Festival start: 18 May 2026
Festival end: 23 May 2026
The fifth edition of ICOFF-GASTEIZ, the 5th International Short Film Festival of the Capital of the Basque Country, will be held in Vitoria-Gasteiz from May 18 to 23, 2026.
Cash Prizes: 8,700€
AWARDS
ICOFF-GASTEIZ Grand Prize: €2,000 + trophy
Best Documentary: €800 + trophy
Best Animation: €800 + trophy
Best Basque Short Film: €800 + trophy
OFIZIALA Audience Award: €500 + trophy
Best Director: €500 + trophy
Best Screenplay: €500 + trophy
Best Actor: €500 + trophy
Best Actress: €500 + trophy
BAGARE Award: €800 + trophy
NAZIOARTEKOA Award: €1,000 + trophy
ICOFF-GASTEIZ FESTIVAL RULES
5TH INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL OF THE CAPITAL OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY
Vitoria-Gasteiz
May 18–23, 2026
CONDITIONS
The fifth edition of ICOFF-GASTEIZ – 5TH INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL OF THE CAPITAL OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY will be held in Vitoria-Gasteiz from May 18 to May 23, 2026.
Participation in ICOFF GASTEIZ is open to short film directors born or residing in Spain. A valid National ID (DNI) will be required for Spanish citizens, and a residence permit or equivalent document will be required for residents who do not hold Spanish nationality.
Films produced from 2025 onwards may be submitted, with a maximum running time of 30 minutes, and must not have been submitted to previous editions of the festival.
The festival includes an OFFICIAL COMPETITION SECTION called OFIZIALA. This section will include FICTION, DOCUMENTARY and ANIMATION short films from Spain, selected by the selection committee, which must be premieres and must not have been publicly screened previously in the province of Araba-Álava.
Another section is BAGARE, dedicated to short films from Álava, with its own Audience Award. The aim of this section is to promote short-format films produced in our historic territory.
In this fifth edition, ICOFF will also feature an international competitive section called NAZIOARTEKOA, which will have its own Audience Award.
Films participating in the festival will be selected by a selection committee that will screen all submitted short films. Its decision will be final.
Awards will be granted by an OFFICIAL JURY composed of distinguished professionals linked to cinema and culture. This jury will present the following awards: ICOFF-GASTEIZ Grand Prize, Best Documentary, Best Animation, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Basque Short Film. The jury’s decision will be final.
The only award in the OFIZIALA section not granted by the OFFICIAL JURY will be the Audience Award. Attendees at the screenings will vote to determine the winner.
Selected films will appear on the festival website and in the downloadable PDF catalogue published on the website. Films will be screened in public sessions during the festival dates. Screenings will be held in the highest possible quality, using the DCP provided by the selected participants. DCP will be the only screening format. Failure to provide the film in this format may result in the revocation of the selection.
All screenings will take place at ARKABIA, C/ Postas 13–15, 01005, Vitoria-Gasteiz. The organization reserves the right to screen short films in other venues in the city or province, requesting prior authorization when necessary.
ICOFF-GASTEIZ will invite representatives of each short film in the OFIZIALA section to present their works and participate in a discussion after the screenings. Directors unable to attend in person will be invited to join the post-screening discussion online. Award winners will be invited to attend the closing ceremony to receive their prizes.
Selected filmmakers will be informed of all festival-related updates as they arise.
AWARDS
ICOFF-GASTEIZ Grand Prize: €2,000 + trophy
Best Documentary: €800 + trophy
Best Animation: €800 + trophy
Best Basque Short Film: €800 + trophy
OFIZIALA Audience Award: €500 + trophy
Best Director: €500 + trophy
Best Screenplay: €500 + trophy
Best Actor: €500 + trophy
Best Actress: €500 + trophy
BAGARE Award: €800 + trophy
NAZIOARTEKOA Award: €1,000 + trophy
SUBMISSIONS
Submission to the festival is free of charge and must be completed through the FESTHOME platform (www.festhome.com
) by filling out the corresponding entry form and accepting the festival rules.
The submission period opens on February 19 and closes on April 1, 2026. Short films submitted after this deadline will not be considered.
The selection results will be communicated to all submitted films, whether selected or not, during April 2026. The official selection will be announced on the festival website and social media the week prior to the festival. The list of award winners will be communicated to the selected participants.
Official website: www.icoffgasteiz.com
Social media:
Facebook: ICOFF-GASTEIZ
Instagram: @icoffgasteiz
X: @IcoffGasteiz
Email: icoffgasteiz@gmail.com
OFIZIALA (national shortfilms)
Short Films 30'<
No Fee
Submissions deadline
01 Apr 26
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El festival cuenta con una SECCIÓN OFICIAL a concurso llamada OFIZIALA. Formarán parte de esta sección los cortometrajes de FICCIÓN, DOCUMENTAL y ANIMACIÓN de ámbito estatal, que sean escogidos por el comité de selección y que sean estreno y que no se hayan proyectado públicamente, con anterioridad, en la provincia de Araba-Álava.
NAZIOARTEKOA (International Short Films)
Short and Feature Films
No Fee
Submissions deadline
01 Apr 26
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0€
Submit
Registration will be carried out exclusively by invitation issued directly by the festival.
In this fifth edition of ICOFF, there will be a competitive section dedicated to international cinema called NAZIOARTEKOA, which will feature its own award granted by the audience.
