Festival Batata Doce de Animação Universitária (2)

Début du Festival: 13 mai 2026      Fin du Festival: 14 mai 2026

Sweet Potato is a University Film Festival focused on animation, organized by students from the Animation Cinema program at UFPel (Federal University of Pelotas) who are members of GECA (Animation Cinema Study Group), coordinated by Prof. Gissele Cardozo.

The event is free of charge and will take place on May 13 and 14, 2026, at Cine UFPel, in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Its goal is to promote and value local and national film production, strengthen the culture of the southernmost region of the country, and create a space for reflection and debate on Brazil’s social, political, and cultural issues.

REGULATIONS: BATATA DOCE - PELOTAS UNIVERSITY ANIMATION FESTIVAL

1. PRESENTATION
Batata Doce is a university film festival focused on animation, organized by students of the Animation Cinema course at UFPel (Federal University of Pelotas) who are members of GECA (Animation Cinema Study Group), under the coordination of Prof. Gissele Cardozo.

Dates: May 13 and 14, 2026.

Location: Cine UFPel (Pelotas - RS, Brazil).

Cost: Free event.

Objective: To promote local and national film production, strengthen the culture of the country's extreme south, and open a space for reflection on social, political, and cultural issues in Brazil.

Submission Requirements Summary:
Origin: Produced in Brazil.

Type: University animation only.

Duration: Up to 15 minutes (except for the Internal category).

Year: Produced from 2024 onwards.

Theme: Open/Free.

2. SUBMISSION
Period: From March 10, 2026, to March 30, 2026.

Format: Entirely online via [Registration Form].

Submission Method: Upload via Google Drive (set to private/restricted) and send the link via the form, including the password (if applicable) and a thumbnail (1080 x 1350).

Fee: Submission is entirely free of charge.

Target Audience:
National Category: Open to Brazilian university films from any state.

Internal Category: Dedicated to works produced within the Animation Cinema course at UFPel.

Note: Approval for the Internal category is automatic for animations made by UFPel students during the 2025 horizontal period.

3. CATEGORIES AND CONDITIONS
3.1 Competitive Sessions:
National Showcase: Up to 15 minutes (including credits). Limited to 20 selected spots via curation.

Internal Showcase: No duration restriction. Focused on UFPel students.

3.2 Terms of Participation:
Unfinished works (except in the Internal category), advertising, or institutional videos will not be accepted.

The person responsible for the submission must be 18 years of age or older.

Rights Usage: By submitting, the filmmaker grants the festival the right to use images and soundtracks for promotional purposes and teasers (up to 1 minute per piece).

Selection Results: Will be announced on April 24, 2026, on the official Instagram @fest_batatadoce.

4. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (FOR EXHIBITION)
Container/Wrapper: MOV or MP4.

Image: 1920x1080 (16:9), Square Pixels (1.0), 24fps, Progressive scan.

Color Space: REC 709 (Do not send formats exceeding 1080p).

Audio: Mixed in two channels (preferred) or mono, embedded with the video.

Video Compression: Codec AVC/H.264, Bitrate 15mbps VBR.

Audio Compression: Codec PCM or AAC, Bitrate 320kbps or higher, 48khz sampling.

Leader: 3 seconds of black before the start of the film.

5. EVALUATION CRITERIA
Innovation and creativity in script and narrative.

Technical quality (sound, image, editing).

The power of the film as a work of art.

Ethical Clause: Disqualification of projects that naturalize violence against minorities or promote ethnic-racial discrimination.

6. AWARDS (BATATA DOCE TROPHY)
Awards will be determined by a Technical Jury (professionals and professors) and a Popular Jury.

National Categories: Best Film, Comedy, Musical/Music Video, Horror/Thriller, Children’s Film, Art Direction, Animation, Sound Effects, Soundtrack, and Popular Jury Prize.

Internal Categories (2D, 3D, Stop Motion, and Thesis): Best Film, Art Direction, Frame-by-Frame/Cut-out Animation, Lighting, Lookdev, Photography, Sound, and Popular Jury Prize.

7. FINAL PROVISIONS
Winning films may be screened in itinerant sessions throughout the city of Pelotas.

No selected film may be withdrawn once the official programming has been announced.

Inquiries: fest.batatadoce@gmail.com

GECA Team
March 2026