The 13 th edition of the Almeria Western Film Festival (AWFF), organized by the Town Council of Tabernas, has as main objective the dissemination and promotion of western films that contribute to the knowledge of world cinematography.

In addition, the festival adds value to the place where it is celebrated: the Desert of Tabernas, which has been inspirational and the protagonist in a significant number of international films of different genres over the years, and has turned out in a valuable cinematographic heritage.

The 13th edition of the Almeria Western Film Festival will take place between from 11th to 14 th October 2023, in Tabernas and the Western villages Oasys Mini Hollywood and Fort Bravo Texas Hollywood.

5. AWARDS AND JURY
The awards for each official section taking part in the competition -full-length films, short films and film school training- will be:

FULL-LENGTH FILMS COMPETITION OFFICIAL SECTION

• AWARD FOR THE BEST FULL-LENGTH WESTERN FILM
It will be awarded by the Jury of the Official Section of full-length films to the best full-length fiction work.
Note: if the number of films presented makes it possible to choose among different types of western genres, we reserve the right to give two different awards: “Award for the Best Western” and “Award for the Best Neowestern”.
• AWARD ‘CARLO SIMI’ FOR TECHNICAL-ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION TO THE WESTERN GENRE
It will be awarded by the Jury of the Official Section of Full-lengths Films to a professional, of both the technical and artistic team, who has contributed to the spread and renovation of the international western genre.
• AWARD FOR THE BEST PERFORMANCE
It will be awarded by the Jury of the Official Section of Full-length Films to an actor or actress who has played the principal role or a minor role in one of the films taking part in competition.
Note: We reserve the right to give two different awards: “Award for the Best Female Performance” and “Award for the Best Masculine Performance”.
• AUDIENCE AWARD FOR THE BEST FULL-LENGTH FILM
It will be awarded by the audience members who have attended all of the film screenings of the Official Section and the Special Section.

SHORT FILMS COMPETITION OFFICIAL SECTION

• AWARD FOR THE BEST WESTERN SHORT FILM
It will be awarded by the Jury of the Official Section of Short Films to the best fictional short film.
Note: if the number of films presented makes it possible to choose among different types of western genres, we reserve the right to give two different awards: “Award for the Best Western” and “Award for the Best Neowestern”.

SPECIAL COMPETITION SECTIONS

• CANAL SUR RADIO AWARD FOR THE AUDIOVISUAL CREATION IN ANDALUCIA
It will be given to a producer, director or scriptwriter from Andalucia, or to the best audiovisual work, in any of its modalities, specially short films and documentaries, presented at any of the Andalusian audiovisual competitions.

• AUDIENCE AWARD FOR THE BEST SHORT FILM
Awarded by the public of all the screenings of the short films programmed in the Official Section and the Outlaw Section.

• RCSERVICE AWARD FOR THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTION OF A SPANISH WORK
The RCService Award will be given to a director of photography of a Spanish work (full-length films or short films)

The awards for each section of the competition will include:
- A trophy designed with the logo of the festival that includes an engraved text at the base referencing the award.
- A prize valued economically, in collaboration with entities and partner agencies collaborating with the festival.
- Cash prizes are not included.

The decision of the Jury will not be subject to appeal.
Taking part into the competition means the full acceptance of these regulatory bases. In case of misunderstanding any of the bases exposed in this document or any other aspect not included here, the interpretation and the opinion of the festival’s direction will be crucial. The original document you can find it available and updated in the following link http://www.almeriawesternfilmfestival.es/en/regulations/
Personal data will be treated in accordance with the current legislation (Ley orgánica 15/1999).

REGULATORY BASES OF THE 13TH ALMERIA WESTERN FILM FESTIVAL EDITION
Registration period: March 27th, 2021 – June 4st, 2023

1. FESTIVAL OBJECTIVES
The 13 th edition of the Almeria Western Film Festival (AWFF), organized by the Town Council of Tabernas, has as main objective the dissemination and promotion of western films that contribute to the knowledge of world cinematography.
In addition, the festival adds value to the place where it is celebrated: the Desert of Tabernas, which has been inspirational and the protagonist in a significant number of international films of different genres over the years, and has turned out in a valuable cinematographic heritage.

2. DATE
The 13th edition of the Almeria Western Film Festival will take place between from 11th to 14 th October 2023, in Tabernas and the Western villages Oasys Mini Hollywood and Fort Bravo Texas Hollywood.

3. COMPETITION SECTIONS

• FULL-LENGTH WESTERN FILMS OFFICIAL SECTION:
INTERNATIONAL CHARACTER
National and international fiction, real image or animation full-length films (from 60 minutes) produced after 1st January 2022. The works must be of the western or neowestern genre, understanding the latter as an adaptation of the codes and conventions of the genre to a contemporary setting.
The films can have premiered in other national and international festivals prior to the AWFF; however, the selection committee appreciates films that premiere for the first time at the AWFF festival (global, European, national or regional). This section can count on films that will not be eligible for the judges’ prizes (although they may be considered for the Audience Award).
The submission of works in progress will be accepted. This production status must be pointed out when submitted to the platform, checking the appropriate box or indicating it in parenthesis following the title.

• PANORAMA SECTION OF WESTER GENRE
This section will program out of competition long or short documentaries on a western theme. Although they do not participate in the jury awards, they will opt for the Audience Award together with the rest of the works in the Official Section.

• SHORT WESTERN FILMS OFFICIAL SECTIONS:
Films of Spanish origin and foreign films with a maximum duration of 20 minutes (including film credits) and a premiere date after January 1st, 2022.
The films can have premiered in other national and international festivals prior to the AWFF; however, the selection committee appreciates films debuted for the first time at the AWFF. Likewise, works from film schools, universities and educational centers will be accepted.

• OUTLAW SPECIAL SECTION
Parallel section that collects those national and international works of a more independent nature that navigate in the margins of the western. It does not participate in the jury awards but it does participate in the audience award and the RTVA award for Andalusian creation, if applicable.

AWFF 2023, like in the previous editions, will take special care to select films in both the full-length and in the short film sections and ensure the inclusion of Spanish films, European films and Ibero-American films, as well as national and international premieres.

A Committee will evaluate all of the works registered and will select the finalists between June 5st and July 10th 2023. Decisions made by the selection committee will not be subject to appeal.
The festival’s organizing team will communicate the selection of the finalists to the producers of the works and/or their representatives as soon as possible.
The representatives are committed to keeping the selection of finalists confidential until the festival publishes the official sections on its website and other media.
In case the work is selected, the festival program will decide the section in which the work will be included (Official, Panorama, Outlaw).

4. OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR WORKS PARTICIPATION

The films registered to participate in the AWFF 2023 must fulfill, in addition to all the above, the following conditions:
- The formats of the copies must be adapted to the technical requirements for each section of the festival, preferably to the .mov or .mp4 file format. Those works that do not take into account the technical specifications required to be publicly screened may be rejected.
- The participants pledge not to remove the works from the official section once they have been selected and the producers and/or representatives have been notified.
- Once the selection of works for the competition sections have been notified, the participants will have 20 calendar days –between 11th and July 31th 2023- to send the screening copies through a download link to the following email addresses:
comunicacion@almeriawesternfilmfestival.es

The festival reserves the right to remove from competition any works not received within the established period.
- The copies can be screened in original version with subtitles in Spanish or English –for Spanish-language films- or films dubbed in Spanish. The participants must provide the subtitles of the works, including them in an image file when they send the screening copies.
- Likewise, the participants must send the advertising material for the selected work as soon as possible since they moment they get the confirmation of have been selected: film poster, three advertising pictures in high resolution, list of credits, synopsis in Spanish and English (maximum 3 lines), age category, a photograph and the biography of the director (maximum 5 lines). This file folder (ZIP, Wetransfer, etc.) must be sent to the following email addresses:

comunicacion@almeriawesternfilmfestival.es

- The communication for each film selected by the festival is strictly confidential between the organization (Town Council of Tabernas), the team in charge of the management of the festival and the producers or representatives of the film invited until the festival decides to announce it officially.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Karen Nixon

    Fantastic festival, very welcoming, very professional, great atmosphere, above and beyond by running over a period of 4 days, embracing the film industry and its participants. I challenge you to attend the festival and not come away wanting to make a film in the beautiful surroundings of Tabernas and it's countryside.

    December 2023
  • Gunnar Grah

    All around a five star festival! Communication beforehand was quick and friendly, everything went super smooth. Unfortunately, I couldn't attend, but the stellar work of the communication department of the festival supplied the public with pictures and video clips so we really got a feel of the unique atmosphere of this festival. I recommend it without any reservation. Also, I would once again like to express my sincere gratitude to the festival organizers that our weird little Western was chosen for the festival's Outlaw Section.

    October 2023
  • Thank you for choosing Unripe to participate in this beautiful festival and all the great hospitality/accommodations you have shown me! Very honored and I hope to be back!

    October 2023
  • Thank you for screening our “Just Western” movie! It was a honour for us to participate in Almeria Western Film Festival. Excellent organisation! Unfortunately our team couldn’t attend in person but we followed all the show in Instagram stories and was wondered how cool it was. Thanks for sharing this atmosphere with us

    March 2023
  • Thank you for the judging of Living in the West. We are very proud to be a part off this beautiful festival.

    October 2022