A. GENERAL GUIDELINES
A1. The Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG) aims to promote and showcase Ibero-American film production by fostering encounters and collaboration within the industry, training new talent, and distributing regional films to reach wider audiences.
A.2. FICG is a cultural event organised by the FICG Trust (PFICG), Guadalajara International Film Festival, Cineteca FICG, University of Guadalajara (UdeG), the Mexican Film Institute (IMCINE), the Government of the State of Jalisco, and the Municipalities of Guadalajara, Zapopan, and Tlaquepaque, among other partners.
A.3. The 41st edition of the Guadalajara International Film Festival will take place from 17 to 25 April 2026 in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, Jalisco, Mexico.
B. OFFICIAL COMPETITION: FEATURE FILMS
B.1. Mezcal Award
B.1.1. Mexican fiction and documentary feature films produced in 2025 and 2026, premiering in Mexico at the FICG (i.e., not previously shown at any film festival—whether in-person or online—or screened publicly in cinemas or on television, nor distributed via Blu-ray, DVD, online streaming services, social media, or VOD platforms).
B.1.2. Films must have a minimum runtime of 60 minutes.
B.1.3. Priority will be given to world and international premieres.
B.2. Ibero-American Fiction Feature
B.2.1. Productions from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal completed between 2025 and 2026.
B.2.2. Minimum runtime of 60 minutes.
B.2.3. Films must be Mexican premieres (i.e., not previously exhibited in the country in any format).
B.2.4. Priority in the selection will be given to international premieres (first exhibition outside the country of origin) and world premieres.
B.3. Ibero-American Feature Documentary
B.3.1. Documentaries from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal completed between 2025 and 2026.
B.3.2. Feature films must have a minimum duration of 60 minutes.
B.3.3. Mexican premiere required.
B.3.4. Priority will be given to international and world premieres.
B.3.5. Television productions, series, or institutional content are not accepted.
B.3.6 This section is recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), making the winning film eligible for Oscar consideration.
B.4. International Animated Feature
B.4.1. International animated features completed between 2025 and 2026.
B.4.2. Minimum runtime of 60 minutes.
B.4.3. Mexican premiere required.
B.4.4. Priority will be given to international and world premieres.
B.5. Maguey Award
B.5.1. Fiction or documentary features from any country that address queer cinema or LGBTQIA+ themes, completed between 2025 and 2026.
B.5.2. Minimum runtime of 60 minutes.
B.5.3. Mexican premiere required.
B.5.4. Films in the Mezcal Award, Ibero-American Fiction/Documentary or International Animation Feature categories that address LGBTQIA+ themes are also eligible for the Maguey Award.
B.6. Made in Jalisco
B.6.1. Fiction and documentary features produced in Jalisco or directed by filmmakers from Jalisco, completed between 2025 and 2026. Mexican premiere required.
B.6.2. Minimum runtime of 60 minutes.
B.6.3. Priority will be given to international and world premieres.
B.7. Socio-Environmental Film Award
B.7.1. International fiction and documentary features focused on themes related to society, nature, and social justice, completed between 2025 and 2026, and having their Mexican premiere at FICG.
B.7.2. Minimum runtime of 60 minutes.
B.7.3. Priority will be given to international and world premieres.
C. OFFICIAL COMPETITION: SHORT FILMS
C.1. Ibero-American Short Film
C.1.1. Short films from Mexico, Latin America, Spain, and Portugal completed between 2025 and 2026.
C.1.2. Open to fiction and documentary.
C.1.3. Maximum runtime of 30 minutes, including credits.
C.1.4. Mexican premiere required.
C.1.5. Priority will be given to international and world premieres.
C.1.6. TV productions, series, institutional or advertising content are not accepted.
C.1.7 This section is recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), making the winning film eligible for Oscar consideration.
C.2. Rigo Mora Award
C.2.1 International animated short films completed between 2025 and 2026.
C.2.2. Maximum runtime of 30 minutes, including credits.
C.2.3. Mexican premiere required.
C.2.4. Priority will be given to international and world premieres.
C.2.5. Materials made for television, series, or materials of an institutional or advertising nature will not be accepted.
C.2.6 This section is recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), making the winning film eligible for Oscar consideration.
C.3. Made in Jalisco
C.3.1. Short films produced in Jalisco or by Jalisco-based directors, completed between 2025 and 2026.
C.3.2. Open to fiction, documentary, and animation.
C.3.3. Maximum runtime of 30 minutes, including credits.
C.3.4. Mexican premiere required.
C.3.5. Priority will be given to international and world premieres.
C.3.6. TV productions, series, institutional or advertising content are not accepted.
D. OFFICIAL SELECTION (OUT OF COMPETITION)
D.1. In addition to the Official Competition, the FICG programme includes various parallel screening sections that explore particular themes and perspectives.
D.1.1 Guest of Honour: A curated selection showcasing the best recent productions from the country or region invited as the Guest of Honour at FICG.
D.1.2 International Panorama: A selection of the year’s most outstanding global cinema, including fiction and documentary films awarded at international festivals.
D.1.3 Charity Galas: A selection of Mexican premieres whose box office proceeds are donated to charitable organisations or civil associations.
D.1.4 Son de Cine / In-Edit: Fiction and music documentary features presented in collaboration with the In-Edit Festival in Barcelona.
D.1.5 Inclusive Cinema: Fiction and documentary features that address themes of inclusion or are presented in accessible formats for people with disabilities.
D.1.6 Films submitted for competition may also be invited to participate in one of the parallel sections.
E. SUBMISSIONS AND SELECTION
E.1. To participate in FICG, filmmakers must submit their films via the form available at https://vp.eventival.com/ficg/2026, and must also provide a password-protected private viewing link of the final cut or a preliminary version.
E.2. Registration opens on 8 September 2025 and must be completed by a person or entity officially representing the filmmakers, who will act as the production’s point of contact. There is no limit to the number of titles a filmmaker or production company may submit.
E.2.1 Registration for feature films closes on 19 December 2025 at 18:00 (Mexico City time, GMT-6).
E.2.2 Registration for short films closes on 14 November 2025 at 18:00 (Mexico City time, GMT-6).
E.2.3 The organising committee reserves the right to extend the submission deadlines if deemed necessary.
E.3. A submission will not be considered valid if the registration form is incomplete or if the screening link is not received within the stipulated timeframe.
E.4. Submissions to FICG are free of charge from 8 to 26 September 2025. After this period, the following fees will apply:
- Feature films: $400.00 MXN (four hundred Mexican pesos).
- Short films: $200.00 MXN (two hundred Mexican pesos).
All costs associated with the submission and selection process are the responsibility of the applicant.
E.6. All films submitted to FICG will be evaluated by a selection committee composed of experts, academics, filmmakers, animators, etc., and chaired by the FICG Programming Director and the General Director. The committee’s decisions are final.
E.7. The committee will evaluate the films based on production values, artistic merit (script, direction, cinematography, acting, music, editing), and the relevance and interest of the themes addressed.
E.8. Final programming will be based on the quality of the works submitted, with an aim to ensure broad representation of nations and film industries. Priority will be given in the following order: world premieres, international premieres (first screening outside the country of origin), Latin American premieres, and Mexican premieres.
E.9. If there is any uncertainty regarding a film’s nationality, FICG may request documentation to verify its origin, considering elements such as the nationality of the director and creative team, verifiable sources of funding, and the country in which the film was shot.
E.10. Films involving a member of the FICG Organising Committee in a creative role are not eligible for the official competition.
E.11. The selection committee will compose the competition sections as follows:
- Up to 10 titles for the Mezcal Award (fiction and documentary).
- Up to 10 titles for Ibero-American Fiction Feature.
- Up to 10 titles for Ibero-American Documentary Feature.
- Up to 10 titles for the Maguey Award, in addition to LGBTTTIQ+ films in the Ibero-American Fiction, Ibero-American Documentary, International Animated Feature, and Mezcal Award sections.
- Up to 10 titles for International Animated Feature.
- Up to 8 titles for Made in Jalisco (fiction and documentary).
- Up to 5 titles for the Socio-environmental Film Award (fiction and documentary).
- Up to 20 Ibero-American Short Films (fiction and documentary).
- Up to 20 titles for the Rigo Mora Award (animation).
E.12. The FICG General Direction reserves the right to directly invite films to the competition.
E.13. Selected films will be notified directly via an official invitation letter issued by the General Directorate. The invitation is to remain confidential until the FICG publicly announces its programme via press release and the official website. Once selected, the film may not be withdrawn from the FICG competition.
E.14. In the Mezcal Award, Ibero-American Fiction and Documentary Feature, International Animated Feature, and Maguey Award categories, the absence of the director may result in the film being withdrawn from the selection.
E.15. Selected films must confirm their participation within 48 hours of receiving the invitation letter, verify the information provided in the registration form, and submit any additional details requested by FICG. This may include screening copies, press materials, catalogue content, and delivery logistics.
E.16. Films that accept the invitation will receive documentation outlining the rights and benefits granted by FICG, including accreditation, ticketing, accommodation, and transport applicable to participants in each section. FICG does not offer any additional benefits. It is the invitee’s responsibility to possess a valid passport and, if necessary, a Mexican visa.
E.17. Films selected for the official competition must provide a final-cut screening link valid through to 30 April 2026 to facilitate exhibition procedures.
F. AWARDS AND JURIES
F.1. The awards presented at FICG recognise talent, reward artistic achievement by filmmakers, and support the growth of the audiovisual industry.
F.2. The Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara presents three official statuettes — the Mayahuel, the Chucho, and the EMME — awarded to winners depending on the section. In certain categories, the statuette is accompanied by a cash prize, from which applicable taxes will be deducted. The monetary value of the prize depends on funding and support from various government bodies and may therefore be subject to change. In the event of any modification to prize amounts, registered films will be informed by email and via an announcement published on the official website: www.ficg.mx.
F.3. To claim a monetary award, winners must submit the required documentation to the FICG Legal Department. The applicable taxes will be withheld in accordance with tax laws of the State of Jalisco and the Federal Government of Mexico. Payment times will vary depending on the submission of documentation and internal administrative processes.
F.4. The Legal Department may request the following documents digitally — including, but not limited to: certificate of incorporation, proof of legal representation, official ID, tax identification certificate, proof of registered address, positive compliance certificate from the tax authority, registration of the winning work, appropriate forms, and receipt.
F.5. Awards by Section:
F.5.1. Mezcal Award
- Best Technical-Artistic Achievement: Mayahuel Statuette.
- Best Performance: Mayahuel Statuette.
- Best Direction: Mayahuel Statuette.
- Audience Award: Mayahuel Statuette and $100,000 MXN (one hundred thousand) Mexican pesos awarded to the director.
- Mezcal Award for Best Mexican Film: Mayahuel Statuette and $500,000 MXN (five hundred thousand) Mexican pesos awarded to the main production company.
F.5.2. Ibero-American Fiction Feature
- Best Technical-Artistic Achievement: Mayahuel Statuette.
- Best Performance: Mayahuel Statuette.
- Best Screenplay: Mayahuel Statuette.
- Best Debut Feature: Mayahuel Statuette.
- Best Direction: Mayahuel Statuette.
- Best Ibero-American Fiction Film: Mayahuel Statuette and $500,000 MXN (five hundred thousand) Mexican pesos awarded to the main production company.
F.5.3. Ibero-American Documentary Feature
- Best Technical-Artistic Achievement: Mayahuel Statuette.
- Best Direction: Mayahuel Statuette.
- Best Ibero-American Documentary: Mayahuel Statuette and $200,000 MXN (two hundred thousand) Mexican pesos awarded to the main production company.
F.5.4. Maguey Award
- Maguey Award for Best Performance: EMME Statuette.
- Maguey Jury Award: EMME Statuette.
- Maguey Award for Best Film: EMME Statuette.
F.5.5.
- Best Animated Feature: Chucho Statuette and $300,000 MXN (three hundred thousand) Mexican pesos awarded to the main production company.
F.5.6. Made in Jalisco
- Best Jalisco Feature: Mayahuel Statuette.
- Best Jalisco Short Film: Mayahuel Statuette.
F.5.7. Socio-Environmental Film Award
- Best Socio-Environmental Film: Mayahuel Statuette.
F.5.8. Ibero-American Short Film
- Best Ibero-American Short Film: Mayahuel Statuette and $75,000 MXN (seventy five thousand) Mexican pesos awarded to the director.
F.5.9. Rigo Mora Award
- Best Animated Short Film: Chucho Statuette and $200,000 MXN (two hundred thousand) Mexican pesos awarded to the director.
F.6. The official awards will be announced during the Festival’s Closing Ceremony by the international juries assigned to each section, who will evaluate the artistic excellence of the films in competition.
F.7. Each jury will consist of renowned professionals from the film industry and cultural sectors. Members are nominated by the Organising Committee and approved by the PFICG (FICG Patronage).
F.8. The Mezcal Jury Prize will be awarded by a jury made up of five renowned professionals from the world of film and culture. In addition to the Mezcal Jury Award, the Young Jury Award will be given to fifteen young film, audiovisual and communication students from renowned universities in Mexico and Latin America. Each institution invited by FICG will select and nominate its representative(s).
F.9. FICG staff may be present during jury deliberations but are not allowed to vote. The jury’s final decision is binding and cannot be appealed.
F.10. No official prize may be declared void. The Best Film Award in each section cannot be declared a tie (ex aequo). However, the jury may award honourable mentions at its discretion.
F.11. The Audience Award will be presented to the highest-rated film by viewers within the Mezcal Award section.
F.12. There are also unofficial awards granted independently by institutions, associations, and companies affiliated with FICG. The sponsors of these awards establish their own rules and procedures. FICG holds no authority over these awards and accepts no responsibility for them.
F.13. The Ibero-American Documentary Feature, Ibero-American Short Film, and Rigo Mora Award sections are recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS®). Therefore, the winners in these categories may be considered for Oscar® qualification.
F.14. The winning films in the Ibero-American Fiction Feature and Mezcal Award sections may be submitted for consideration by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA®), whose members vote in the Golden Globe® Awards. Eligible films must confirm their interest to FICG and meet all HFPA® submission requirements.
G. EXHIBITION
G.1. FICG will send each film's contact person a submission guide with detailed technical requirements, deadlines and delivery methods for its exhibition copy. The copies must arrive respecting the guidelines and dates indicated therein.
G.2. Filmmakers must deliver their exhibition copy in digital cinema format (DCP and Blu-ray) in person or by courier to the FICG offices. Shipments by regular mail (Mexican postal service) will not be accepted.
G.3. DCP copies must be open and without KDM encoding. Otherwise, the production company or distribution company shall cover the cost of each KDM.
G.4. The films of the official sections in competition must provide a backup copy in Blu-ray format that will be kept as part of the internal collection of the Cineteca FICG.
G.5. The Festival does not pay screening fees for films participating in the Official Competition sections.
G.6. FICG will only cover the cost of returning (outbound) the copy at the end of its screening at the Festival. Shipping costs must be covered by the entity registering the film. FICG will not cover customs expenses for the release of the copy.
G.7. The production company or entity registering the film must provide the contact information and address of the recipient for its return. FICG will not be responsible for unclaimed copies after 30 calendar days from the closing date.
G.8. The FICG Programming Department will establish the order and date of screening of the selected films.
G.9. The selected films may be part of the official selection of the International Film Festival in Puerto Vallarta (FICPV), as well as the GuadaLAjara Film Festival in Los Angeles, California. They will also be considered for the exhibition cycles organized by associations affiliated with the FICG and the University of Guadalajara that take place in different regions of the State of Jalisco during the dates of the Festival and the following months.
G.10. All films must be presented in their original language version. Screening copies must not include any additional content, one-minute shorts, trailers, or behind-the-scenes footage.
G.11. If the original language of the film is Spanish, the exhibition copy of the film must have English subtitles. If the original language of the film is English, the exhibition copy shall have Spanish subtitles. If the original language is other than Spanish or English, the exhibition copy must be subtitled in both Spanish and English. In cases requiring double subtitling, the Festival may make available to filmmakers the service of electronic subtitling. All costs related to subtitling and electronic subtitling are the responsibility of the submitting entity. If the copy does not have the required subtitling, the film will be disqualified.
G.12. The responsibility of FICG, in case of fire, loss, theft, damage or destruction of an exhibition copy in the period between its arrival at the Festival and its delivery to the courier company contracted by the Festival, is limited to the payment of the cost of the physical support on which the copy was delivered (CRU, HDD, Blu-Ray Disc, etc.). The maximum period to make any claim regarding a copy will be 30 calendar days from the closing date of the FICG.
G.13. For press and publicity purposes, the production company will deliver a digital press packet, three posters, four digital photographs, technical specifications and synopsis, biographies of the director, producer, screenwriter and main actors, as well as a link to the film trailer before March 13, 2026; if no trailer is available, the Festival will use three minutes of the film from its viewing link for promotional purposes. Promotional material submitted to FICG will not be returned. The Festival is not responsible for the safekeeping, maintenance and return of publicity materials that the production broadcasts during FICG. FICG will send each film's contact person a submission guide with detailed technical requirements, deadlines and delivery methods for the exhibition copy. The copies must arrive according to the guidelines and dates indicated therein.
H. CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
H.1. By registering in this call, the participant declares under oath that he/she is the legitimate owner of the rights to the information, documents and contents submitted, and that he/she has the necessary authorizations for his/her participation in the program.
H.2. It is hereby established that if as a result of the activity object of the present, the participant violates any intellectual property right of a third party, it will be his/her responsibility, for which he/she is obliged to indemnify PFICG and its associates, from any liability for any possible claim regarding intellectual property and copyrights.
H.3. Participants grant PFICG a non-exclusive, free and revocable authorization to use the information, documents, materials and contents submitted, solely for purposes related to the evaluation, promotion and dissemination, without this implying any transfer of proprietary rights or exploitation of the same.
H.4. Participants authorize PFICG to use their name, image, company name, materials, as well as any general information contained in the documentation submitted, exclusively for cultural, promotional, informative or program dissemination purposes, without any obligation of remuneration, payment or economic compensation whatsoever. This authorization does not imply assignment of intellectual property rights over works or projects.
H.5. Registration and participation implies the express acceptance of all the provisions contained in the calls for entries, as well as the regulations, guidelines, internal policies and administrative decisions issued by the PFICG, which shall be applicable during all stages of the process. Failure to comply with one or more of its sections may imply the cancellation of participation in the PFICG or disqualification from the competition.
H.6. The FICG has a zero tolerance policy for cases of disrespect, harassment or situations that put at risk the integrity of the guests in general, the organizing committee, the public and volunteers.
H.7. The Parties agree that PFICG shall be the owner of the rights to the logo of the call, project, competition, award and/or event named for each section of this call, which may be modified if necessary. The use of the logo is subject to the written authorization of PFICG.
H.8. It is strictly forbidden for participants to elaborate, print, reproduce, or use any type of material, including but not limited to the image of the Guadalajara International Film Festival, without prior authorization.
H.9. The evaluation and selection of participants will be in charge of a committee appointed by the FICG. The committee's decisions are final and not subject to appeal. No individual feedback will be given on projects that are not selected.
H.10. Any situation not foreseen in the calls for proposals shall be interpreted and resolved by PFICG, which reserves the right to make modifications, adjustments or updates to this call for proposals at any time, when deemed necessary for the correct development of the program. Likewise, any controversy derived from the interpretation, application or execution of this call for proposals will be resolved in a final and unappealable manner by PFICG.
H.11. The participation, selection and/or exhibition of the project does not imply the existence of any labor, mercantile, association, alliance or partnership relationship between the parties; therefore, each party shall maintain, at all times, its independence from the other, as well as its legal personality, each assuming the rights and obligations arising from independent legal acts, In the same way, it will not represent a mandate, nor will it grant powers of representation of one party with respect to the other, so that participants may not hold themselves out as agents, representatives, attorneys-in-fact or agents of the Guadalajara International Film Festival.
H.12. PFICG, located at Av. Periférico Norte Manuel Gómez Morín 1695, Zapopan, Jalisco, will use your personal data for purposes related to your participation. Consult the privacy notice at: https://ficg.mx/es/avisos
For more information, write to: programacion@ficg.mx
PRIVACY NOTICE: The Guadalajara International Film Festival, domiciled at Avenida Periférico Norte 1695, Rinconada de Azalea, Zapopan, Mexico; will use your personal data collected for: all the points described in this call for entries and will also store the projects for documentation purposes. For more information about the treatment and the rights you can assert, you can access the comprehensive privacy notice through the following link https: https://ficg.mx/aviso-privacidad/