Festival de Cine Infantil Churumbela (10)

Festival start: 18 November 2026      Festival end: 06 December 2026

OPEN CALL FOR ENTRIES

The deadline for submitting exhibition material is Sunday, September 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Do you remember the first film you saw on the big screen as a child?

For thousands of Mexican girls and boys in vulnerable situations, this question has no answer. For this reason, and for them, the Churumbela Children's Film Festival was created, inviting all children of Mexico, Spanish speakers, and speakers of other languages to experience cinema in an inclusive, playful, and entertaining environment.

It brings cinema closer to all children, with a special focus on girls and boys in vulnerable situations, people with disabilities, and families from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Through accessible and inclusive programming, the festival promotes film as a tool for expression, identity, and cultural formation, ensuring that children from diverse realities have access to enriching and participatory cinematic experiences.

The 10th Churumbela Children's Film Festival takes place in person with film screenings and activities in Mexico City and in Yucatán, where we not only program film screenings but also offer workshops and talks led by industry professionals.

The 10th Churumbela Children's Film Festival promotes creativity, dialogue, the seventh art, and artistic expression as tools for social transformation, and all of its activities are offered free of charge.

In this effort, this year the festival calls on filmmakers, girls, boys, and young people from Mexico and around the world to take part in its tenth edition. This call unifies all of the festival's sections into a single open submission process, aimed at facilitating participation and expanding the festival's reach in a decade of cinema for children.

This edition of the festival will take place in Mexico City from Wednesday, November 18 to Sunday, November 22, 2026, and in Yucatán from Friday, December 4 to Sunday, December 6, 2026.

The festival is nonprofit, and its goal is to bring valuable stories to many girls, boys, and young people to serve as inspiration, a mirror, a source of empathy and awareness, and to build confidence in themselves.

To find out about the venue-by-venue program of shorts, films, activities, and workshops that will be offered in person and online, visit our official site: https://www.churumbelafest.com

CONTACT:
Email: festivalchurumbela@gmail.com
Phone: 5551586814
Website: www.churumbelafest.com

SCREENING OF SHORT FILMS AND FEATURE FILMS –

RECOGNITIONS

★ Churumbela Laurel 2026.
★ Participation diploma.
★ Promotion on our social media.
★ Recognition from the Jury.
★ Mention in our "Churumbela Film Talks" sessions, if selected for that activity.
★ Mention in our children's film discussion sessions.

Thank you for your support!

10 FINALIST SHORT FILMS WILL COMPETE FOR:

A single physical award will be given to the winning short film in each category.
Best Short Film Award – Category A (8 to 10 years old).
Best Short Film Award – Category B (11 to 13 years old).
Best Short Film Award – Category C (14 to 17 years old).

Best Short Film Award – Category A
1 Churumbela Trophy/Award for Best Short Film in its category.
1 Prize Kit: gadgets and technology tools.
Complimentary passes to cultural events/activities.
1 Churumbela Winner Kit (official t-shirt, young filmmaker badge, popcorn bucket, and book).

Best Short Film Award – Category B
1 Churumbela Trophy/Award for Best Short Film in its category.
1 Prize Kit: gadgets and technology tools.
Complimentary passes to cultural events/activities.
1 Churumbela Winner Kit (official t-shirt, young filmmaker badge, popcorn bucket, and book).

Best Short Film Award – Category C
1 Churumbela Trophy/Award for Best Short Film in its category.
1 Prize Kit: gadgets and technology tools.
Complimentary passes to cultural events/activities.
1 Churumbela Winner Kit (official t-shirt, young filmmaker badge, popcorn bucket, and book).

The Prize Kit contents will be revealed on social media prior to the closing ceremony.

BASES 2026 (ENGLISH)

PARTICIPATION SECTIONS

PRODUCTION (National and International)
Open to filmmakers from all over Mexico and around the world.

Selection will be divided into short films and feature films in the following categories:
● FICTION
● ANIMATION
● DOCUMENTARY

RECOGNITIONS:
★ Churumbela Laurel 2026.
★ Digital participation diploma.
★ Promotion on our social media.
★ Eligible for the Audience Award.
★ Eligible for special mention for use of sound and music: Awarded within the framework of the 10th edition's thematic focus (applies to all selected shorts).

Produced between January 2024 and the deadline of this call. The work must be aimed at children and/or youth audiences.

MINICINEASTAS / YOUNG FILMMAKERS (National and International)
Open to girl, boy, and youth filmmakers from all over Mexico and around the world.
Selection applies to short films in the following categories:
● FICTION
● ANIMATION
● DOCUMENTARY

RECOGNITIONS:
★ Churumbela Laurel 2026.
★ Digital participation diploma.
★ Promotion on our social media.
★ Eligible for the Audience Award.
★ Eligible for special mention for use of sound and music: Awarded within the framework of the 10th edition's thematic focus (applies to all selected shorts).

Participants: Works aimed at children's audiences, made by girls, boys, and young people ages 8 to 17, individually or as a team.
Maximum length: 25 minutes.
Produced between January 2024 and the deadline of this call.
The work must be conceived and directed by minors, in accordance with the Child Authorship Policy (point 4).

YOUNG FILMMAKERS OF YUCATÁN – COMPETITION
Open to girl, boy, and youth filmmakers from the state of Yucatán.
Selection applies to short films by young filmmakers from Yucatán, who will compete in the following categories:

Category A: 8 to 10 years old
Category B: 11 to 13 years old
Category C: 14 to 17 years old

Participants: girls, boys, and young people ages 8 to 17 (as of the call's deadline), with verifiable residency in Yucatán, individually or as a team.
Genres: Fiction, Animation, and Documentary short films.

This year's eligible themes are:
AGENTS OF CHANGE
ECO-ENVIRONMENTAL
FRIENDSHIP AND FAMILY
INCLUSION
BULLYING
SCIENCE FICTION
RIGHTS OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
USE OF TECHNOLOGY AMONG CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Works should express content aimed at a children's audience and must not promote violence in any of its forms.

10 FINALIST SHORT FILMS FROM YUCATÁN WILL COMPETE FOR:

A single physical award for the winning short film in each category.
Best Short Film Award – Category A (8 to 10 years old).
Best Short Film Award – Category B (11 to 13 years old).
Best Short Film Award – Category C (14 to 17 years old).

Best Short Film Award – Category A
1 Churumbela Trophy/Award for Best Short Film in its category.
1 Prize Kit: gadgets and technology tools.
Complimentary passes to cultural events/activities.
1 Churumbela Winner Kit (official t-shirt, young filmmaker badge, popcorn bucket, and book).

Best Short Film Award – Category B
1 Churumbela Trophy/Award for Best Short Film in its category.
1 Prize Kit: gadgets and technology tools.
Complimentary passes to cultural events/activities.
1 Churumbela Winner Kit (official t-shirt, young filmmaker badge, popcorn bucket, and book).

Best Short Film Award – Category C
1 Churumbela Trophy/Award for Best Short Film in its category.
1 Prize Kit: gadgets and technology tools.
Complimentary passes to cultural events/activities.
1 Churumbela Winner Kit (official t-shirt, young filmmaker badge, popcorn bucket, and book).

The Prize Kit contents will be revealed on social media prior to the closing ceremony.

RECOGNITION FOR THE 10 FINALISTS:
Including the Audience Award and Best Sound Design.

★ Churumbela Laurel 2026.
★ Participation diploma.
★ Eligible for the Audience Award.
★ Eligible for special mention for use of sound and music: Awarded within the framework of the 10th edition's thematic focus (applies to all selected shorts).
★ 1 Churumbela Kit (official t-shirt, young filmmaker badge, and book).
★ Complimentary passes to cultural events/activities.
★ Promotion of their work on our social media, 2026/2027.

All members credited in the technical crew list will receive an official selection diploma and the Churumbela winner kit.
Each winning work receives one (1) prize and one (1) trophy, awarded to the production team as a whole, not to individuals separately.

⚠️ Note for team-produced works:
All members of the production team (direction, screenwriting, production, art, sound, etc.) must fall within the age range of a single category. This rule does not apply to actors.
Works that have already been part of the festival's official selection in previous editions will not be eligible to participate.

The deadline for submitting exhibition material is Sunday, September 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
The official selection will be published starting Wednesday, September 30, 2026, on social media and the official website, http://churumbelafest.com.