El Ojo Iluso (7)

Début du Festival: 23 avril 2026      Fin du Festival: 25 avril 2026

With the name Illusive Eye the optical process by which animation occurs in our brain by generating movement from the illusion produced by the rapid exposure to images in sequence is evoked. Animation offers the construction of credible universes, capable of freeing us from the limits of immediate reality.

With the coming of current communication technologies, animation has gained even more ground than it had in Film, Didactics and Videogames. Now, with the internet and the power of cell phones, mobile applications and the interconnection of devices and institutions with the network, animation has become an essential part of the language of interaction between the user and the world.

This audiovisual language has extended its discursive horizons as far as the human imagination reaches, and technically its evolution has allowed it to overcome reality by opening a fantastic vortex that provides immersive experiences and high doses of empathy as well as tons of fans of all ages and throughout the world, developing any theme with great aesthetic contributions and various levels of depth.

In honor of this abyss of creativity and as an invitation to immerse ourselves in it, this meeting space has been created for creators, scholars and amateurs. Looking to show not only its strength in the current film narrative but the presence of other types of speeches built on this means of visual expression: GIFs, memes, stickers, emoticons, headers, symbols for social networks, interface elements, banners, promotions , and any type of element generated from the illusion of an eye.

1. From October 6, 2025 the call for papers is opened.

2. The final limit for the reception of short films is March 1, 2026. The event will take place on April 23, 24 and 25, 2026 in San Cristóbal, Táchira, Venezuela.

3. The El Ojo Iluso Festival does not require the exclusivity of the participating works. Works that have been premiered or entered in other contests, festivals or samples can participate. Even be available online. Still, you are welcome to sign up.

4. The production date of the work must not be before January 1, 2024.
5. The competition categories are:

• Best Animated Short Film
• Best advertising animation
• Best Infographic, Instructional or Didactic Animation
• Best Animated Music Video Clip
• Best Animated Video Art
• Best Animation for social networks
• Best Animation for User Interfaces (UI) Applications, Videogames and / or Web Pages
• Best Animation of Logos or Visual Identity Marks
• Best Animated Visual Effects (VFX)
• Best Animated children's short film

6. Short films that are not spoken in Spanish must include subtitles in this language.

7. Works of all themes are accepted.

8. Participants from any region of Venezuela and other countries are welcome.

9. The participation of professional filmmakers as well as students and amateurs is allowed.

10. The reception of works will be digital. Participants outside of Venezuela must register through the Festhome platform. While Venezuelans must request the registration form through elojoiluso@gmail.com

11. More than one job per director is accepted. However, registration does not guarantee selection at the festival.

12. For participants residing outside Venezuela, we request a collaboration, to support the production of the event, in consideration of a current phenomenon of national hyperinflation that we are going through and seriously affects the development of our activities.

13. The selected short filmmakers will receive a digital certificate as participants and laurel of selected or winner of some category.

14. The costs of manufacturing the statuette and shipping are borne by the winner, this if you want the trophy.

15. The Festival Organizing Committee assumes the responsibility of presenting a quality program to the public, subject to a curatorial process that will consist of our official selection of short films as well as special samples, conferences and workshops. Additionally, we are responsible for appointing a specialized jury and providing them with the material and evaluation criteria necessary to achieve adequate and satisfactory work for the public and participants. Likewise, we guarantee suitable conditions for the worthy projection of the selected works.

16. On the use of Artificial Intelligence in the realization of the participating works:

To maintain transparency and encourage an open dialogue about the use of these tools, each work submitted is required to include information about the AI used in its development.

How to report on the use of AI?

At the time of registration, a specific section should be added detailing:

* AI tools used: specify the name of the AI tools used (e.g. ChatGPT, Midjourney, etc.).
* Parts of the content developed with AI: Describe which elements of the work were created or modified with the help of AI (e.g., text, images, music, etc.).

This information does not exclude works from participating in the Festival. On the contrary, it seeks to promote an honest conversation about the interaction between technology and art. This section is considered part of the relevant credits of each work, and its inclusion contributes to the analysis and critique of the work presented.

With this rule, the Festival adapts to the new realities. The inclusion of information on the use of AI is a step towards the understanding and evolution of art in the context of a digital society.Festhome