• AEC Award for Best Surrealist Cinematography

The Ibero-American Official Selection –includes the following awards:

• Best Film

• Jury Special Mention


6.2. Financial awards shall be granted first to the film’s distributor, where applicable, or otherwise to its director(s) and producer(s). Prize amounts are expressed in euros, are gross amounts, and are subject to Spanish tax legislation and applicable withholding taxes.

6.3. The winning film will receive a new DCP Master incorporating the Festival laurels and/or Festival leader, together with a Master MP4 version for digital platforms. The DCP will include the language versions and subtitles used during its screening at the Festival. This master should be used for the film’s subsequent exhibition in cinemas and at other festivals. The Festival will cover the laboratory costs, valued at €500.


7. SELECTION PROCEDURES

7.1. The Festival will appoint a Selection Committee composed of industry professionals to view and evaluate all submitted works. The pre-selected projects will be notified by e-mail no later than Friday, October 9, 2026.

7.2. Participation in the Festival must remain confidential until it has been officially announced by the Festival.

7.3. Finalist films may not be withdrawn from the Festival once their participation has been officially confirmed.

7.4. Selected films must provide the Festival with a DCP including english subtitles, or Spanish subtitles if the original language is not Spanish. Should a DCP not be available, the Festival will produce a Digital DCP Master, assuming the laboratory cost, valued at €400.

7.4.1. If the selected film is KDM-encrypted, the rights holder must provide a DKDM to the Festival’s Copy Department whenever the Festival is responsible for integrating subtitle languages into the DCP. This requirement applies whenever the subtitle translation is supplied by the Festival.

7.5. The submission of films with universal accessibility features will be considered positively.

7.6. In order to reduce the carbon footprint associated with physical deliveries, the Festival will provide a digital platform for receiving screening copies. Any costs related to physical shipment, as well as insurance where applicable, shall be borne by the film.

7.7. All screening copies of the selected films must be received by the Festival before October 25, 2026, in order to facilitate the technical testing and inspection process prior to their screening at RIZOMA Festival.

7.8. Selected films will be screened at the Festival between November 17 and 22, 2026, in Madrid.
The Festival guarantees at least one theatrical screening for each finalist film.

7.9. In order to encourage the attendance of the artistic teams, RIZOMA will cover the national travel and accommodation expenses for one representative of each selected film who does not reside in Madrid. The Festival offers €150 towards travel expenses and two nights’ accommodation at the Festival hotel.

7.10. Each selected film will receive a minimum of two complimentary tickets for its screening.Subject to venue capacity, up to six invitations may be provided.

7.11. In the event of loss or damage to a screening copy, the Festival’s liability shall, in any case, be limited to the cost of replacing the copy in accordance with the applicable rates.

8. RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCEPTANCE

8.1. The Festival organizers accept no legal responsibility for the content of the submitted works.
The individual or legal entity submitting a film shall be solely responsible for its content and for ensuring that it does not infringe the rights of any third party.

8.2. The authors, producers or distributors of the selected works authorize the screening of their films by RIZOMA Festival on a non-exclusive basis and solely for the duration of the Festival.

8.3. The selected films authorize the Festival to use still images and excerpts from the films for the preparation of the Festival catalogue, promotional video material and publicity in the media for promotional purposes.

9. MODIFICATIONS

9.1. RIZOMA Festival reserves the right to amend or modify these Rules & Regulations at any time during the submission period, provided that all applicants are informed accordingly.

Any questions or communications regarding these Rules & Regulations may be addressed to:

programacion@rizomafestival.com