FANTBilbao - Festival De Cine Fantástico De Bilbao (31)

Festival start: 02 May 2025      Festival end: 10 May 2025

Bilbao City Council is currently organizing the 31st BILBAO FANTASY FILM FESTIVAL – FANT2025, to take place in Bilbao from 2nd to 10th of May 2025.

Cash Prizes: 15,250€

1. - Jury Award for the best short film in the Official Selection: 3.000 €

2. - Audience Award for the best short film in the Official Selection: 3.000 €

3. - Jury Award for the best basque short film in the Official Selection: 2.500 €

4. - Jury Award for the best short film in the Panorama Selection: 1.750 €

5.- Jury Award for the best feature film in the Official
Selection: 0 €

6.- Audience Award to the Best Festure Film in the Official Selection: 0 €

7.- Award of the Basque Scriptwriters Association to the best screenplay in the Official Selection: 0 €

8.- Award of the Cineclub FAS to the most innovative director in the Official Selection: 0 €

9. - Award for best feature film in Fantasy Panorama Section: 0 €

10. - Special prize to the best production project of a short film in Basque language: 5.000 €

As part of the Festival, the organization will present the following awards:

1. awards for the best feature films in the Official Selection.

2. Audience Award to the Best Festure Film in the Official Selection.

3. Award to the best screenplay in the Official Selection, in collaboration with the Basque Scriptwriters Association.

4. Award to the most innovative director of film in the Official Selection, in collaboration with Cineclub FAS.

5. Award to the best feature film in Fantasy Panorama Section.

6. FANTrobia Award, Honorary FANT Award and FANTasy Star Award.

7. Award to the best performance by an actor/actress in Basque FANT Short Films Section, in collaboration with the Basque Actors/Actresses Union.

8. awards to the best short films in Official Selection and Fantasy Panorama Section.

9. Special prize to the best production project of a short film in Basque language

These awards will abide by the following rules:

1. Jury Award and Audience Award for the best feature film in the Official Selection

The Festival OFFICIAL SELECTION will consist of feature films which, due to their content or subject, can be considered as belonging to the fantasy genre, have difficult access to the traditional commercial circuits (European films, Asian films, films by independent production companies, etc.) and have not yet been released in Bilbao.

1. Competitors for these awards will be (feature) films selected by the organization for screening at the Festival and complying with the characteristics of the section.

2. The prize for the best feature film going to the maker of the film, will be honorary in nature and accompanied by a commemorative trophy without any economic endowment.

3. The award cannot be declared void, or bestowed ex aequo.

4. The task of choosing the best film will fall upon a Jury of experts designated by the Bilbao City Council Department of Culture and Governance, at the suggestion of the Festival Management.

5. The FANT Jury members will be no fewer than three and always odd in number.

6. The Jury will have a secretary appointed by the Festival Management, who may participate in the deliberations but will have no right to vote.

7. The FANT Jury may establish its own internal rules in agreement with the Festival Management.

8. The decision of the Jury will be final and binding.


2. Audience Award to the best feature film in the Official Selection.

The task of choosing this award will fall upon the people attending the Official Section screenings. The audience attending each session will be able to rate the screened feature film. The award will go to the short film to receive the highest number of audience votes (according to the weighted voting system used). The award will be honorary, accompanied by a commemorative trophy and will not have any financial endowment.

The Audience Award for Best Feature Film, going to the maker of the film, will be honorary in nature and accompanied by a commemorative trophy without any economic endowment. The Audience Best Feature Film will be chosen by the audience attending the Official Selection screenings. The award will go to the film receiving the highest number of audience votes (according to the weighted voting system used).

3. Award of the Basque Scriptwriters Association to the best screenplay in the Official Selection
The task of choosing the best script of a feature film in the official selection will fall upon a Jury of experts designated by the Basque Scriptwriters Association. The Award, going to the scriptwriter of the film, will be honorary in nature and accompanied by a commemorative trophy without any economic endowment.

4. Award of the Cineclub FAS to the most innovative director in the Official Selection
The task of choosing the most innovative director of a feature film in the official selection will fall upon a Jury of experts designated by CINECLUB FAS. The Award, going to the maker of the film, will be honorary in nature and accompanied by a commemorative trophy without any economic endowment.

5. Award for best feature film in Fantasy Panorama Section
The Festival FANTASY PANORAMA SECTION will consist of a selection of fantasy films with a clear independent inclination. The Festival gathers in this way one of the most important trends in the genre nowadays, in which boldness and independence blend in with fantasy genre standards.

It will consist of a selection of feature films which, just as the ones in Official Selection, due to their content or subject, can be considered as belonging to the fantasy genre, have difficult access to the traditional commercial circuits and have not yet been released in Bilbao. For this selection, the Festival will present an AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE FILM, to be granted according to the following rules:

1. Competitors for this award will be feature films selected by the organization for screening at the Festival and complying with the characteristics of the section.

2. The prize for the best feature film in Fantasy Panorama Section going to the maker of the film, will be honorary in nature and accompanied by a commemorative trophy without any economic endowment.

3. The award cannot be declared void, or bestowed ex aequo.

4. The task of choosing the best film Fantasy Panorama will fall upon a Jury of experts designated by the Bilbao City Council Department of Culture and Governance, at the suggestion of the Festival Management.
5. The FANT Jury members will be no fewer than three and always odd in number.

6. The Jury will have a secretary appointed by the Festival Management, who may participate in the deliberations but will have no right to vote.

7. The Fantasy Panorama Jury may establish its own internal rules in agreement with the Festival Management.

8. The decision of the Jury will be final and binding.


6. Fantrobia Award, Honorary FANT Award and FANTasy Star Award.

The FANTROBIA Award, honorary in nature, is bestowed by the organization upon a person who has recently excelled and so constitutes a rising value in the fantasy movie genre.

Likewise, the festival organization may grant two other awards to relevant figures of the genre, in this case already consolidated, being the Honorary FANT an award aimed to people who have stood out at a national level and the FANTasy Star Award at figures with an outstanding international career.


7. Award to the best performance by an actor/actress in Basque FANT Short Films Section, in collaboration with the Basque Actors/Actresses Union.
The task of choosing the best performance by an actor/actress in Basque FANT Short Films Section will fall upon a Jury of experts designated by the Basque Actors/Actresses Union. The Award, going to an actor or actress of one of the films in the section, will be honorary in nature and accompanied by a commemorative trophy without any economic endowment.

8. Short Films awards
For the “FANT SHORT” section, the Festival will present awards for the BEST SHORT FILMS. This section includes the following awards:

• THE JURY AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM IN OFFICIAL SELECTION FANT (International, Spanish or Basque)

• THE AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM IN OFFICIAL SELECTION FANT (International, Spanish or Basque)

• THE JURY AWARD FOR BEST BASQUE SHORT FILM IN OFFICIAL SELECTION FANT

• THE JURY AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM IN FANTASY PANORAMA SECTION FANT

The Festival “FANT SHORT FILM” section will showcase shorts selected by the organization and of a content or subject matter placing them within the fantasy genre. Films participating in this section must be no more than 30 minutes in length.

FANTBilbao is an adherent member of the Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF), and as such, nominates in every edition a European short film for the Golden Méliès Award in its category:

SILVER MÉLIÈS diploma and nomination for Best European Fantasy Short Film for the GOLD MÉLIÈS AWARD of the official selection, sponsored by the Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF) www.melies.org

8.1 Jury prizes for best short film and best Basque SHORT FILM in Official Selection FANT
THE JURY prizes FOR BEST SHORT FILM AND FOR BEST BASQUE SHORT FILM will abide by the following rules:

1. Competitors for this award will be short films selected among those received in due time and proper form, considered to meet the characteristics of the section and which have therefore been selected for and screened as part of the Festival’s “FANT short” section.

2. The prize for the best short film will be 3,000 € and the prize for the best Basque short film will be 2.500 €. In both cases these amounts, where applicable, will be subject to the withholding tax resulting from the application of the current tax rules. Both awards will come with a commemorative trophy. The prize money will be divided, in equal parts, between the producer and the maker of the film but will be paid in a one-time payment to the producer. For the purposes of payment, the person who thus appears in the registration form will be considered a producer. In the event of the producer and maker of the film being one and the same person, he or she will receive the total amount. The trophy will be given to the filmmaker.

3. The awards cannot be declared void, or bestowed ex aequo.

4. The task of choosing the best short films will fall upon the same Jury that will choose the best feature film in the Official Section, and will be governed by the same rules indicated in the bases of this award

8.2 Audience Award for Best FANT SHORT FILM in Official Selection FANT
THE AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM IN OFFICIAL SECTION will abide by the following rules:

1. Competitors for this award will be short films selected among those received in due time and proper form, considered to meet the characteristics of the section and therefore selected for and screened as part of the Festival’s “FANT short” section.

2. The award will carry 3.000 €, this amount, where applicable, will be subject to the withholding tax resulting from the application of the current tax rules, - and a trophy to commemorate the occasion. The prize money will be divided, in equal parts, between the producer and maker of the film but will be paid in a one-time payment to the producer. For the purposes of payment, the person who thus appears in the registration form will be considered a producer. In the event of the producer and maker of the film being one and the same person, he or she will receive the total amount. The trophy will go to the filmmaker.

3. The best short will be chosen by members of the audience attending one or more “FANT short” film screenings. The people attending the session or sessions will choose which they consider to be the best short film within each session. The award will go to the short film to receive the highest number of audience votes (according to the weighted voting system used).

4. Any unexpected issue will be solved by the organization and the decision will be final and binding.

8.3 Jury prizes for best short film in Fantasy Panorama Shorts section FANT

The Festival FANTASY PANORAMA SHORTS SECTION will consist of a selection of fantasy short films with a clear independent inclination. The Festival gathers in this way one of the most important trends in the genre nowadays, in which boldness and independence blend in with fantasy genre standards.

It will consist of a selection of short films which, just as the ones in Official Selection, due to their content or subject, can be considered as belonging to the fantasy genre, have difficult access to the traditional commercial circuits and have not yet been released in Bilbao. For this selection, the Festival will present an AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM IN FANTASY PANORAMA SECTION, to be granted according to the following rules:

1. Competitors for this award will be films selected by the organization for screening at the Festival and complying with the characteristics of the section.

2. The prize for the best short film in Fantasy Panorama Section will be 1,750 €. These amounts, where applicable, will be subject to the withholding tax resulting from the application of the current tax rules. The award will come with a commemorative trophy. The prize money will be divided, in equal parts, between the producer and the maker of the film but will be paid in a one-time payment to the producer. For the purposes of payment, the person who thus appears in the registration form will be considered a producer. In the event of the producer and maker of the film being one and the same person, he or she will receive the total amount. The trophy will be given to the filmmaker.

3. The award cannot be declared void, or bestowed ex aequo.

4. The task of choosing the best short film Fantasy Panorama will fall upon the same Jury that will choose the best feature film in Fantasy Panorama Section, and will be governed by the same rules indicated in the bases of this award.

 
9. Special prize to the best production project of a short film in Basque language

1. Objective: This award aims to support the production of fantasy short films in Basque language, making it easier for its winners to make a short film.

2. Participants: All natural or legal persons registered as producers in public registries, film schools or similar entities will be eligible for this award.

3. Technical conditions:

- Each participant may present a maximum of two projects.
- The maximum planned duration of the short films may not exceed 20 minutes.

4. Registration: Those interested in participating must present their projects before March 28th, 2025, by filling the registration form that will be supplied and sending all the required documentation to the following e-mail address: fant@fantbilbao.eus

5. Defense of the project: Once the projects have been submitted, they must be presented and defended before a specialized jury appointed for this purpose, in a session open to the public within Bilbao Fantasy Film Festival - FANT 30.

6. Prize: A single prize will be awarded. The selected project will receive a prize of €5,000. This amount, if applicable, will be subject to tax withholdings that are mandatory in application of current tax regulations.

7. Participants undertake that the premiere of the short film, if applicable, will take place within the next edition of Bilbao Fantasy Film Festival - FANT or, exceptionally, in another way that can be agreed upon with the festival's organization.

8. Participation in this call implies full acceptance of these rules.


REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE OFFICIAL SELECTION, “FANT SHORT FILMS” SECTION AND FANTASY PANORAMA SECTIONS.

1. To participate in the Official Selection, “FANT short” Section, and Fantasy Panorama Sections, companies or filmmakers must request registration of their films in these sections.

2. Registrations must be made, filling in the form for that purpose, and specifying the country of origin, film/fake trailer synopsis, the director’s biography and filmography, the complete film dialogue and photographs. Texts must be presented in Basque, Spanish or english.

3. To present films or fake trailers for consideration by the Festival Programming Committee, please complete the online questionnaire form (www.fantbilbao.net) and send the film through the , or FestHome (www.festhome.com). The deadline for receiving viewing copies is 2nd February 2025 at 23:59 h.

4. Short films in the “FANT short” Section can be screened in either DCP, Apple ProRes 422HQ o H264 files.

5. Feature films will be screened in either DCP, Apple ProRes 422HQ o H264.files.

6. Once the organization has selected, and notified, the films which will be screened in the Festival, the screening copies must be sent to the Festival postal address specified on FANT website. Each copy must bear a clearly visible label identifying them with the following details: title, format and length of time. Likewise, the copies must be available for the organization before March 15th 2025. In case that a screening copy could not arrive on that date, for reasons beyond the organization control, the organization could replace the film/fake trailer with other one which guarantees to be available on March 15th 2025 in order to undergo the relevant screening tests.

7. FANT will not accept copies of films failing to meet minimum screening standards. The company or person lending the selected film or fake trailer must provide the Festival with advertising material: photographs, posters, press books, trailers, etc., in order that the Festival may appropriately promote the work. Where necessary, they must also provide appropriate material for subtitling. FANT reserves the right not to return these materials.

8. Neither copies used for public screening in the formats indicated above nor copies used for pre-selection will be returned automatically. The director producer must request their return within the 6 months following the date on which the Festival comes to an end. The cost of doing so will be the responsibility of the interested party. If, after this time, no such request has been made, the Festival will proceed to dispose of the copies as it deems appropriate.

9. The cost of transporting copies receive for the purposes of screening is the responsibility of the Festival, except in the case where a copy has to be sent to another Festival. In this case, the other Festival will pay for the cost of transport from our address to theirs.

10. Should a copy suffer damage as a result of its screening at the Festival, the owner will inform the Festival within a period of one month from the date on which it is returned.

11. The FANT organization will establish film/fake trailers screening dates and times. No film in any of the Festival sections will be screened more than 3 times, including the press screening, without prior consent from its owner.

12. If the feature film or short film is selected, the festival organization reserves the right to release the material in a geoblocked online platform for Spain, within a limited availability during the festival (enabling restrictions in the days or number of screenings).

13. For the recording of film/fake trailers extracts for their use in television programs, FANT will obey FIAPF regulations for specialized competitive festivals.

14. The Festival will ask the producers of the winning films/fake trailers for authorization to add a copy of their work to the Festival Archives. This copy will be used according to the contract for voluntary deposits in cinemateques established by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF).

15. Having registered a film/fake trailers implies acceptance of the terms and conditions stipulated in these rules, the interpretation and application of which corresponds to Bilbao City Council Department of Culture and Governance, in observance of that set down in the International Regulations.


REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PAYMENT OF CASH prizes

In case the winner of a cash prize of more than € 3,000 is a tax resident in Spain, he or she must submit, prior to the concession, the following documentation:

a. The express permission for the Bilbao City Council to verify that the entity has no debts with this City Council, as well as to check if it is up to date with its tax obligations and with National Health Insurance (we warn you that, otherwise, you must provide on paper the certificates of the Treasury and the General Treasury of the National Health Insurance). (ANNEX III).

b. A “sworn statement” where it is confirmed not being involved in any of the banning to become a beneficiary foreseen in art 13 of Law 18/2003 of General Subsidies, or in art 23-2 of Law 1/2023, el 16 March, for equality between Women and Men and lives Free of Sexist Violence against Women. (following a supplied model: ANNEX I).

c. Those people who never received a payment from Bilbao City Council, and so, are not registered in the City Council Creditors Record, must submit the “Creditors Form” (following the model supplied) and enclose a copy of the ID/VAT Number/Passport and any document that proves the ownership of the bank account provided.

If the awarded person’s address for tax purposes is not in Spain, he/she will submit – instead of the authorization required in section a) – the “tax residence certificate” issued by the competent authority in his/her country of residence.

In case the winner of a cash prize of less than € 3,000 is a tax resident in Spain, he or she must submit, prior to the concession, the following documentation:

a. A “sworn statement” where it is confirmed not being involved in any of the banning to become a beneficiary foreseen in art 13 of Law 18/2003 of General Subsidies, or in art 23-2 of Law 1/2023, el 16 March, for equality between Women and Men and lives Free of Sexist Violence against Women; and fulfilling every tax paying obligation demanded in arts 18 and 19 of Royal Decree 887/2006 from July 21st. (following a supplied model: ANNEX II)

b. Those people who never received a payment from Bilbao City Council, and so, are not registered in the City Council Creditors Record, must submit the “Creditors Form” (following the model supplied) and enclose a copy of the ID/VAT Number/Passport and any document that proves the ownership of the bank account provided.

 
If the awarded person’s address for tax purposes is not in Spain, he/she will submit:

a. The “tax residence certificate” issued by the competent authority in his/her country of residence.

b. A “sworn statement” where it is confirmed not being involved in any of the banning to become a beneficiary foreseen in art 13 of Law 18/2003 of General Subsidies, or in art 23-2 of Law 1/2023, el 16 March, for equality between Women and Men and lives Free of Sexist Violence against Women (following a supplied model: ANNEX I).

c. Those people who never received a payment from Bilbao City Council, and so, are not registered in the City Council Creditors Record, must submit the “Creditors Form” (following the model supplied) and enclose a copy of the ID/VAT Number/Passport and any document that proves the ownership of the bank account provided.

APPLYING REGULATIONS

In the cases not foreseen in these Rules, it will be applied the “General Regulatory Bylaw of the Rules for the awarding of subventions through call by Bilbao City Council and its public bodies and organizations”, passed on June 30th 2016 by Honourable City Council and published on the B.O.B. nº 138, of July 26th 2016.