São Paulo Film Festival (9)

Inizio del Festival: 13 dicembre 2026      Festival si chiude: 15 dicembre 2026

São Paulo Film Festival 2026 (SPFF) is one of the best film festivals in Brazil.

SPFF seeks to support and inspire independent films from all over the world through genuine expression that can spark new perspectives on the art of cinema. The festival is dedicated to the discovery and development of new artists — voices with visions that go beyond the borders of imagination and have the power to move audiences everywhere.

Different from most festivals, we watch all the films. Our jury is composed mostly of filmmakers.

Shorts, animations, and documentaries. Any genre.

The festival will take place on December 13, 2026, at Cinema Reag Belas Artes, featuring only the finalist films. All semi-finalist and finalist films will be screened online until December 15, 2026.

Dec 13 - 15, 2026

The São Paulo Film Festival is an official festival listed on IMDb.

All films officially selected receive the SPFF laurel.

The trophies are given in the follow categories:

Best Narrative Film
Best Animated Film
Best Documentary Film
Best Student Film
Best Audience Film

Best Director
Best Cinematography
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Script

We ship the trophy to all countries for free.

Before you submit your film, please read these Rules and Terms.

By submitting your film into competition in the São Paulo Film Festival (SPFF), you agree that you shall be bound by the terms of these Rules and Terms.

SPFF is open to any film completed after January 1, 2024. Submitting your film is not a guarantee of selection. All the official selection, nominees and the winners will be listed on our website. All the winning films will receive a laurel and a trophy.

Please note that we do not offer application fee waivers.

1. SPFF only accepts digital submissions. If chosen, you don't need to send the movie DCP. Just upload the file online via Google Drive.

2. Films made in languages other than English must have English subtitles. The exception of Portuguese films that do not need subtitles. If your are selected you will need to send english subtitles, even if your film is in English. And a version without subtitles.

3. SPFF is hereby granted the rights to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted for promotional purposes of the festival. The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements, rules and regulations.

4. SPFF reserves the right to refuse entries.

5. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the SPFF, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits and publicity.

6. SPFF will not refund any fees if the filmmaker fails to submit the film in the correct category. Films submitted without the correct fees or proper submission media may be deemed ineligible at the discretion of the SPFF programming director or executive director. The festival does not cover any of the expenses incurred by the filmmaker.

7. After a film has been an official selection, the filmmaker will be notified, and eventually the film will be listed on the festival website under Official Selections. The Official Selection status doesn’t mean that your film will be screened at the festival. It means that you are now eligible for the nomination and you can use the festival logo on your poster.

8. An official selection and a nominee will be privately screened for the SPFF judging panel, and will not be screened initially to the public.

9. All entry fees are non-refundable.

10. We require an official trailer, poster, synopsis and a link to your film. Please select the correct category while submitting to avoid disqualification. We reserve right to re-assign films to the appropriate category.

11. Trophy only for winners.

12. SPFF reserves the right to reject any film or screenplay that it contains prohibited content or is offensive, of inappropriate.

13. SPFF may without advance notice amend these Rules and Terms from time to time. Each and every such amendment shall be become effective immediately. It is your responsibility to periodically check for updates of these Rules and Terms.

14. Online + Cine Belas Artes. The festival will take place on December 13 at Cinema Belas Artes, São Paulo and simultaneously online screening on the festival's website with a private link until December 15.

15. By registering, the participant expressly consents to the collection, use, and processing of their personal data (name, email, phone number, etc.), as well as their image, videos, and photos related to their participation in the festival, for the purposes of promotion, communication, and publicity of the festival on both online and offline platforms, with no time limitation.

16. Personal data and audiovisual materials (photos, videos of films, and participation) will be used to promote the festival on social media, the official website, press materials, and other event communication platforms, with authorization for indefinite use.

The festival reserves the right to maintain content on the website during the event period, ensuring public access to films via the official platform.

Film and material display on digital platforms:

17.Participants agree that their films will be displayed on the festival’s website during the event, with public access restricted to participants or open, according to the festival's guidelines.

Excerpts from films may be used for promotional materials and archived digitally for historical purposes or for promotion in future editions of the event.

Sharing of data and materials with third parties:

By accepting these terms, the participant authorizes the sharing of their data and materials (including photos and videos) with partners, sponsors, and associated media outlets, exclusively for the purpose of promoting and covering the festival.


TERMS AND CONDITIONS

DISCLAIMER:

São Paulo Film Festival (SPFF) reserves the right to hold a public exhibition in São Paulo. Therefore, all filmmakers understand and accept a grant full and unrestricted permission for SPFF to screen the film at times of the festivals choice and to charge an admission fee for the presentation.

The Filmmaker understands and accepts that they do not participate in receiving any funds from the Box-office proceeds which are fully retained by the festival to help cover the overall cost of the festival presentation. It should be noted for the record that box-office proceeds never cover the cost of presentation of the Short Film Programs.

The Filmmaker accepts and understands that the festival will do everything possible to present the video in the best possible manner but the festival SPFF is not responsible for any and all malfunctions during the presentation of the production at its festival screening. The Festival SPFF assumes no responsibility for any technical difficulties in the presentation of this film at the actual event.

The SPFF reserves the complete right to make changes in the program dates and times and to possibly not screen the video, despite its being selected for screening.

The filmmaker authorizes the use of the film's image in the promotion on our website and social networks indefinitely.