Cachinus De Cine International Youth Film Festival (8)

Festival Start: 07 Mai 2026      Festival Ende: 09 Mai 2026

English (Inglés)
The “Cachinus de Cine” Festival is organized by the Cultural Association of Cilleros (A.C.D.C.) and the Town Hall of Cilleros.

The festival "Cachinus de Cine" was born with the hope of bringing the seventh art to the children and youngest so that they have the posibility to learn trough this art to know and understand better the world around them. Also to get the posibility to express their concerns through the images.

It will take place at the beginning of May in Cilleros, a town located in "Sierra de Gata" in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, at the East of Madrid (Spain).
An enclave that are still preserving his nature and tradition over the years.

It is surrounded by rivers of crystal clear water, natural pools and mountains that invite you to explore their paths.

We wish this festival to be a meeting point where we can meet people and cultures from all over the world and get to know ourselves too.

Exchanging concerns and experiences with all the participants is also part of the dream with which this festival is born.

Professional Section Awards
Best National Short Film

Young Filmmaker Award (under 30)

Best International Short Film

Best Animated Short Film (Natxo Menchero Special Award)

Best Performer (18+, regardless of gender)

Best Screenplay

Best Short Film from Extremadura

Audience Award

Other awards shared with the Educational Section:

A.C.D.C. Special Award

“Cachinus de Cine” Special Award

Environmental Special Award

Educational Section Awards
Best Children's Short Film (C1)

Best Junior Short Film (C2)

Best Child or Youth Performer (regardless of gender)

Audience Award

Best Short Film from Extremadura

Best Short Film from Sierra de Gata

Other awards shared with the Professional Section:

Environmental Special Award

“Cachinus de Cine” Special Award

A.C.D.C. Special Award

FICIJ Cachinus de Cine 2026 - OFFICIAL RULES

PROFESSIONAL SECTION

ORGANIZATION

The Cilleros Town Council and the Cilleros Cultural Association (A.C.D.C.) organize a new edition of the International Youth and Children Short Film Festival "Cachinus de Cine," aimed at promoting audiovisual creativity, emerging talent, and cultural exchange among young people and professional filmmakers worldwide.

Dates: The festival will be held in Cilleros (Sierra de Gata) on a date to be confirmed. (If any changes occur, they will be announced on our website and social media in advance.)

PROFESSIONAL SECTION(The Educational Section can be found below)

This section is open to filmmakers from around the world, offering a platform for visibility, recognition, and both national and international outreach.

Categories:

National Professional Category (Fiction / Animation):
Open to anyone regardless of age.

Best National Short Film

Best International Short Film

Young Filmmaker Award (under 30):
A special award within the national category for the best short film directed by a filmmaker under 30 years old at the time of submission.

Best Animated Short Film:
Open to stop-motion or frame-by-frame animated works, with at least 75% of their duration animated.

General Requirements:

Open to fiction and animated short films (national and international) completed after January 1, 2023.

Free theme.

Maximum duration: 20 minutes, including credits.

Original works only, not previously submitted to this festival.

Suitable for all audiences.

Any language is allowed. subtitles in english are recommended for works not in Spanish. Including Spanish subtitles will be positively valued.

Works with violent, sexist, racist, offensive, or discriminatory content will not be accepted.

The organization reserves the right to reject any work that does not comply with these rules or lacks technical quality for proper screening or evaluation.

Individual or collective filmmakers may submit, but for the national category, the filmmaker must hold Spanish nationality.

Submission:

Only online submissions will be accepted.

DVDs, USBs, or other physical formats will not be accepted.

Films may be submitted via:

Festhome

(These platforms may charge a submission fee.)

Free submission form available on the festival's official website: [link]

We recommend not submitting the same film through multiple platforms.

Submission period: June 21, 2025 to January 31, 2026 at 00:00 (CET).
Submission implies full acceptance of these rules.

Selection & Screenings:

The organization will select, among all entries, the works that will make up the Official Selection. These films will be screened during the festival and will compete for the official awards.

Some non-finalist films may be selected for non-competitive screenings with prior authorization from the filmmakers.

Finalist filmmakers will be notified in advance to allow for possible attendance at the awards gala.

Jury:

The jury will be composed of professionals in film, culture, communication, and education, appointed by the festival.

Their decisions are final. They may declare any category void if necessary.

The jury will choose the finalists and winners in each category, generally selecting three films per section (subject to change based on quality).

Professional Section awards:

Best National Short Film

Young Filmmaker Award (under 30)

Best International Short Film

Best Animated Short Film (Natxo Menchero Special Award)

Best Performer (18+, regardless of gender)

Best Screenplay

Best Short Film from Extremadura

Audience Award

Shared awards with the Educational Section:

A.C.D.C. Special Award

"Cachinus de Cine" Special Award

Environmental Special Award

Best Short Film from ExtremaduraOpen to works made by filmmakers from or residing in Extremadura.At least 51% of the film must have been shot in Extremadura, supported by appropriate documentation (ID, residency certificate, proof of work/study) attached to the entry form.

Copyright

Entrants must hold all necessary rights for public screening and promotion of their work and related materials.

The organization is not responsible for any legal disputes arising from breach of copyright by participants.

Notes:

The organization may alter categories and awards based on the quality of submitted works.

Participation implies non-commercial screening rights for cultural, educational, and promotional purposes.

Participation constitutes full acceptance of these rules.

Any unforeseen matter will be resolved by the jury or the festival organization.

Winners will be promoted through social media and other channels.

Official diploma and commemorative statuette will be awarded (subject to budget).

ATTENDING THE FESTIVAL

Participants may request to attend the gala via email: festival@cachinusdecine.es

The festival does not cover travel/lodging but:

Will try to arrange free or discounted accommodation (budget permitting).

Will assist with finding local lodging.

FINAL GALA & AWARD CEREMONY

Date: To be confirmed (Saturday) at the Cilleros Auditorium.

Finalists will be selected by the committee (generally three per category, adjustable based on quality).

Any date changes will be announced in advance.

JURY SCORING SYSTEM

Each jury member rates each film individually from 1 to 10.

The film with the highest average score wins its category.

Join us and showcase your talent at Cachinus de Cine 2026!

Contact & Acceptance

Participation implies full acceptance of these rules.
Any issue not foreseen herein will be resolved by the jury or the organization.

EDUCATIONAL SECTION

ORGANIZATION

The Cilleros Town Council and the Cilleros Cultural Association (A.C.D.C.) organize a new edition of the International Youth and Children Short Film Festival "Cachinus de Cine," aimed at promoting audiovisual creativity, emerging talent, and cultural exchange among young people and professional filmmakers worldwide.

Dates: The festival will be held in Cilleros (Sierra de Gata) on a date to be confirmed. (Any changes will be announced on our website and social media in advance.)

EDUCATIONAL SECTION

This section is aimed at schools, youth groups, associations, and collectives that work with children and teenagers, with the goal of promoting creativity, audiovisual education, and active youth participation in the world of cinema.

Categories:

Children's Category (C1): For short films made by children up to 12 years old.

Junior Category (C2): For short films made by young people between 13 and 18 years old.

In both categories, adult collaboration is allowed as long as the direction, script, filming, and main creative decisions are led by the minors involved.

General Requirements:

Short films completed after January 1, 2023.

Maximum duration: 12 minutes, including credits.

Original works, not previously submitted to this festival.

Suitable for all audiences.

Any language is accepted. subtitles in english are recommended for works not in Spanish. Including Spanish subtitles will be positively valued.

Works containing violent, sexist, racist, offensive, or disrespectful content will not be accepted.

Submission:

Only online submissions will be accepted.

No submissions via DVD, USB, or other physical formats will be accepted.

Films may be submitted through any of the following platforms:

Festhome



(These platforms may apply a small management fee according to their terms.)

Free submission form available on the festival's official website: [link]

We recommend avoiding duplicate submissions through multiple platforms.

Submission period: June 21, 2025 to January 31, 2026 at 00:00 (CET).
Submitting a film implies full acceptance of the rules.

Selection & Screenings:

The organization will select, from all entries, the works that will form the Official Selection. These short films will be screened during the festival (date to be determined) and will be eligible for the awards.

Some non-finalist works may be shown in non-competitive screenings, always with prior authorization from the creators.

Finalists will be informed in advance to allow for possible attendance at the awards gala.

Jury:

The jury will consist of professionals from the fields of cinema, culture, communication, and education, appointed by the festival organization.

Their decision is final, and they may declare any prize void if deemed appropriate.

The jury will select finalists and winners in each category, usually choosing three per section, although this number may vary depending on overall quality.

Educational Section awards:

Best Children's Short Film (C1)

Best Junior Short Film (C2)

Best Child or Youth Performer (regardless of gender)

Audience Award

Best Short Film from Extremadura

Best Short Film from Sierra de Gata

Shared awards with the Professional Section:

Environmental Special Award

"Cachinus de Cine" Special Award

A.C.D.C. Special Award

Selection Committee:

A team appointed by the Cachinus de Cine Festival, composed of members of the Cilleros Cultural Association (A.C.D.C.) and collaborators, will review the entries and select the finalists that will be part of the Official Selection.

Screenings:

The organization will select the best short films submitted to form the Official Selection. These will be screened during the festival, from May 3 to May 10, 2025, and will compete for the edition’s awards.
Some non-finalist films may be screened in parallel sections with the creators' prior approval.

Notification:

Finalist selections will be communicated to participants well before the festival takes place.

Copyright:

The festival assumes that the authors of the submitted short films hold all exhibition and distribution rights for their work and associated materials.
The organization is not liable for any legal issues arising from a breach of this rule by participants.

Notes:

The organization reserves the right to modify categories and awards if justified by the quality of submissions.

Participation implies the granting of non-commercial screening rights for cultural, educational, and promotional purposes.

Participation implies full acceptance of these rules.

Any matter not foreseen in these rules will be resolved by the jury or the organization.

The festival will promote the winners via social media and other platforms.

An official diploma and commemorative statuette will be awarded (subject to budget).

ATTENDING THE FESTIVAL

Participants may request to attend the gala by emailing: festival@cachinusdecine.es

The festival DOES NOT cover accommodation costs, but:

Will try to secure free or discounted lodging, depending on budget.

Will help participants find accommodations in the area.

FINAL GALA & AWARD CEREMONY

awards ceremony date: To be determined (Saturday), at the Cilleros Auditorium.

Short films will be evaluated by a selection committee, generally choosing three finalists per category (this may vary depending on quality).

Any changes to the date will be announced in advance.

JURY SCORING SYSTEM

Each jury member scores each film individually on a scale from 1 to 10.

The short film with the highest average score wins its category.

Join us and showcase your talent at Cachinus de Cine 2026!

Contact & Acceptance

Participation in the festival implies full acceptance of these rules.
Any matter not covered herein will be resolved by the jury and the organization.