The Villamayor de Cine European Short Film Festival was born in 2008 in the charming village of Villamayor de Santiago, located in the province of Cuenca. Its main mission from the beginning has been to create a space where short films take center stage and young directors have a chance to shine.
Every August, the festival comes to life through the dedication of a team of over forty young professionals. Under the guidance of its founder, Javier Alonso, they work tirelessly to bring the best of European short cinema to Villamayor de Santiago.
Renowned Spanish actor Jesús Guzmán served as the festival’s Honorary President until his passing in 2023. In his memory, the award for Best Fiction Short Film now bears his name, keeping his legacy alive in the film world.
The festival is hosted by acclaimed actor and presenter Luis Mottola, whose professionalism and charisma add great value to the event. Mottola holds a special affection for Villamayor, and the town, in turn, holds him in high regard. @luismottola
現金賞: 750€
- Jury Globalcaja - Jesús Guzmán Award for Best Fiction Short Film (awarded with 300€ and a trophy).
- Audience Award for Best Fiction Short Film (awarded with 150€ and a trophy).
- Jury Award for Best Documentary Short Film (awarded with 300€ and a trophy).
- Jury Award for Best Foreign Language Short Film (awarded with a batch of typical local products and a nameplate).
- Jury Award for Best Actor (awarded with a batch of typical local products and a nameplate).
- Jury Award for Best Actress (awarded with a batch of typical local products and a nameplate).
- Jury Award for Best Director (awarded with a batch of typical local products and a nameplate).
- Jury Award for Best Screenplay (awarded with a batch of typical local products and a nameplate).
- Jury Award for Best Editing (awarded with a batch of typical local products and a nameplate).
- Jury Award for Best Cinematography (awarded with a batch of typical local products and a nameplate).
- Jury Award for Best Sound (awarded with a batch of typical local products and a nameplate).
RULES OF THE OFFICIAL SECTION OF THE
SHORT FILM COMPETITION 2026
1. Participation
All producers and filmmakers of short films from the European sphere may participate, with no age limit.
Short films of fiction or documentary of any production format may participate.
The festival will take place on August 5, 6, 7, and 8, 2026.
2. Conditions
Each participant may submit a maximum of two works, which must have been produced after January 1, 2024.
The duration may not exceed 25 minutes.
Works that do not technically guarantee proper screening will be rejected.
Works that have participated in previous editions of the festival may not participate.
The Festival assumes that the rights holders of the submitted short films own the exhibition and promotion rights of the works and materials presented, and declines any responsibility regarding infringement of this rule.
Productions not filmed in Spanish must be submitted with Spanish subtitles for screening at the Festival.
3. Registration
The registration period will be from April 7, 2026, to June 7, 2026. Registration must be completed as follows:
• Through online procedure (more information at https://fecvillamayor.es/)
Any questions will be answered at: fecvillamayor@fecvillamayor.es
Participants authorize the organization to use excerpts of the films for dissemination in any media, in order to promote the festival, as well as the use of photographs from the films for publicity in the press and other media.
4. Selection
From all submitted films, a total of seventeen will be selected to participate in the festival (twelve fiction short films and five documentary short films). The selection will be carried out by a committee of the organization under strict quality criteria.
The results of the selection will be announced on July 15, 2026. All participants will be notified of the outcome via email, and the selected films will also be published on social media and the website. The committee’s decision is final.
Selected films must be received by the organization before July 31, 2026, in the following format:
The festival has sufficient guarantees and insurance to cover any potential damage or loss of screening copies or other materials submitted by participants, and will take responsibility for their immediate replacement. The festival will also cover the return of screening copies (USB drives, hard drives, or optical media) only when shipments are within national territory.
Selected films will be screened in public sessions at the designated venue, according to the schedule and dates in the official program or as determined by the organization.
The organization appreciates the presence of representatives of each short film and will cover their accommodation and meals, but cannot cover travel expenses due to budget constraints.
5. Jury
The Official Jury, composed of professionals of recognized prestige in the cultural field, will be responsible for awarding the prizes.
The jury may declare any category void due to lack of quality or absence of submissions, or grant joint awards (ex aequo). Its decisions are final.
The awards will be presented during the awards Ceremony Gala in Villamayor de Santiago on August 8, 2026. The organization appreciates the attendance of representatives and will cover their accommodation and meals.
The audience attending the screenings will grant the Best Short Film Award through an online vote after each screening session. The audience decision is final.
6. Awards
All nominees will receive a certificate.
After viewing all films, each winning short film will receive a specially created statuette and:
• Globalcaja–Jesús Guzmán Award for Best Fiction Short Film (jury award) (€300 and trophy).
• Audience Award for Best Fiction Short Film (€150 and trophy).
• Jury Award for Best Documentary Short Film (€300 and trophy).
• Jury Award for Best Non-Spanish language Short Film (local product hamper and plaque).
• Jury Award for Best Actor (local product hamper and plaque).
• Jury Award for Best Actress (local product hamper and plaque).
• Jury Award for Best Director (local product hamper and plaque).
• Jury Award for Best Screenplay (local product hamper and plaque).
• Jury Award for Best Editing (local product hamper and plaque).
• Jury Award for Best Cinematography (local product hamper and plaque).
• Jury Award for Best Sound (local product hamper and plaque).
The audience award and the jury award may be cumulative. All fiction films, national and European, are eligible for the audience award.
7. Acceptance of the Rules
Registration implies acceptance of these rules and the decisions of the organization, selection committee, and jury. Any issue not covered will be resolved by the festival organization.
General Conditions
• Copies of non-selected films will become part of the festival’s audiovisual archive and may be used, with prior notice to the producer, for screenings in parallel events. The producer may refuse this use.
• The festival may organize informational sections with non-nominated short films, parallel to the Official Section, with prior authorization from the producer.
• Producers of selected short films authorize the use of a fragment (maximum three minutes) for promotional purposes in any media, including the Internet.
• Dates and venue may be modified by the organization, with sufficient prior notice.
• The organization reserves the right to modify or interpret these rules in case of doubt. Decisions will be final.
• If the festival is postponed or canceled for reasons beyond the organizers’ control, participants will not be entitled to compensation, but their works will remain eligible for future competition once normal conditions resume. Participation implies acceptance of these rules.
• For further information, contact by phone or email:
Tel. +34 637 515 209 (10:00–14:00 and 17:00–19:00)
Email: fecvillamayor@fecvillamayor.es
Address: Festival Europeo de Cortometrajes
Casa de Cultura Quijotes y Sanchos
Avda. Olímpica, 3
16415 Villamayor de Santiago (Cuenca), Spain
Festhome holds accountable fees festivals by holding the payment of the fees of most newer festivals until they have viewed the submissions, held their festivals and other methods.
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Festhome holds accountable fees festivals by holding the payment of the fees of most newer festivals until they have viewed the submissions, held their festivals and other methods. 