FICVI, Festival Internacional de Curtmetratges de Vila-seca (11)

Festival start: 17 October 2026      Festival end: 25 October 2026

FICVI, International Short Film Festival of Vila-seca is a festival focused on the exhibition of short films.

It is organized by the Vila-seca Tourism Board and collaborates with the Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España – Premios Goya as a Collaborating Contest in the Preselection of Short Films in the categories of Fiction and Animation for the Goya Awards.

The XI edition of the FICVI, Vila-seca International Short Film Festival will be held from October 17 to 25, 2026.

Cash Prizes: 8,500€

Honorary Award for Professional Career – €1,000

Best National Animated Short Film – €1,500
(Automatic preselection for the Goya Awards –
Best Animated Short Film category)

Best International Fiction Short Film – €1,500

Best National Fiction Short Film – €1,500
(Automatic preselection for the Goya Awards – Best Fiction Short Film category)

Best National Documentary Short Film – €1,000
(Automatic preselection for the Goya Awards – Best Documentary Short Film category)

DO Catalonia Award – €500

Audience Award for Best Short Film – €500
1st IN SITU Award – €700
2nd IN SITU Award – €300

None of the awards indicated in these rules may be declared void.

Production companies and directors submitting their works to FICVI accept that, if they receive any of the festival’s awards, they will include a written reference to the award in all copies of the short film distributed for exhibition in commercial theatres, DVD, internet and/or audiovisual events, as well as in all printed informational and promotional materials (press books, posters, etc.). This reference will consist of a text specifying the award received, accompanied by the name of the festival.

Directors or producers must ensure that the content of their work does not infringe intellectual property rights or other third-party rights and will exempt the Organizing Committee from any legal responsibility.

The jury’s decision and the programming team’s selection are final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding their decisions.

All awards will be subject to applicable legal withholdings.

REGULATORY TERMS 2026

FICVI – Vila-seca International Short Film Festival

Note: In this document, the generic masculine form is used for ease of reading. However, terms such as “participants”, “members”, “directors”, “professionals” or “producers” include women, men, and people of diverse gender identities.

FICVI – Vila-seca International Short Film Festival is a festival focused on the exhibition of short films.

The 11th edition of FICVI – Vila-seca International Short Film Festival will take place from October 17 to 25, 2026. It is organized by the Vila-seca Tourism Board and collaborates with the Spanish Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences – Goya Awards as a Collaborating Festival in the Preselection of Short Films in the Fiction, Animation and Documentary categories for the Goya Awards.

1. GOALS

FICVI is a festival specialized in the short film format that aims to celebrate and bring the best international and national cinema to the town of Vila-seca, promoting emerging, daring and diverse cinema, both in theme and genre.

FICVI seeks to promote cinematography in general, as well as to support short film directors and create a reference space where they can showcase their work.

2. PROGRAMME

The programme of the Vila-seca International Short Film Festival is structured into two competitive sections:

Official Section: includes short films under 30 minutes in the following genres: fiction, documentary and animation (released after July 1, 2024).

IN SITU: short films under 3 minutes created by residents of Vila-seca and the Tarragona region, based on a theme set by the festival organization and located in Vila-seca. This section will be accompanied by a training workshop to develop the pieces. The official call for the workshop and the full rules of the section will be announced on July 15, 2026.

All films in competition must be animated, fiction or documentary shorts. A short film is defined as any work with a cinematic intention of less than 30 minutes.

The programmed films must not have been released (commercially or broadcast on television) in Spain and, preferably, must not have been previously screened at any festival in Spain.

The selection of short films is the responsibility of the festival’s programming team, which will choose all the titles that make up the different sections.

Gender parity will be taken into account in the selection of short films.

The organization reserves the right to exceptionally programme short films that have already been screened.

3. AWARDS
Honorary Award for Professional Career – €1,000
Best National Animated Short Film – €1,500
(Automatic preselection for the Goya Awards – Best Animated Short Film category)
Best International Fiction Short Film – €1,500
Best National Fiction Short Film – €1,500
(Automatic preselection for the Goya Awards – Best Fiction Short Film category)
Best National Documentary Short Film – €1,000
(Automatic preselection for the Goya Awards – Best Documentary Short Film category)
DO Catalonia Award – €500
Audience Award for Best Short Film – €500
1st IN SITU Award – €700
2nd IN SITU Award – €300

None of the awards indicated in these rules may be declared void.

Production companies and directors submitting their works to FICVI accept that, if they receive any of the festival’s awards, they will include a written reference to the award in all copies of the short film distributed for exhibition in commercial theatres, DVD, internet and/or audiovisual events, as well as in all printed informational and promotional materials (press books, posters, etc.). This reference will consist of a text specifying the award received, accompanied by the name of the festival.

Directors or producers must ensure that the content of their work does not infringe intellectual property rights or other third-party rights and will exempt the Organizing Committee from any legal responsibility.

The jury’s decision and the programming team’s selection are final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding their decisions.

All awards will be subject to applicable legal withholdings.

4. JURY

The winning works will be selected by two types of juries:

Official Section Jury
IN SITU Jury

These juries will be appointed by the organization and composed of representatives from the cultural and audiovisual sectors. Their decisions are final.

The Audience Award will be decided by festival attendees.

If deemed necessary to award a prize ex aequo, the prize amount will be divided among the selected works.

5. OFFICIAL SECTION
5.1 REGISTRATION

Short films may be submitted exclusively through the Festhome platform.

Submissions must be completed by directors, producers or their legal representatives.

The submission period begins on April 28, 2026 and ends on June 7, 2026. Submissions received after this date will not be accepted.

Once selected, a film may not be withdrawn from the Festival programme.

Advertising works will not be accepted.

Directors or producers must ensure beforehand that their work does not infringe intellectual property rights or third-party rights and will exempt the Organizing Committee from any legal responsibility.

If the submitted short film is not in its original version in Catalan or Spanish, it must include English subtitles and ideally also Catalan and/or Spanish subtitles.

Submitting a work to this festival implies acceptance of these rules.

5.2 SELECTION

A committee will carry out a preliminary selection of the submitted works. The selected films will be communicated by email, with sufficient notice, to all participants, producers and/or directors.

Fragments of selected works may be used for the promotion and dissemination of the festival in the media.

Selected short films will be publicly screened during the festival dates.

The Festival’s Artistic Direction reserves the right to decide the section in which each film will be screened.

Selection notifications will be sent between July 14 and 21, 2026. Non-selected works will be notified no later than one month before the festival.

Selection at FICVI implies acceptance of these rules.

5.3 MATERIALS

Short films will be screened in their original version. Films in Catalan or Spanish do not require subtitles. Films in other languages must be presented in original version with Catalan or Spanish subtitles.

Short films must have a screening copy available in ProRes or H264 format.

The festival will not accept screening copies that do not meet minimum exhibition standards.

Each selected short film must provide:

A copy of the film with Catalan or Spanish subtitles if applicable
A screener link with English subtitles
A copy of the official trailer
A subtitled version of the trailer (Catalan or Spanish if needed)

Selected films will receive an Entry Form, a Screening Agreement and these Rules. The rights holder must sign the Screening Agreement authorizing participation and will be solely responsible for any third-party claims. The Entry Form must be returned within the established deadlines.

Additional required materials:

Director/Producer biofilmography
Copy of Director/Producer ID
Director photo (*.jpeg, 300 dpi)
3 stills from the short film (*.jpeg, 300 dpi)
Poster and promotional materials (paper and .jpg)
Subtitled works must include an .srt file
5.4 DISSEMINATION

The festival reserves the right to record excerpts of selected short films for promotional purposes in media and social networks.

Participation in the festival implies the use of the short film strictly for promotional and non-commercial purposes, including images, excerpts, fragments, photographs and/or soundtrack. The festival may also use the image of participants and winners for selection, promotion and award ceremony purposes.

Such use may occur across any media or format, including reproduction, distribution and public communication rights, without any financial or in-kind compensation.

5.5 ATTENDANCE

The festival aims for screenings to be accompanied by presentations from the short film teams.

The organization will invite one member of each selected short film team and, if necessary and depending on budget availability, will cover transportation and accommodation expenses in Vila-seca.

Participation in FICVI implies full acceptance of these rules.

The Organizing Committee reserves the right to resolve any issue not covered in these regulations. Its decisions will be final.