Monstro - 6º Festival De Cinema Fantástico De Jacareí (6)

Festival start: 20 August 2026      Festival end: 23 August 2026

Monstro – 6th Jacareí Fantastic Film Festival is an event dedicated to celebrating fantastic cinema in all its forms — horror, fantasy, science fiction, surreal, experimental, and beyond. Held in Jacareí, in the Vale do Paraíba region (São Paulo State, Brazil), the festival has established itself as a platform for exhibition, discovery, and appreciation of films that explore imagination, the uncanny, and the extraordinary.

In its 6th edition, MONSTRO reaffirms its commitment to aesthetic, cultural, and narrative diversity, welcoming local, regional, national, and Latin American productions, while encouraging emerging talents and promoting representation within the genre.

More than a festival, MONSTRO is a meeting point for filmmakers and audiences passionate about cinema that provokes, disturbs, and expands boundaries.

Monstro Trophy for Best Fantastic Short Film

1st Place
2nd Place
3rd Place

Honorable Mentions are also awarded in the other categories.

REGULATIONS: MONSTRO – 6th Fantastic Film Festival of Jacareí
1. Accepted Films and Running Times

Animation
Running time: 3 to 15 minutes

Fantastic Documentary
Running time: 10 to 25 minutes

Brazilian Folklore
Running time: 5 to 25 minutes

Regional (Vale do Paraíba – São Paulo State)
Running time: 5 to 25 minutes

Representation (Women, Black, Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ Directors)
Running time: 5 to 25 minutes

Local (Jacareí)
Running time: 5 to 25 minutes

Student Films
Running time: 5 to 15 minutes

Total Nausea (macabre, grotesque, trash, bizarre, gore)
Running time: 5 to 25 minutes

Children and Youth
Running time: 5 to 15 minutes

Music Video
Running time: 2 to 5 minutes

Latin American
Running time: 5 to 25 minutes

One-Minute Film
Running time: up to 1 minute

2. Year of Production

Only films produced from January 1, 2025 onward will be accepted.

3. Previous Editions

Films that have participated in previous editions of MONSTRO – Fantastic Film Festival of Jacareí will not be accepted.

4. Submission per Director

Each director may submit up to 3 (three) films.
However, only 1 (one) film per director may be selected for the competitive screening.

5. Language and subtitles

International films must include subtitles in english, Portuguese, or Spanish.

6. Theme

Only works that fall within the fantastic film genre will be accepted, including (but not limited to) horror, fantasy, science fiction, surrealism, experimental cinema, and related genres.

Films that do not align with the proposed theme will be automatically disqualified.

7. Exhibition Format

Selected films must be delivered in high-quality digital format, preferably .MP4 (H.264 codec), with a minimum resolution of Full HD (1920x1080).

Other formats may be accepted upon prior consultation with the organization.

8. Delivery of Selected Films

Selected films must be sent via downloadable link (Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar platform), including password if applicable.

online streaming-only links will not be accepted.

Films publicly available on the internet (such as YouTube, Vimeo, or similar platforms) at the time of selection may be disqualified.

The following materials will also be required:

• 3 still images from the selected film
• 1 image of the film poster (if available)
• 1 photo of the director
• Short biography of the director
• Technical sheet including synopsis, crew, and cast

9. Jury and Evaluation Criteria

awards will be determined by a specialized jury composed of professionals and invited guests with experience in cinema and audiovisual arts.

Films will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Alignment with the fantastic film theme
• Originality and creativity
• Screenplay and narrative structure
• Direction
• Acting
• Cinematography
• Art direction
• Editing
• Sound design and soundtrack
• Overall artistic and technical quality

The jury’s decision is final and not subject to appeal.

10. awards (Main Category)

The festival will grant the Monstro Trophy for Best Fantastic Short Film in the following placements:

• 1st Place
• 2nd Place
• 3rd Place

In addition to the main awards, Honorable Mentions may be granted in other categories at the discretion of the jury and the organization.

If a film receives the Monstro Trophy, the winner must accept it in person during the festival ceremony or arrange shipment in advance with the organization.

As an independent festival, the organization does not cover shipping costs and is not responsible for trophy delivery expenses.

11. Honorable Mentions

Honorable Mentions may be granted at the exclusive discretion of the festival organization if a film is deemed deserving of special recognition.

12. Participation Expenses

If selected, the festival does not cover transportation, accommodation, meals, or any other participation-related expenses.

The organization may indicate partner hotels, which may or may not offer special rates to participants.

13. Copyright and Responsibility

By submitting a film, the responsible party declares that they hold all necessary copyrights, image rights, soundtrack rights, and other legal authorizations required for exhibition of the work, exempting the festival from any legal liability arising from improper use of third-party rights.

14. Image Authorization and Archive

By submitting and participating in the festival, the director and/or legal representative authorizes MONSTRO – Fantastic Film Festival of Jacareí to use images, excerpts, stills, trailers, and other film materials for promotional, publicity, and institutional purposes across any media and platforms.

Selected films will become part of the festival’s archive for an indefinite period, exclusively for cultural and institutional purposes.

With prior authorization from the filmmaker, the work may be screened and hosted on the official festival website through the online Showcase – Monstro TV.

15. Festival Format

The festival may take place in an in-person and/or online (hybrid) format, at the discretion of the organization.

16. Selection Process

The curatorial team and organizing committee are sovereign in their decisions. No appeals will be accepted regarding selection or award results.

17. Discriminatory Content

Films that promote or encourage any form of prejudice, discrimination, hate speech, or violence against individuals or groups will not be accepted.

18. Announcement of Official Program and Nominees

The official program of MONSTRO – 6th Fantastic Film Festival of Jacareí will be announced in June 2026 through the festival’s official channels.

Films competing for the Monstro Trophy will be announced in July 2026 through the festival’s official channels.

19. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Works entirely generated by Artificial Intelligence without proven human creative participation will not be accepted.

The use of AI tools will be permitted exclusively as auxiliary production resources (such as support for screenwriting, editing, visual effects, image processing, sound treatment, or similar purposes), provided that:

• The conception, direction, and primary creative decisions are carried out by natural person(s);
• The use of AI tools is formally declared at the time of submission;
• There is no violation of copyright, image rights, voice rights, or any other third-party rights.

Works that use Artificial Intelligence for the full generation of screenplay, characters, images, voices, performances, or direction may be disqualified at the sole discretion of the organization.

The organization may request additional information regarding the creative process for verification and compliance purposes.

20. Omitted Cases

Any matters not addressed in these regulations shall be reviewed and decided exclusively by the festival’s organizing committee.

For any questions, please contact:
festivalmonstrojacarei@gmail.com