CINE GRANDE DO NORTE - INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (2)

Début du Festival: 26 octobre 2026      Fin du Festival: 30 octobre 2026

The 2nd CINE GRANDE DO NORTE is an International Film Festival held in the city of Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The festival will be a joint initiative of the Extension Office of Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (PROEX/UERN), BNB Cultural Mossoró, Cineatro/UERN, Mistério Filmes, Gato Laranja Produções, RQB Produções, and Piquê Produções, and will take place from October 26 to 30, 2026 at Centro Cultural Banco do Nordeste Mossoró.

In an ever-changing cultural landscape, the 2nd CINE GRANDE DO NORTE aims to provide a platform for filmmakers from Rio Grande do Norte, allowing diverse narratives, aesthetics, and identities to be recognized and appreciated by audiences. Furthermore, the event will contribute to the development of the audiovisual industry in the state, encouraging new creations and promoting exchange among artists, technicians, and lovers of the seventh art in Brazil and around the world.

The objective is to foster film production, cultural education, and the appreciation of cinema as an instrument of education and social transformation. The initiative aims to promote competitive screenings of short films (fiction, documentary, and animation), completely free to the public, in four categories: (1) the “Potiguar Showcase,” prioritizing productions from Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil; (2) the “Children’s Showcase,” dedicated to Brazilian films for children of all ages; (3) the “Brazil Showcase,” with productions from anywhere in the country; and (4) the “World Showcase,” which will feature films from filmmakers around the globe.

By bringing together works that reflect the cultural, social, and historical diversity of the people of Rio Grande do Norte, the Potiguar Showcase reinforces the role of UERN, Cineatro/UERN and Banco do Nordeste Cultural as promoters of regional and national culture. The initiative represents more than just film screenings; it is also a platform for resistance, expression, and belonging. At a time when democratizing access to culture and opportunities in the arts is essential, the event stands as a significant milestone in consolidating inclusive cultural policies and strengthening the audiovisual identity of Northeastern Brazil.

The World Showcase also offers an opportunity for filmmakers from other countries to screen their international productions and promote cultural exchange, connecting local audiences with diverse narratives, aesthetics, and perspectives from global cinema. The section is intended for independent filmmakers—from emerging talents to experienced professionals—as well as producers, screenwriters, and other audiovisual professionals interested in circulating their works, exchanging experiences, and strengthening collaborative networks on the international stage.

The festival will also feature educational workshops related to cinema and its multiple languages, providing local audiences with enriching opportunities for learning and cultural engagement. These activities will take place in the afternoon, according to the official schedule. In addition, the Festival will include the Brazil Children's Showcase, featuring selected children's films (rated suitable for all audiences) for students from public schools in Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte.

The second edition of the event will also include the "Warm-Up Screenings," during which selected short films from the competitive sections will be screened in rural communities, specifically in Maísa and Pau Branco communities, Mossoró/RN. This initiative will take place over two evenings through MovCEU, a mobile cultural vehicle operated by UERN's Extension Office, acquired through the Ministry of Culture's Territórios da Cultura program to bring extension activities to municipalities in the interior of Rio Grande do Norte. This initiative aims to expand the festival's social and cultural reach, ensuring that Potiguar audiovisual productions reach diverse audiences, especially those in areas with limited access to formal cultural activities. In this way, the Warm-Up Screenings will integrate the Festival into the daily lives of these communities, promoting cinema as a tool for dialogue, education, and belonging, while strengthening the presence of UERN, the Cineatro/UERN Extension Project, and BNB Cultural Mossoró in communities throughout the state, reaffirming their commitment to university outreach and the dissemination of art and culture.

AWARDS

A total of 13 awards will be presented. All winners will receive trophies, as well as the festival's official laurels, which may be used in the promotion of their films and to further enhance their recognition.

The award categories are:

1. Best Sound
2. Best Editing
3. Best Actress
4. Best Actor
5. Best Production Design
6. Best Cinematography
7. Best Short Film – World Showcase
8. Best Short Film – Children's Showcase (Brazilian films only)
9. Best Short Film – Brazil Showcase
10. Best Short Film – Potiguar Showcase – Audience Award – "BNB Cultural Award"
11. Best Screenplay (Potiguar Showcase) – "PROEX/UERN Award"
12. Best Director
13. Best Short Film

With the exception of categories 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, all awards are open to films from all four competitive sections of the festival. The awards aim not only to celebrate the festival's outstanding achievements, but also to encourage audiovisual production by promoting visibility and recognition for filmmakers, thereby strengthening the cinematic landscape.

FILM SUBMISSIONS

Film submissions (fiction, documentary, or animation) for the Potiguar Showcase and the Brazil Showcase must be made by completing the submission form available on the event's Instagram page, @cinegrandedonorte.

Submissions for the World Showcase must be made exclusively through Festhome.

Short Film Submission Period: May 11 to June 19, 2026
Submission Platform: Festhome (For International films).
Maximum Running Time: 20 minutes (including credits)
subtitles: Portuguese (for films with Portuguese audio), and english (for films in languages other than Portuguese, in the case of the World Showcase). subtitles must be permanently embedded in the film.

RULES:
1.By submitting a film, the filmmaker warrants that they are the lawful owner of the work and that it does not violate or infringe upon any trademark, trade name, copyright, literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, or other intellectual property rights, nor any personal rights.
2.The submitter is solely responsible for securing all necessary rights, including those related to music, images, and performances contained in the film.
3.Films that promote, glorify, or incite violence, hatred, discrimination, intolerance, or any form of prejudice based on race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic will not be accepted. The festival reserves the right to disqualify any work deemed to violate these principles, at its sole discretion.
4.By submitting a film, the submitter authorizes the festival to screen it during the in-person event, including live streaming exclusively on the day of the Festival.
5.The festival accepts only films completed in 2024, 2025, or 2026.
6.Only completed films will be considered. Works in progress are not eligible.
7.Brazilian films and films from Portuguese-speaking countries must be submitted with Portuguese subtitles embedded in the film.
8.Foreign-language films whose original language is not Portuguese must be submitted with english subtitles embedded in the film.
9.The festival accepts short films with a maximum running time of 20 minutes, including credits. Films exceeding this limit will not be considered.
10.Films that have previously screened at other festivals are welcome.
11.Submitted films must not be publicly available online or on any digital platform prior to the festival period. Films available on any website or platform will not be selected.
12.Films must be submitted in one of the following formats: MP4 (H.264 codec), MOV (ProRes or H.264), or AVI. The recommended minimum resolution is 1920x1080 (Full HD), with stereo audio (AAC or PCM).
13.While the submitted work remains the property of the filmmaker, Cine Grande do Norte reserves the right to use excerpts, stills, and promotional materials for festival publicity purposes.
14.Each filmmaker (director or producer) may submit no more than 02 (two) films.
15.The festival reserves the right to disqualify any submission that does not comply with these rules and terms. All decisions made by the festival's selection committee are final and not subject to appeal.
16.Notification of the selection results will be sent by email to the address provided at the time of submission.
17.By submitting a film, the participant acknowledges and agrees to all festival rules and terms.
18.Submissions for the World Showcase will be through Festhome or Film Free Way websites. On the platforms, the festival will ask the applicant to provide the film for download so that it can be evaluated by the event’s curatorial committee during the selection process.


FILM EVALUATION AND SELECTION

For the competitive sections, films will be selected in accordance with these Official Regulations, to be launched on May 9, 2026. Each work will be chosen with the aim of offering audiences a diverse panorama of the themes, languages, and styles that characterize local, national, and international cinema—from drama to comedy, from experimental works to documentaries, including animation—showcasing the creative richness of filmmakers from Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, and around the world.

The Official Selection will consist of:
• 8 films in the “Potiguar Showcase”
• 8 films in “Children's Showcase” (for Brazilian films)
• 8 films in “Brazil Showcase”
• 6 films in the “World Showcase”

The Selection Committee will be composed of Brazilian and international filmmakers, film critics, and arts professionals with proven experience in cinema, film criticism, and/or the arts in general, as well as the sensitivity necessary to evaluate productions from Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, and abroad, ensuring a fair and balanced selection process.

Films will be evaluated based on five primary criteria: (1) originality, (2) technical quality, (3) narrative strength, (4) aesthetic coherence, and (5) artistic and cultural impact. Evaluation will focus exclusively on the submitted film and will not take into account the résumé, biography, or previous accomplishments of the producer or director.

Following the announcement of the films selected for the World Showcase, the festival will request that each selected international filmmaker submit a version of the film without embedded subtitles, along with english subtitles in SRT format. Failure to provide both materials within the specified deadline will result in disqualification.

Films selected for the Official Selection will receive the festival's official laurels.


SCREENINGS

The selected films will be part of the official program of the 2nd Cine Grande do Norte: Light, Camera, Action and Reflection – International Film Festival, and will only be screened in in-person sessions during the event. Only the opening and closing ceremonies (not the films) will be streamed live online via the Cine Grande do Norte YouTube channel, according to a schedule to be published.

Screenings will take place in the city of Mossoró, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, at Centro Cultural Banco do Nordeste Mossoró. Films will not be made available on any digital platform for on-demand viewing.

Selected films must be submitted in the formats and technical specifications requested by the festival organization, within the deadline established in the official selection notification.

Participation in the festival constitutes authorization for the screening of the work on the dates, times, and in the formats determined by the festival organization. No screening fees or other compensation shall be payable to rights holders for exhibition within the scope of the event.


FINAL PROVISIONS

Submission of a film constitutes full acceptance of all the terms and conditions set forth in these Official Regulations. Decisions made by the Selection Committee, the Official Jury, and the Festival Organization are final and not subject to appeal. The submitter declares that they hold all necessary copyrights, neighboring rights, image rights, soundtrack rights, and any other rights required for the screening and promotion of the work, and fully indemnifies the festival organization against any claims arising from potential infringement of third-party rights.

The festival organization may use, free of charge, still images, photographs, posters, trailers, excerpts of up to one (1) minute, and any other materials submitted by participants for institutional, promotional, journalistic, and educational purposes in any media.

Once selected, a film may not be withdrawn from the Official Program after confirmation of participation, except in cases of force majeure, subject to review and approval by the festival organization.

The festival organization reserves the right to modify dates, programming, event format, or any provisions of these Regulations whenever necessary, and undertakes to notify participants in advance through its official channels.

Any matters not expressly provided for in these Regulations shall be reviewed and resolved exclusively by the Festival Directorate, whose decisions shall be final and binding.