Shorts México - Festival Internacional De Cortometrajes De México (21)

Festival start: 01 September 2026      Festival end: 30 September 2026

ENGLISH: SHORTS MÉXICO 21ST EDITION

CALL FOR ENTRIES – SUBMIT YOUR FILM

SHORTS MEXICO is recognized as the largest International short film festival in Latin America. Do not miss the chance to be part of its 21st celebration.


FILM SUBMISSION REGULATIONS

SHORTS MEXICO - Mexico International Short Film Festival call for entries begins February 23rd - May 31st 2026 at 23:59 (CST) Mexico City. We are open to receive Short Films from all over the world inviting all production genres.

SHORTS MEXICO is an exhibition platform specializing in short films that promotes cinema creative expressions, diverse voices, distinctive and innovative visions and bold quality films from filmmakers from all over the world. At SHORTS MEXICO we encourage the growth and development of short films as well as filmmakers.

The 21st Edition of SHORTS MEXICO will be held from September 1st through the 30th 2026 in Mexico City and the 32 States of the Mexican Republic. The National Cinematheque of Mexico is the main venue of the festival, and it amounts other important venues as CINEMEX Theaters, one of the largest cinema chains in the world, the famous Vasconcelos Library, Centro Cultural Universitario de la UNAM, CDMX´s and Cultural Centers, etc. The festival amounts over 75 venues in Mexico City and holds exhibitions nationwide, the event occurs throughout Mexico. SHORTS MÉXICO is presented in a hybrid format, holding in-theaters / in - person screenings, virtual - online streaming transmission, and televised exhibitions as well, having over 1 million spectators per edition.


Throughout the year the festival features short films theatrical releases, previews, exhibitions, retrospectives and master classes. The Shorts Mexico Tour includes cities, towns and villages of Mexico, as well as exhibitions in various countries around the world.

Shorts Mexico Academy conference cycle includes an academic offer aimed at developing professionalization in various specialized areas of filmmaking. The festival will also present Shorts México Pitching Competition, Work In Progress Contest, and its Screenplay Short Film Competition, with the goal of encouraging and promoting the creation, professionalization and production of quality films.


FESTIVAL SECTIONS

COMPETITIVE SECTIONS

INTERNATIONAL Competition (Live Action, Animation and Documentary). Short films from all over the world, regardless of the nationality of the director and the place or country of filming. Film productions which are not considered Mexican or Ibero-American.

IBERO-AMERICAN Competition (Live Action, Animation and Documentary) Ibero-American short film productions created in collaboration with or by countries from Latin America, plus Spain and Portugal, These productions involve co-productions between these nations, regardless of the nationality of the director and the place or country of filming.

MEXICAN Competition (Live Action, Animation, Documentary, NeoMex) If part of your production was filmed in Mexico, produced or coproduced by Mexican


Companies or Mexican filmmakers, or directed by a Mexican, it is considered a Mexican Production.


SHORTS MEXICO’S INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE
FESTIVAL'S FAVORITES (OUT OF COMPETITION)

International and Ibero-American Showcases
World Cinema
Queer Shorts (LGBTTTQ+)
Fantascorto (Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Horror)
Afroshorts (African Diaspora and Culture)
Ecoshorts (Environmental Conservation Films)
Kids
Indigenous Peoples
Fun Shorts (Comedy Films)
Experimental
International (Live Action, Animation, Documentary)
AI (Artificial Intelligence)


Mexican
Indigenous Peoples
Mexican women in cinema
Muestra Mexicana (Live Action, Animation, Documentary)
Experimental
Queer Shorts (LGBTTTQ+)
Afroshorts (African Diaspora and Culture)
Fantascorto (Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Horror)

Infantil – Kids
Ecoshorts (Environmental Conservation)
Funshorts (Comedy)
Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Cash Prizes: 85,000€

AWARDS

SHORTS MÉXICO bestow awards in all categories.

Awards in Mexican Live Action and Pitching Competitions, consists in the production of the next short films for the winning directors. A new short film will be carried out, with an approximate value of $50,000.00 US dollars.

All the selected films will be given a certificate of participation in México International Short Film Festival - Shorts México.

Best International Live Action Short Film
Trophy and Diploma.

Best International Animation Short Film
Trophy and Diploma.

Best International Documentary Short Film
Trophy and Diploma.

Best Ibero American Live Action Short Film
Trophy and Diploma.

Best Ibero American Animation Short Film
Trophy and Diploma.

Best Ibero American Documentary Short Film
Trophy and Diploma.

World Award - Shorts Mexico
Best short film in all categories for International and Ibero-American sections.
Cash Prize 250.00 €
Statuette and Diploma.


MEXICAN COMPETITIONS
Best Live Action Mexican Short Film.

Best Live Action Mexican Short Film, the awards consists in the production of the next shorts film for the winning director. A new short film will be carried out, with an approximate value of $800,000.00 MXN. The prize includes: 3 days of filming package, Mini Mobile, power plan, camera and high speed lenses - optics set, awarded by CTT Exp & Rentals; image post-production - color correction and DCP by Cinecolor México, 100% discount on the cost of acquiring filming insurance by LCI Seguros. SHALALA Studios awards audio post-production - sound design, LA FACULTAD DE CINE $15,000.00 (Fifteen thousand pesos 00/100 MXN) in cash, MAXY'S Catering 3 days of catering for 30 people, RETROBYTE vfx services, IP9 STUDIOS rewards 2 days use of studios and Alonso Alaman original music.

The produced short film must be showcased in the next edition of SHORTS MEXICO.

SHORTS MEXICO awards the following ten categories in the Live Action Mexican Competition:

Best Director - Best Actress - Best Actor - Best Cinematography - Best Screenplay - Best Editing - Best Art Direction - Best Sound Design - Best Original Music - Best Costume Design

Best Mexican Animated Short Film
Trophy and Diploma.

Best NeoMex Short Film
Trophy and Diploma.

Best Mexican Documentary Short Film
Trophy and Diploma.

Jury Mentions
The jury will be free to grant mentions deemed appropriate.

Certificates
All the selected films will be given a certificate of participation in México International Short Film Festival - Shorts México. The Mexican short films selected in any competition of the festival will be able to submit their short film to the Ariel prize of the AMACC (Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences).

JURY

Competitive sections of the festival will be awarded by a jury chosen by the festival´s committee that will be composed of renowned personalities and professionals of the film industry and juries from different artistic disciplines.
Jury's decisions are final.

SHORTS MÉXICO
México International Shorts Film Festival.

ELIGIBILITY

Short films produced between 2024 and 2026 may participate. The programming committee may make exceptions in the year of production.

For all sections of the official selection, short films recorded in digital format, shot on 35mm, 16mm, and 8mm film, as well as those made with mobile devices or produced using AI (Artificial Intelligence), will be accepted. The exhibition formats accepted for the 21st edition of SHORTS MÉXICO are DCP with on-screen Spanish subtitles and two HD digital files, one with on-screen Spanish subtitles and the other with on-screen english subtitles, without exception. Technical projection details and exhibition requirements will be sent to the selected participants.

Eligible short films must have a maximum duration of 30 minutes (The selection committee may make exceptions).

Short films that are not Mexican could have been premiered in Mexico and they are eligible. Short films that have been screened at any other international film festival can also participate with no restrictions.

The publication of SHORTS MEXICO 2026 Official Selection will be held throughout the month of August, on social networks, fan pages of SHORTS MEXICO and the official website of the festival www.shortsmexico.com


Entries are open from February 23rd through May 31st , 2026 at 23:59 (CST) Mexico City.

Registrations to SHORTS MEXICO 2026 will be held through the following online platforms:

FESTHOME
https://filmmakers.festhome.com/es/festival/shorts-mexico-festival-internacional-de-cortometrajes-de-mexico

All registered short films have the exact same process, regardless of the stage of registration that is chosen, late registrations are processed and watched exactly the same way as the early and intermediate ones, the only difference is the fee. We invite you to register your short film as soon as possible to take advantage of the most affordable fees.


EARLY REGISTRATION - February 23rd to February 28th
Mexican short films €24
Foreign short films - International, Ibero-American €28


REGULAR - INTERMEDIATE REGISTRATION - March 1st to April 10th
Mexican short films €28
Foreign short films - International, Ibero-American €33


LATE REGISTRATION - April 11th to May 31st
Mexican short films €35
Foreign short films - International, Ibero-American €40

All information required for selected participants, as for the catalog, press kits, and promotional material of selected short films, must be sent to programacionshortsmexico@gmail.com

Participants can register an unlimited number of works. Short films may not be withdrawn from competition under any circumstances, once their participation is accepted.

It is mandatory to sign the authorization letter for exhibitions and approval of the festival’s rules, by the legal representative of the audiovisual production, the failure to do so implies immediate disqualification.

The selection committee's decision is final.

All materials required from selected participants must be submitted digitally, online. Physical submissions will not be accepted. Short films must have english and Spanish subtitles.


International Competition

Short films made in any video format are accepted and can be produced anywhere in the world.

Ibero-American Competition

Short films made in any video format are accepted. The production must be Ibero-American, short film productions created in collaboration with or by countries from Latin America, plus Spain and Portugal, These productions involve co-productions between these nations, regardless of the nationality of the director and the place or country of filming.

Mexican competition

Short films made in any video format are accepted. The production must be Mexican, regardless of the nationality of the director and the place or country of filming. Short films must be subtitled in Spanish languages.

SELECTED FILMS

Selected works will be required to send in, HD video files and a DCP. Short films must have on-screen Spanish subtitles embedded.

By submitting a short film to the festival, the people owning the rights of the film accept the rules and regulations thoroughly expressed in this document, consequently, authorize them to exhibit the film during the dates and venues determined by SHORTS MEXICO.


People owning the rights of the film, must assure having the rights to exhibit the film.

People owning the rights of the film, release SHORTS MEXICO and any of their representatives, affiliates, coordinators, operators, programmers, directors, clerks, from any claim or legal issue that arises from the exhibition of the film at SHORTS MEXICO venues, digital platforms, tv authorized exhibition and Tour.

If the owner of the short film does not deliver the material required by the SHORTS MEXICO´S committee, in the dates and deadlines provided, they will be disqualified.

JURY

Competitive sections of the festival will be awarded by a jury chosen by the festival´s committee that will be composed of renowned personalities and professionals of the film industry and juries from different artistic disciplines.

The jury's decisions are final.