Festival Internacional De Cine Invisible Film Sozialak De Bilbao (18)

Début du Festival: 15 octobre 2026      Fin du Festival: 22 octobre 2026

The International Unseen Film Festival 'Social Films' from Bilbao (Basque Country, Spain) is organized by Kultura, Communication y Desarrollo KCD NGOD; Organization dedicated to promoting a human, intercultural, equitable and sustainable development through Communication and Culture.

The International Unseen Film Festival 'Social Films' from Bilbao is an annual celebration dedicated to show a cinema full of diversity and social commitment, a cinema that is usually excluded from commercial screens.
The Festival is centered on four major themes: Sustainable Development, Human Rights, Interculturality and Gender Equity.
With its continuous work, it has become an indispensable appointment for all those interested in communication for development and social transformation.

The Festival is also a recognition of all people who make a communication that allows to reflect through their audiovisual works all those different causes and problems of humanity.

Prix ​​en espèces: 23,500€

Awards

General

Awards may be declared void.

Cash prizes are subject to Spanish taxes.


Financial awards

13 awards in total

9 awards of €2,000 each

4 additional awards (amount TBD) to encourage young social filmmakers in universities and vocational/high schools in the Basque Country

Award categories

Thematic Awards

Sustainability

Gender Equality

Interculturality

Human Rights

Additional Awards

Best Work by a Woman

Best Social-content Work Made in Basque

Unseen Film Award

Education in Values Award

Audience Award

Rules and Regulations of the 18th International Unseen Film Festival “Film Sozialak” Bilbao 2026

The purpose of these Rules and Regulations is to govern participation in the International Unseen Film Festival “Film Sozialak” of Bilbao. The written acceptance of these Rules, or the simple registration or submission of films in any of the formats required by the Festival (platforms, direct shipment, etc.), constitutes full acceptance of these Rules by the author or by whoever holds the rights to the works.

Please read these Rules carefully so as not to cause any inconvenience to the Festival or any issues for the people submitting their films.

Registration period: 1 December 2025 – 1 May 2026

Presentation

Kultura Communication Desarrollo – KCD NGOD (hereinafter “the Holder” or “KCD NGOD”), registered in the General Register of Associations of the Basque Country under Tax ID G-95550943, with registered address at Beurko Viejo 3, Pabellón 38, Oficina 12, Barakaldo – Bizkaia (48902), Spain, will hold a festival dedicated to screening diverse and socially committed films that are usually excluded from conventional screens.

KCD NGOD, organiser of the 18th International Unseen Film Festival “Film Sozialak” Bilbao, is a non-profit organisation whose aims include promoting Human, Intercultural, Equitable and Sustainable Development through Communication and Culture.

The International Unseen Film Festival “Film Sozialak” Bilbao is an annual event highlighting socially committed and diverse film works that rarely find space on conventional screens.

Over the years, the Festival has become an essential meeting place for those interested in communication for social transformation and the defence of human rights. It is also a place of recognition for filmmakers who, through their audiovisual work, reflect different realities of humanity.

The Festival has four main lines of action:
Sustainability – Gender Equality – Interculturality – Human Rights

Since 2009, the Festival has embraced diversity and equality as fundamental values. For the Festival, the participation of people belonging to ethnic, religious, gender identity, cultural and other minorities is of utmost importance, as their participation in public affairs and in all aspects of political, economic, social and cultural life is essential to maintaining identity and combating exclusion.

Since its creation, the Festival has applied parity quotas and positive measures towards equality in the:

Selection of films

Dissemination of works

Presence of women filmmakers

Selection of jury members

The Festival distributes awards in 13 categories, totalling €23,500, not to promote competition, but rather to support filmmakers working in social cinema.

Venues and dates

Main venue: Azkuna Zentroa Alhóndiga Bilbao

Cinemas: Golem cinemas in the same complex

Official dates: 15–22 October 2026

Promotional screenings will take place in August and September (also eligible for competition through public voting).

Awarded films will be screened again at the end of October or beginning of November.

The Festival will use at least 30 screening venues, including 19 formal education centres in the Basque Country (secondary and vocational levels).

The Festival also organises Cine Forum sessions and invites social cinema filmmakers from around the world to Bilbao.

Since 2015, the Festival has been committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Goals.


1. Who can participate in the contest?

Participation is open to individuals or groups from anywhere in the world, regardless of origin or nationality.

Minors must have the corresponding authorisation from a responsible adult.

Participants may submit one or more works, as long as they hold the copyright or distribution rights.

Films already screened at other festivals or venues are eligible.

The Festival is not responsible for copyright infringements.

Registration or submission of films implies unreserved acceptance of all conditions described in these Rules.


2. Registration and submission of films

Registration must be completed online using the form available at:
???? https://www.kcd-ongd.org

Screening file requirements

Format: MP4

Resolution: 1080p or higher

Submission formats
a) Internet submission

Via one of the following:

www.festhome.com


All links must be sent to:
cineinvisible@kcd-ongd.org

b) Physical submission (DCPs not accepted)

By post to:
International Unseen Film Festival “Film Sozialak”
KCD NGOD
Edificio Innobak – Inguralde
Beurko Viejo 3, Pabellón 38, Oficina 12
48902 Barakaldo – Bizkaia, Spain

For international shipments, the package must include the statement:
“CONTENTS HAVE NO COMMERCIAL VALUE, FOR CULTURAL EXHIBITION ONLY”

Films submitted after 1 May 2026, or without required documentation, may only be accepted at the Festival’s discretion.

The Festival does not provide financial compensation for registration or selection.


3. Required documentation

Participants must provide:

a. Photograph of the director(s)
b. CV and filmography
c. Poster of the work
d. 3 high-quality film stills (candidates to be used for festival poster or Metro Bilbao exhibition)
e. Extended technical sheet (Festival format)
f. Screening version (best available quality, no watermark)


4. Film requirements

Films must address at least one of the Festival’s main thematic lines.

Fiction, documentary and animation films in short, medium or feature length formats are accepted.

Films must be submitted in their original language; if this is not Spanish or Basque, they must be subtitled in one of these two languages.

Eligible films must have been completed after 1 January 2024.


5. Festival categories

Sustainability

Social, economic, political and environmental impacts of development; alternative models.

Gender Equality

Reflection on gender inequality; proposals for change.

Interculturality

Cultural diversity, migration, coexistence, racism, xenophobia.

Human Rights

Promotion of human rights and freedoms; denunciation of discrimination and exclusion.


6. Selection criteria

Films will be evaluated based on:

Alignment with thematic categories

Technical quality

Relevance to Festival audiences

Positive measures will favour:

Directors from the Global South

Works directed by women

Works in Basque

Works with subtitles for the hearing-impaired and/or audio description

The Selection Committee assigns the final category for each film.
Decisions are final.

Participants will be notified of the selection by late July 2026.

Once selected, films cannot be withdrawn.


7. Jury

The Jury will be composed of 66% women.

Members will come from cinema, development cooperation, solidarity, social sciences or cultural/artistic fields.

The Jury decides on all awards except:

Education in Values Award

Audience Award

Unseen Film Award

All decisions are final.


8. Awards

8.1 General

Awards may be declared void.

Cash prizes are subject to Spanish taxes.


8.2 Financial awards

13 awards in total

9 awards of €2,000 each

4 additional awards (amount TBD) to encourage young social filmmakers in universities and vocational/high schools in the Basque Country

Award categories

Thematic Awards

Sustainability

Gender Equality

Interculturality

Human Rights

Additional Awards

Best Work by a Woman

Best Social-content Work Made in Basque

Unseen Film Award

Education in Values Award

Audience Award


9. Data protection and confidentiality

All personal data will be processed exclusively for the Festival.

Data will be stored for the duration of the competition and 6 years thereafter.

Rights (access, rectification, deletion, etc.) may be exercised via:

info@kcd-ongd.org

+34 94 602 46 68


10. Intellectual property and image rights

Participants declare they are the original authors of the submitted works.

Submitting works containing third-party protected content is prohibited.

KCD NGOD assumes no responsibility for violations.

Participants authorise KCD NGOD to:

Reproduce, screen and exhibit the film

Adapt necessary formats

Dub/subtitle into other languages

Use images or excerpts for promotional purposes

Use materials on websites, catalogues, posters and exhibitions

Submitted works become part of the KCD NGOD archive.
Use beyond the Festival requires prior written consent.


11. Screening of works

Official sections aim to remain in-person.

If not possible, screenings will be online.

Screenings of winning films will always be online via:
“Film Sozialak” streaming platform

Access will require registration and will be time-limited.


12. Fraudulent participation and disqualification

The Festival may exclude any participant who:

Manipulates the competition

Violates the Rules

Submits violent, degrading or inappropriate content

Incites illegal acts

Decisions are final.


13. Exclusion of liabilities

KCD NGOD is not responsible for:

Technical issues during registration

Delays affecting eligibility

Legal non-compliance by participants

Renunciation of awards (no compensation applies)


14. General conditions

Participation implies full acceptance of these Rules and of KCD NGOD’s criteria for their interpretation and application.

KCD NGOD may update these Rules if necessary.

All legal matters will fall under Spanish law.
Any litigation will be submitted to the Courts of Bilbao, unless otherwise required by law.

Bilbao, 30 November 2025

Communication and contact

Website: https://www.kcd-ongd.org

Twitter: @KCDONGD

Facebook: @CineInvisibleBilbao

Instagram: @kcdongd

Tel.: +34 946024668

Email: cineinvisible@kcd-ongd.org