MECAL Lab (1)

Festival start: 26 June 2025      Festival end: 06 July 2025

Mecal Pro, the Barcelona International Short and Animation Film Festival, will celebrate its 27th edition. The long history of MECAL PRO has consolidated it as one of the most important short film festivals in Europe and the world, thus receiving the support of local, national and international institutions. We have screened in 2024 more than 300 short films in 29 sections that we program.

Mecal is strongly committed to promoting the exhibition and dissemination of audiovisual creations in the short format, not only with the public, but also in having creators and distributors meet through different activities. Mecal is also devoted to foster emerging talent, by holding events and awards specially aimed at young creators. In this sense, it also works as a short film dissemination network, organising screenings both at a national and an international level, collaborating with festivals, embassies, and institutions around the world.

Cash Prizes: 3,000€

MECAL LAB will select five projects to receive seven specialized workshops and coaching sessions, along with financial support of 3,000 euros from MECAL PRO.

OPEN CALL: MECAL LAB 2025

MECAL PRO 2025 – 27th Barcelona Short Film and Animation Festival

If you have a short fiction film in development that's under 30 minutes, this is your chance to take it to the next level.
MECAL LAB will select five projects that will receive seven specialized workshops and coaching sessions, along with financial support of €3,000 from MECAL PRO.

Benefits for those selected:

Participants will access comprehensive training with industry experts, including:

• Crowdfunding Coaching: Strategies for financing your short film through the Verkami platform, with communication and engagement techniques.

• Scriptdoctoring Coaching: Script analysis and improvement with industry professionals, focusing on structure, characters, and dialogue.

• Marketing Workshop: Development of promotion and visibility strategies to ensure your short film reaches the right audience.

• Sustainable Filming Workshop: Practices to reduce the environmental impact of audiovisual production and promote a greener industry.

• Artificial Intelligence Workshop: Exploring the use of AI as an additional tool in audiovisual creation.

• Grants Workshop: How to identify and apply for national and international grants and funding for short film production.

• Distribution Coaching Day: Strategies for distributing your short film at festivals, digital platforms, and other exhibition channels.

• Pitch Coaching Day: Techniques for effectively presenting and selling your project to producers and juries.

The festival will be held in Barcelona from June 26 to July 6, 2025, and those selected must be available for the entire duration.

Application Requirements:

• Mini bio of the director and production company.
• Motivation letter.
• Project dossier.
• Short film script.

Registration:

• Registration fee: 15 euros per project.

• Application deadline: May 15, 2025.