Club Benares | Battle Royale (1)

Festival start: 27 March 2025      Festival end: 27 March 2025

A short film competition in a knockout elimination format!

Four films of any genre enter the competition, passing through two semifinals until they reach the grand final, where only one will be crowned the winner. Both the audience and the jury will choose the finalists.

In addition to the exciting matchups, we’ll have debates with the filmmakers, live music, and plenty of opportunities for networking and socializing.


⚫ Event Information:

Date: March 27th
Time: 19:00 - 22:30
Location: Fábrica Braço de Prata


⚫ Club Benares | Battle Royale

Semifinal #1 | Two short films compete, one advances.

Semifinal #2 | Two short films compete, one advances.

Final | The two winners compete for the grand prize.

1️⃣. Submission Criteria

⚫ Maximum Duration:
15 minutes (including credits).

⚫ Genre:
Free (fiction, documentary, animation, experimental).

⚫ Subtitles:
Required if the film’s language is not Portuguese or English.

⚫ Foreign Productions:
Films from foreign production are allowed, but at least one member of the production (director or other) must be in Portugal and available to attend the event. If it is not possible to guarantee attendance, the submission will be disregarded.

⚫ Production Date:
There is no production date limit for the film.

2️⃣. Competition Structure

- Four short films selected.
- Two semifinals: 2 films compete in each, and 1 advances.
- Final: The winners of the semifinals compete for the main prize.

3️⃣. Evaluation & Jury

⚫ Jury:
Composed of 4 special guests.

⚫ Evaluation Criteria:
- Originality & Creativity
- Technical Quality (image, sound, editing)
- Narrative & Emotional Impact
- Direction & Acting (if applicable)
Voting System

⚫ Jury Votes (50%):
4 jurors assign scores to films based on the established criteria (creativity, technique, narrative, impact). Each short film receives an average score from the jury.

⚫ Audience Votes (50%):
The audience votes for their favorite film via a QR code.

The jury score and the audience vote are combined into an overall average. The film with the highest overall score advances to the next phase. In case of a tie, the jury makes the final decision.

4️⃣. Award

- Best Short Film of the Festival – Chosen by the jury.

5️⃣. Copyright and Intellectual Property

⚫ Authorship and Rights:
The filmmaker guarantees that they hold all copyright rights to the film, including music, images, and any other copyrighted content.

⚫ Film Usage:
By submitting the film to the festival, the filmmaker grants permission for the film to be publicly shown during the event and on platforms related to the festival, such as social media and event websites.

6️⃣. Participant Responsibility

⚫ Event Attendance:
Filmmakers or members of the production of selected films must be available to attend the event, including participating in the discussion with filmmakers and other scheduled activities.

7️⃣. Code of Conduct

⚫ Behavior at the Event:
All participants, spectators, and guests are expected to follow a respectful code of conduct during the event. Any inappropriate behavior may result in disqualification from the festival or expulsion from the event.