Welcome to Cero Grados Film Festival
Cero Grados Film Festival is an international online short film festival based in Spain, dedicated exclusively to emerging filmmakers presenting their first or second completed short film.
Our mission is to discover, support and promote new cinematic voices from around the world by providing an international platform where talent, creativity and storytelling take precedence over experience.
Key Dates
Early Bird
15 September – 15 October 2026
Regular Deadline
16 October – 30 November 2026
Late Deadline
1 December – 15 December 2026
Official Selection
1 February 2027
Winners Announcement
2 March 2027
Entry Fees
Early Bird
€7
Regular Deadline
€10
Late Deadline
€12
Eligibility
- Open to directors of any nationality.
- Only first or second completed short film.
- Only films completed on or after 1 January 2024 are eligible.
- Maximum running time: 20 minutes, including credits.
- Fiction, Documentary, Animation and Experimental films are accepted.
- Films may be submitted in any language. Productions not in Spanish or English must include subtitles in either Spanish or English.
- Premiere status is not required.
Awards
🏆 Best Director – €1,000 Cash Prize
🏆 Best Short Film
🏆 Best Screenplay
🏆 Best Cinematography
The jury may also grant Special Mentions if considered appropriate. All decisions of the jury are final.
International Jury
Manuel Cristóbal
Award-winning film producer and cultural manager, Director of the Seville European Film Festival. Two Goya Awards: Wrinkles (2012) and Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles (2020).
Néstor López
Film director, screenwriter and producer. Two Goya Awards, including Best Documentary Short Film for Seeds from Kivu. His work is recognised for its strong human perspective and social commitment.
Sanna Toivanen
Finnish actress with extensive experience in film, television and international productions. Provides a valuable perspective on acting, storytelling and character development.
Selection Process
All submissions are reviewed by the festival’s Selection Committee. Selected films become part of the Official Selection and are then evaluated by the International Jury.
Copyright
Filmmakers retain full ownership of their works.
The festival may use posters, still images and excerpts of up to 30 seconds exclusively for promotional purposes.
Submission
All entries must be submitted exclusively through the festival’s official submission platform.
Contact
For further information, please use the contact form on our website or contact the festival via its official email address.
Cero Grados Film Festival
Where the next generation of filmmakers begins.
ONLINE SCREENING MODEL
At Cero Grados Film Fest, the protection of selected films is one of our highest priorities. For this reason, the festival has developed a secure online screening model designed to provide audiences with access to the films while fully respecting and protecting the rights of filmmakers, producers and distributors.
All screenings will take place through a private and secure streaming platform. Access will be restricted exclusively to registered and accredited festival users. Each screening block will be protected by a unique, time-limited password that is valid only for the corresponding screening period and is automatically renewed for each session to prevent unauthorized access.
Selected short films will be available only during the official festival dates and within the scheduled screening window assigned to each programme. Once the screening period has ended, the films will be removed immediately from the platform and will no longer be accessible.
Screenings will be available exclusively via streaming. No download option or permanent access to the films will be provided. In addition, the festival can apply territorial restrictions (geoblocking) whenever requested by the rights holder or required for distribution purposes.
Cero Grados Film Fest does not acquire or claim any exploitation rights over the submitted works. All intellectual property and distribution rights remain at all times with the filmmakers, producers and/or distributors. The authorization granted to the festival is strictly limited to the online exhibition of the selected films during the official festival period.
Our goal is to provide a professional online screening environment that combines accessibility for accredited viewers with a high level of content protection. To this end, the platform implements technical security measures designed to minimize unauthorized use and ensure that all screenings take place within a controlled, secure and strictly time-limited environment.