Sombras Del Cantábrico (1)

Festival start: 15 January 2027      Festival end: 17 January 2027

**SOMBRAS DEL CANTÁBRICO** is a horror and fantasy film competition holding its first edition in Luarca, Asturias, from 15 to 17 January 2027.

Inspired by the power of the Cantabrian Sea and the cultural imagination of Spain's northern coast, the competition aims to become a meeting point for filmmakers, audiences and the film industry, using genre cinema as a means of showcasing the territory, culture and identity of western Asturias.

Cash Prizes: 1,950€

Sombras del Cantábrico Award for Best Short Film – €750
Generación Sombras Award for Best Short Film – €700
Gil Parrondo Award for Best Art Direction – €500

PARTICIPATION RULES

1st SOMBRAS DEL CANTÁBRICO SHORT FILM COMPETITION

1. Introduction

Sombras del Cantábrico is a national short film competition specialising in horror, fantasy and suspense cinema, with a particular interest in works that explore:

- Atmospheric and sensory storytelling.
- The unsettling and the suggestive.
- Rural environments, wilderness and landscape as narrative elements.
- The traditions, mythologies and collective memories of a territory.
- Horror connected to the intimate, the everyday or the ancestral.

The competition seeks an auteur-driven approach and a strong artistic identity, championing a type of genre cinema that moves away from conventional storytelling.

The first edition will take place on **15, 16 and 17 January 2027** in Luarca (Asturias, Spain).

2. Eligibility

Short films produced or directed in Spain, belonging to the horror, fantasy or suspense genres, are eligible to participate in the competition.

Films must have a maximum running time of 20 minutes, including credits, and must have been produced after 1 January 2020.

3. Language

Short films may be made in any of Spain's official languages.

Films shot in a language other than Spanish must include Spanish subtitles.

4. Submission

Short films must be submitted exclusively through the Festhome platform.

The submission period will remain open from **6 November to 6 December 2026**, both dates inclusive.

Each participant may submit a maximum of two films.

5. Artificial Intelligence

Films in whose creation, development or post-production generative artificial intelligence has been used to create or modify creative elements of the work (image, video, voice, music, sound, screenplay or similar) will not be accepted.

The use of AI exclusively in promotional materials will not affect eligibility. The organisers may request information about the creative process and disqualify any film that does not comply with this requirement.

6. Selection

The competition organisers will appoint a selection committee responsible for viewing all submitted works and choosing the short films that will form part of the Official Selection.

Particular consideration will be given to:

- How well the film aligns with the spirit of the competition.
- Atmosphere and its creation.
- The filmmaker's distinctive artistic vision.
- The use of the surroundings, landscape or cultural elements as part of the narrative.

Selected filmmakers will be notified through the submission platform and/or by email.

The selection committee's decision shall be final and not subject to appeal.

7. Screenings

Selected short films will be screened during the competition.

Those responsible for the selected works must provide the organisers with a high-quality digital screening copy (H.264, ProRes or equivalent format).

Authors grant the organisers exhibition rights exclusively for screenings during the festival, for non-commercial purposes.

8. Awards

The competition will present the following awards:

Sombras del Cantábrico Award for Best Short Film: €750.

Generación Sombras Award for Best Short Film: €700.

Gil Parrondo Award for Best Art Direction: €500.

9. Jury

The jury will consist of professionals from the film and cultural sectors appointed by the organisers.

The jury's decisions shall be final and not subject to appeal.

10. Promotional Materials

Participants whose short films are selected must provide the organisers with promotional materials relating to their work, including:

- Stills or images from the short film.
- Official poster (if available).
- Synopsis and technical information.
- Director's biography and filmography.

These materials may be used by the organisers to promote the competition through the media, social networks and other communication channels.

11. Responsibilities

The person submitting the film declares that they hold the exhibition rights to the short film, that the work does not infringe any third-party rights and that all necessary authorisations have been obtained.

12. Exhibition Rights

Submission to the competition implies that participants authorise the public screening of their work during the festival.

Furthermore, the organisers may use excerpts from the short film (up to a maximum of one minute) for promotional purposes and to publicise the competition.

All rights to the submitted works shall remain at all times with their respective authors or producers.

13. Acceptance of the Rules

Participation in the Sombras del Cantábrico Short Film Competition implies full acceptance of these rules.

The organisers reserve the right to resolve any circumstances not covered by these rules.