The Alicante Film Festival prepares to celebrate its 20th edition, with the next event scheduled from May 27 to June 3, 2023. In this milestone year, the program introduces the official showcases for both short and feature films, a dedicated innovation section for short films, and a new Best National Documentary Short Film category. Full competition rules and bases are published on the festival website.
short films
The deadline for fiction and animation short films is March 26. Submissions may include national and international works, capped at 30 minutes in length. Projects produced after January 1, 2021 are eligible for consideration.
Entries in the short films section compete for multiple awards: Best National Short Fiction with a €1,000 prize; Best Mediterranean Fiction Short Film; Best International Fiction Short Film; Best International LGBT Short Film; Best National Animated Short Film with a €500 prize; plus prizes for best screenplay, best director, and outstanding acting performances. The Best National Fiction Short Film prize also grants eligibility to compete at the 2024 Goya Awards.
A new category this year is the Best National Documentary Short Film, described by director Vincent Seva as an evolving feature the festival aims to promote. The winner receives a €590 prize. All short film guidelines are published in the festival’s base documents.
upcoming movies
Within the Official Feature Film Division, eligible works must be produced after January 1, 2021 and must not have been released in commercial theaters or on streaming platforms. Films should be submitted in their original language, with Spanish subtitles if the original language is not Spanish. Each director may submit only one feature film, though a production company may submit multiple titles. Submissions from other festivals or exhibitions are allowed. The call for entries closes on April 9, 2023, and submissions are made through the Movibeta platform.
The Best Feature Film will receive the Tesela de Oro prize valued at €3,000. The jury will also award four Silver Plaques for best screenplay, best director, best actress, and best actor. A critics’ prize and a best photograph award are presented as well. Winners are announced during the festival’s closing gala on June 3, 2023.
The official division guidelines for feature films are published in the festival’s base documents.
Lucas Vidal, González Molina, Susi Sánchez, and Dani Rovira were honored in the previous edition of the festival. The event notes reflect a spirit of celebration and sustained growth across international collaborations.
The festival receives support from the Alicante Provincial Council, Alicante City Council, Alicante City & Beach, the Valencian Cultural Institute, À Punt Media, and other collaborating partners, all contributing to a broader international footprint and cultural exchange.