The Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG) invites producers and filmmakers from Mexico, Ibero-America, and other regions of the world to submit their films to the competitive sections of the 42nd edition (FICG42), to be held from Saturday, March 6 to Saturday, March 13, 2027.
A. OFFICIAL COMPETITION
A1. Feature Films
Feature films completed between 2026 and 2027, with a minimum running time of 60 minutes, and having their Mexican Premiere during the 42nd edition of FICG will be considered.
The call for entries for feature films is open from July 20 to October 31, 2026 (Central Mexico Time, GMT-6).
Sections:
A1. 1. Mezcal Award
Mexican fiction and documentary feature films having their Mexican Premiere during the 42nd edition of FICG will be considered.
The awards are as follows:
- Best Technical and Artistic Achievement: Mayahuel Award.
- Best Performance: Mayahuel Award.
- Best Director: Mayahuel Award.
- Audience Award: Mayahuel Award and MXN $100,000 (one hundred thousand Mexican pesos) awarded to the director.
- Mezcal Award for Best Mexican Film: Mayahuel Award and MXN $500,000 (five hundred thousand Mexican pesos) awarded to the majority production company.
A1. 2. Ibero-American Fiction Feature Film
Fiction feature films from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal having their Mexican Premiere during the 42nd edition of FICG will be considered.
The awards are as follows:
- Best Technical and Artistic Achievement: Mayahuel Award.
- Best Performance: Mayahuel Award.
- Best Screenplay: Mayahuel Award.
- Best First Feature: Mayahuel Award.
- Best Director: Mayahuel Award.
- Best Ibero-American Fiction Feature Film: Mayahuel Award and MXN $500,000 (five hundred thousand Mexican pesos) awarded to the majority production company.
A1. 3. Ibero-American Documentary Feature Film
Documentary feature films from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal having their Mexican Premiere during the 42nd edition of FICG will be considered.
The awards are as follows:
- Best Technical and Artistic Achievement: Mayahuel Award.
- Best Director: Mayahuel Award.
- Best Ibero-American Documentary: Mayahuel Award and MXN $200,000 (two hundred thousand Mexican pesos) awarded to the majority production company.
*The Ibero-American Documentary Feature Film section is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), therefore the winning documentary may be considered for Academy Award® nomination eligibility.
A1. 4. Maguey Award
International fiction and documentary feature films from any country addressing queer themes related to the LGBTQ+ community may participate. Films from other FICG sections having their Mexican Premiere during the 42nd edition of FICG may also be considered.
The awards are as follows:
- Maguey Award for Best Performance: EMME Award.
- Maguey Jury Award: EMME Award.
- Maguey Award for Best Film: EMME Award.
A1. 5. International Animated Feature Film
International animated feature films of any animation technique having their Mexican Premiere during the 42nd edition of FICG may participate.
The award is as follows:
- Best Animated Feature Film: Chucho Award and MXN $300,000 (three hundred thousand Mexican pesos)awarded to the majority production company.
A1. 6. Made in Jalisco
Fiction or documentary feature films produced in Jalisco, or directed by a filmmaker from Jalisco, having their Mexican Premiere during the 42nd edition of FICG may participate.
The award is as follows:
- Best Film from Jalisco: Mayahuel Award.
A1. 7. Socio-Environmental Film Award
International fiction and documentary feature films exploring the complex relationships that transform nature and are associated with processes of justice, human rights, and urbanization, having their Mexican Premiere during the 42nd edition of FICG, may participate.
The award is as follows:
- Best Socio-Environmental Film: Mayahuel Award.
A2. Short Films
Short films completed between 2026 and 2027, with a maximum running time of 30 minutes, including end credits, and having their Latin American Premiere during the 42nd edition of FICG will be considered.
The call for entries for short films opens on July 20 and closes on October 16, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. (Central Mexico Time, GMT-6).
Sections:
A2. 1. Ibero-American Short Film
Mexican and Ibero-American fiction and documentary short films having their Latin American Premiere during the 42nd edition of FICG may participate.
The award is as follows:
- Best Ibero-American Short Film: Mayahuel Award and MXN $75,000 (seventy-five thousand Mexican pesos)awarded to the director.
A2. 2. Rigo Mora Award
International animated short films of any animation technique having their Mexican Premiere during the 42nd edition of FICG may participate.
The award is as follows:
- Best Animated Short Film: Chucho Award and MXN $200,000 (two hundred thousand Mexican pesos) awarded to the director.
The Ibero-American Short Film and Rigo Mora Award sections are recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS); therefore, the winning short films may be considered for Academy Award® nomination eligibility.
A2. 3. Made in Jalisco
Fiction, documentary, or animated short films produced in Jalisco, or directed by a filmmaker from Jalisco, having their Mexican Premiere during the 42nd edition of FICG may participate.
The award is as follows:
- Best Short Film from Jalisco: Mayahuel Award.
B. SUBMISSION
B1. Submission Process
B1. 1. Fill out the registration form at:
https://vp.eventival.com/ficg/2027
B1. 2. Submit, through the entry form, a password-protected private screening link containing either the final cut or an advanced work-in-progress cut. DVDs, Blu-rays, and downloadable links will not be accepted.
B1. 3. Submission will be free of charge from July 20 to August 27, 2026. After that date, the submission fees will be as follows: Feature Films: MXN $400.00 / Short Films: MXN $200.00
B2. Selection
All films will be evaluated by a committee composed of specialists, academics, and film professionals, chaired by the FICG Programming Director and General Director.
FICG does not pay screening fees for films selected for the Official Competition.
The results will be published in January 2027 at www.ficg.mx
B3. Obligations of Selected Participants
B3. 1. If necessary, participants must hold a valid passport and Mexican visa.
B3. 2. Send the final cut to programacion@ficg.mx, together with the exhibition materials required in DCP and Blu-rayformats.
B3. 3. Costs to be covered by the selected participants:
- KDM (Key Delivery Message).
- Shipping.
- Subtitling:
- Original language: Spanish; English subtitles.
- Original language: English; Spanish subtitles.
- Other languages: Spanish and English subtitles.
B3. 4. The attendance of the filmmaker is mandatory for the film to participate in the Official Competition. Failure to attend may result in disqualification from the Festival.
B3. 5. Selected films may be included in national and international showcases organized by FICG during 2027.
B3. 6. Once submitted, the project may not be withdrawn. It must also comply with all stages and guidelines established in the Call for Entries and Regulations.
C. GENERAL CONDITIONS
C1. Intangible Property
By registering, the participant declares that they are the legitimate owner of the submitted materials and have obtained the necessary authorizations, granting the PFICG a non-exclusive, royalty-free, and revocable license to use them solely for the purposes of evaluation, promotion, and dissemination, without transferring any economic rights.
C2. Authorization to Use Image and Information
Participants authorize the PFICG to use their name, likeness, business name, materials, and any general information contained in the submitted documentation, exclusively for cultural, promotional, informational, or program outreach purposes, without this giving rise to any obligation for remuneration, payment, or financial compensation. This authorization does not imply the transfer of intellectual property rights over works or projects.
C3. Acceptance of the Call for Entries, Regulations, and Policies
The mere act of registering or submitting an entry to this Call for Entries implies the express acceptance of all the provisions contained herein, as well as the regulations, guidelines, internal policies, and administrative decisions issued by the PFICG, which shall apply throughout every stage of the process.
C4. Final Decision by the Committee
The evaluation and selection of participants will be carried out by a committee appointed by the FICG. The committee’s decisions are final and non-appealable. No individual feedback will be provided regarding projects that are not selected.
C5. Amendments and Disputes
The PFICG reserves the right to interpret, modify, or update the call for applications as it deems necessary, and shall have the final say in resolving any disputes arising from its application.
C6. Personal Data Protection
The PFICG, located at Av. Periférico Norte Manuel Gómez Morín 1695, Zapopan, Jalisco, will use your personal data for purposes related to your participation. Please review the privacy notice at: https://ficg.mx/aviso-privacidad/
C7. Contact
For more information, write to: programacion@ficg.mx
See the complete rules at: www.ficg.mx
PRIVACY NOTICE: The Guadalajara International Film Festival, located at Avenida Periférico Norte 1695, Rinconada de Azalea, Zapopan, Mexico, will use the personal data collected for all the purposes described in this call for entries and will also safeguard the projects for documentation purposes. For more information about the processing of your data and the rights you may exercise, you can access the full privacy notice via the following link: https https://ficg.mx/aviso-privacidad/