Festival Raices: ’Donde el origen se hace imagen’ (1)

Festival start: 06 November 2026      Festival end: 08 November 2026

The 1st Raíces Film Festival was born within the Galician Brotherhood of Venezuela as a tribute to those who crossed the ocean to establish a new home. Inspired by the strength of Galician migration, this festival is a window into stories of descent, diaspora, and cultural fusion. 'Raíces' seeks to explore on screen that pivotal moment where two worlds meet. Here, cinema is the bridge between where we come from and who we are now.

For a film to be admitted to the official selection of 'Raíces,' its narrative must directly or indirectly address migration, descent, roots, or cultural fusion. The story must contain a relationship, mention, or decisive influence involving at least two distinct nationalities or cultural heritages, whether through a migrant character, a clash of traditions, the search for origins, etc.

Raíces Festival is a competition dedicated to exploring the impact of migration and transnational heritage through film.

Competition Categories

A. Official Competition (National Student)
Open to Venezuelan students or residents of Venezuela.

Student Fiction (up to 15 minutes)

Student Documentary (up to 20 minutes)

Student Animation (up to 10 minutes)

Micro-short (up to 5 minutes - any genre)

B. International Student Competition
Student Global Perspective (up to 15 minutes)

Open to students of any nationality.

Required theme: migration, transnational identity, or cultural fusion.

C. Special Screening (non-competitive)
Galicia-Venezuela Connection

Short films that specifically explore the link between Galician and Venezuelan culture.

Open to students and recent graduates (maximum 2 years since graduation).

Rules and Terms
1. Eligibility
General Requirements:

Be a current student or recent graduate (no more than 12 months since graduation) at the time of registration.

National Competition: Venezuelan nationality or residency in Venezuela (minimum 1 year).

International Competition: Open to students from any country.

Student Accreditation:

Attach a current student ID or proof of enrollment.

For graduates: a copy of the degree or graduation certificate.

Mandatory Theme (for all categories):

The work must address migration, ancestry, roots, or cultural blending.

It must involve at least two different nationalities or cultural heritages.

Production Date:

Works completed from January 1, 2025 onwards.

Maximum Duration:

Fiction: 15 min

Documentary: 20 min

Animation: 10 min

Micro-short: 5 min

Global Perspective: 15 min

2. Registration
Cost: Free (sponsored by the Galician Brotherhood of Venezuela).

Platform: Festhome (exclusively).

Registration Period: April 14 to October 15, 2026.

Required Materials:

Private link (Vimeo/YouTube) with password.

Complete technical sheet (including university/institute).

Student ID (ID or certificate).

Photograph of the director (high resolution).

3 stills from the work.

Synopsis in Spanish (max. 200 words).

Additional synopsis explaining how the work fulfills the thematic focus (max. 150 words).

Trailer (optional, maximum 1 minute).

Limit: Maximum 2 works per participant (each with individual registration).

3. Selection
Selection Committee:

Composed of representatives from the Galician Brotherhood of Venezuela.

Film and communication professionals.

One student representative.

Evaluation criteria:

Thematic relevance (adherence to the migration/cultural mixing theme): 30%

Narrative quality and originality: 30%

Technical quality (adapted to student resources): 20%

Emotional impact and connection with the audience: 20%

Key dates:

Announcement of selected works: October 30, 2026.

Email notification: to all participants.

Technical Requirements for Selected Films:

High-resolution projection file (ProRes, H.264, or MP4).

Language and Subtitles: All short films not primarily in Spanish must include Spanish subtitles (these can be embedded in the video or submitted as a separate .srt file).

Press materials (director's biography, photos, poster).

4. Rights and Use of Works
Filmmakers retain all rights to their work.

The festival may use excerpts (max. 30 seconds) for promotion on social media, its website, and partner media outlets.

The festival may include the work in a subsequent traveling exhibition (with prior written authorization).

Selected works may be exhibited in the festival's online showcase for 15 days following the event.

5. General Information
Works containing hate speech, xenophobia, or discrimination will not be accepted.

The organizing committee reserves the right to reject any work that does not comply with the theme or requirements.

Participation in the festival implies full acceptance of these rules.

Any unforeseen situation will be resolved by the organizing committee.

6. Contact and Information
For inquiries: festraices@gmail.com
Website of the Galician Brotherhood of Venezuela: https://lahermandadgallega.gal/

Key Dates (Summary)
Activity Date
Registration opens (via Festhome) April 14, 2026
Registration closes October 15, 2026
Selected participants announced October 30, 2026
Festival dates November 20-22, 2026
Awards ceremony November 22, 2026