2026 CALL REGULATION
The Bogotá Short Film Festival / Festival de Cortos de Bogotá - BOGOSHORTS, which will celebrate its twenty-four edition from December 1 to 8, 2026, in Bogotá, Colombia, announces the opening of its call of submissions for short films from all around the world. From April 9 (the date commemorating El Bogotazo) until August 6 (Bogotá‘s Foundation date), filmmakers will have the opportunity to participate in the festival‘s official competitions.
In its previous edition, the BOGOSHORTS Festival was attended by over 46,000 people, it offered more than 300 activities, showcasing over 430 short films from around the world. These films were screened in more than 120 screenings held at 17 physical and digital venues, celebrating the art of the short film. Additionally, the BFM - BOGOSHORTS Film Market provided a space to strengthen and empower young filmmakers and professionals interested in the short film format, through creation, training, circulation, and networking strategies.
COMPETITIVE SECTIONS
Colombian filmmakers and producers are invited to participate in the National Competition, which awards Fiction, Documentary, Animation, Experimental and Music Video categories, as well as other technical and artistic categories that contribute to the recognition of the different professions that enrich the country‘s audiovisual sector.
The International Competition, on the other hand, is open to filmmakers from all over the world (excluding Colombia) and awards the Santa Lucia in the categories of Fiction, Documentary, Animation, Experimental and Music Video.
Applicants may also enter the F3 - Fan Freak Fantastic Competition, for short films in horror, science fiction, fantasy or related genres (black comedy, crime, action, suspense, superheroes, etc.) and the VR Competition, for short films produced in 360°, in 2D and 3D, from any country in the world (including Colombia).
All short films entered will be eligible to be included in the Collections Competition, where the BOGOSHORTS Audience Award will be presented, made up of thematic programs that highlight the diversity and style of the short films, and the Connection Competition, focused on creating dynamics of recognition and co-production between filmmakers from Ibero-American countries.
For the second year in a row, the festival is hosting the Journalistic Shorts Competition. With this category we seek to highlight the value and contemporary impact of journalistic products by bringing together interviews, reports, chronicles and profiles in short format.
BOGOSHORTS is an official qualifying festival for the Oscars®, Goya, and Macondo Awards
Thanks to the quality of its selection and the rigor of its various processes, the BOGOSHORTS Festival is an official qualifier for the Academy Awards® (Oscars). The winners of the Santa Lucía Award for Best Fiction Short Film, Best Documentary Short Film, and Best Animated Short Film are eligible for consideration for the Academy Awards® in the following season.
Likewise, since 2020, the event has been part of the official list of international festivals qualifying Spanish short films for the Goya Awards of the Spanish Film Academy. Selection for the festival’s official competitions will give filmmakers the opportunity to submit their entries in the categories of Best Fiction Short Film and Best Documentary Short Film.
As for Colombia, the BOGOSHORTS Festival is one of four national events through which filmmakers can qualify for nomination for the Macondo Awards of the Colombian Film Academy, which, thanks to the festival’s support and suggestions, has strengthened its relationship with short films and emerging talent in recent years.
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMISSION
Filmmakers and producers must consider that the call for entries will only receive Fiction, Documentary, Animation, Experimental short films and Music Videos of maximum 30 minutes, produced after January 1, 2025, that have not had any public screening in Colombia and that are not available on the internet (except Music Videos and Journalistic Shorts).
The registration process will be carried out only through the ShortFilmDepot platform (www.shortfilmdepot.com). Any kind of physical screening copy or online screeners will NOT be accepted. There is a submission fee with two payment deadlines:
- From April 9 to June 8, 2026, the submission will be free for the National Competition, the VR Competition and the Journalistic Shorts Competition, and a 10 USD fee will apply for the International Competition and F3 - Freak Fantastic Competition.
- From June 9 to August 6, 2026, the registration will be free for the National Competition and the VR Competition, a 20 USD fee will apply for the F3 - Freak Fantastic Competition, and the International Competition.
- Every short film from Colombia, Colombian coproductions or short films directed by Colombian filmmakers must be submitted to the National Competition.
All films must pay the service fee (stamp) of the ShortFilmDepot platform.
*The Official Selection will be announced at the Revelation Night, which will take place on Friday, October 23, 2026, at the Cinemateca de Bogotá.
10° BFM - BOGOSHORTS FILM MARKET VIDEOLIBRARY
Additionally, fiction, documentary, animation and experimental short films produced in Ibero-American countries (excluding Portugal), by filmmakers from Ibero-American countries or in co-production with them, submitted for the different competitions and fully complying with the Regulations of the same, will be included without additional cost in the BFM Videolibrary of the seventh edition of the BFM - BOGOSHORTS Film Market. In the Videolibrary, which seeks to promote the circulation of Ibero-American audiovisual production, episodes of web series produced in the region are also welcome, which may be entered to the section WEB SERIES EPISODES - BFM VIDEOLIBRARY (NON-COMPETITIVE SECTION), of the call in ShortFilmDepot (read section 8 of the Regulations for more information).
