1º FINCCA - Festival Internacional De Cinema De Cabo Frio 2026 (1)

Festival start: 14 May 2026      Festival end: 17 May 2026

1. FINCCA – Cabo Frio International Film Festival aims to promote democratic access to culture, encourage audience development, strengthen local (cabo-friense) cultural identity, and position the city within the national and international film festival circuit.

2. Festival Program and Theme:

2.1. The 1st Cabo Frio International Film Festival – FINCCA will take place in the city of Cabo Frio (RJ), Brazil, from May 14 to 17, 2026, with free admission to all events.

2.2. This year’s theme will be: SEA.

2.3. The festival will present 26 films based on this theme across four sections: International (competitive), Latin American (competitive), Children’s (non-competitive), and Great Classics (non-competitive).

2.4. A total of 16 feature films—both classics and premieres—and 10 short films (all premieres) from various nationalities and cinematic genres will be screened.

2.5. FINCCA will also offer complementary educational and cultural activities, including panel discussions, poetry and photography contests, exhibitions, reading circles, and musical performances featuring local artists, highlighting the caiçara identity. The project includes the publication of the book “Cabo Frio: Filmes, Novelas e Cinemas”, the first work dedicated to cinema in the municipality. The program will include 10 award categories in the competitive section, including the Grand Jury Prize “Tartaruga-Aruanã,” recognizing excellence in cinematic productions.

A total of 10 categories will be awarded with trophies:

- Best Film – Tartaruga-Aruanã Trophy;
- Best Latin American Film;
- Best Documentary;
- Best Director;
- Best Performance (Actress or Actor);
- Best Screenplay;
- Best Cinematography;
- Best Short Film;
- Best Poetry;
- Best Photography.

3. Film Submissions:

3.1. Submissions will be accepted from April 1 to April 30, 2026.

3.2. Submission is free of charge and must adhere to the theme “sea,” either as a narrative element or as part of the composition of the work.

3.3. Works that do not portray the sea or do not include this element will be automatically disqualified.

3.4. Each participant may submit as many films as they wish to the festival, provided they comply with the duration limits: feature films must be over 70 minutes, and short films up to 30 minutes. Any production that does not meet the time limits established by these regulations will be automatically disqualified.

3.5. Fiction, documentary, and animation films of all genres and subgenres will be accepted.

3.6. A total of 16 feature films will be selected: ten for the International competitive section and six for the Latin American competitive section.

3.7. Six short films will be selected for the International competitive section and for the Latin American competitive section.

3.8. Additionally, FINCCA’s curatorial team will select one animation for the Children’s Section and three classic films with a sea-related theme. These will not compete for awards.

3.9. Works not in Brazilian Portuguese must include subtitles in this language.

4. Poetry and Photography Submissions:

4.1. Submissions will be accepted from April 1 to April 30, 2026.

4.2. Submission is free of charge and must adhere to the theme “sea,” either as a narrative element or as part of the composition of the work. Entries must be sent via email to FINCCA at: finccafestival@gmail.com
, including the author’s name and the text or photo attached.

4.3. Works that do not portray the sea or do not include this element will be automatically disqualified.

4.4. Each participant may submit as many poems or photographs as they wish to the festival.

4.5. A total of 20 poems and 20 photographs will be selected.

5. Selection:

5.1. The evaluation and awarding of works will be carried out by the Selection Committee, composed of three members with recognized expertise in the Audiovisual field, two members with recognized expertise in Literature, and two members with recognized expertise in Photography. There will be a Selection Committee for each category.

5.2. The decisions of the Selection Committee are final and not subject to appeal, exempting the organization from providing any explanation or justification regarding the non-selection of any work.

5.3. If any attempt of fraud, tampering, or plagiarism is identified, the material will be automatically disqualified.

5.4. Selected participants must submit a new digital H.264 copy with improved technical quality for screening or printing.

5.5. The selected films, poems, and photographs with the “sea” theme will be announced on April 24 on FINCCA’s social media: www.instagram.com/finccafestival
and www.facebook.com/finccafestival

5.6. All submitted and selected works will become part of FINCCA’s archive.

6. Exhibition:

6.1. By submitting their work, directors, writers, or photographers automatically authorize its screening at FINCCA.

6.2. The opening ceremony will take place on May 14, 2026, and the closing and awards ceremony on May 17, 2026, at Praça São Benedito, Passagem district, Cabo Frio (RJ), Brazil.

6.3. Competitive screenings and events will be free and open to the public and will take place at Casa Scliar (Rua Marechal Floriano, no. 253, São Bento), the Museum of Traditional and Religious Art – MART (Largo de Santo Antônio, s/n, Centro), and public squares São Benedito (Largo São Benedito, Passagem) and Unamar (Rua São Cristóvão, Margarida).

7. Awards:

7.1. The Selection Committee will determine the weighting of evaluation criteria by mutual agreement and will have final authority over the awards.

7.2. A total of 10 categories will be awarded with trophies:

Best Film – Tartaruga-Aruanã Trophy;
Best Latin American Film;
Best Documentary;
Best Director;
Best Performance (Actress or Actor);
Best Screenplay;
Best Cinematography;
Best Short Film;
Best Poetry;
Best Photography.

8. Final Provisions:

8.1. Submission to participate in the 1st Cabo Frio International Film Festival – FINCCA implies full acceptance of these regulations.

8.2. The organization of the 1st Cabo Frio International Film Festival – FINCCA reserves the right to use submitted works in programs or products intended to promote the event and the submitted works.

8.3. Travel to Cabo Frio, accommodation, and meals for producers or their legal representatives of selected works are their own responsibility.

8.4. In the event of unforeseen circumstances or force majeure resulting in a change of the festival dates, all submissions made prior to the change will remain valid at no cost.

8.5. Any omissions in these regulations will be resolved by the FINCCA Organizing Committee.