REGULATIONS 2025
I – ORGANISATION AND DATE
CINANIMA – INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED FILM FESTIVAL OF ESPINHO - CINANIMA 2025 – 49th edition - is organised by NASCENTE – Cultural Cooperative – and by the CITY HALL OF ESPINHO with the support of the MINISTRY OF CULTURE/ICA I.P. - INSTITUTE OF CINEMA AND AUDIOVISUAL, Creative Europe MEDIA and other public and private entities.
CINANIMA is officially an Oscar™ qualifying festival by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science and its winner is eligible for the nomination for the Best Animated Short Film. CINANIMA has the approval of the International Film Association (ASIFA).
The 49th edition of the Festival – CINANIMA 2025 – will be held in the city of Espinho – Portugal, from the 7th to the 16th of November 2025.
II – ADMISSION OF THE FILMS
1. CINANIMA only accepts works:
a) concluded after the 1st of January 2024;
b) directed according to the definition of animation given by ASIFA: “The art of animation involves the creation of animated images using various techniques other than live action”;
c) in its final version;
d) not sent for selection in previous editions of the festival;
e) that combine live action with animation as long as the later represents 70% of the film.
III – SUBMISSION
1. By submitting the Registration Form, you fully and unreservedly accept all the terms of this Regulation, including the annexes;
2. The submission period goes from March 22 to June 22, 2025;
3. Only those who hold the copyright of the work may submit it;
4. Works must be submitted by completing the online Registration Form on the FilmFreeway platform;
5. A submission will only be validated if accompanied by:
5.1. A link to the Selection Copy;
5.2. Two stills from in JPEG format, 300 dpi;
5.3. A pic of the director in JPEG format, 300 dpi;
5.4. A dialogue and/or narration list in Portuguese and/or English, in a .srt file with timecode;
§ Works with dialogue and/or narration in a language other than English or French must include embedded English subtitles
5.5. Annexes I, II, and III, duly signed;
6. Portuguese works may compete in both the International Competition and the National Competition, except for works created by children or young people
up to 18 years old;
7. Submission is free for the International Student Films Competition and the National Competition.
IV – FILMS
1. Links to the films must be available upon submission in FilmFreeway;
2. For any information regarding copies, please contact technical@cinanima.pt
3. Characteristics and technical specifications (for SELECTION and FINAL EXHIBITION) are set in ANNEX I of the Regulations.
FOR SELECTION
The following are accepted:
a) Video files .mov (H.264, H.265, ProRes), .avi (uncompressed) and .mp4 (H.264 or H.265), native resolution and frame rate, via internet;
b) Link to Youtube or Vimeo with password, if required;
§ Link and password must be valid until the 30th of November 2025. The Festival must be informed of any changes;
c) These files must be uploaded on the platform FilmFreeway during the submissions period for CINANIMA 2025 and implies acceptance of the platform’s Terms and Conditions.
FOR FINAL SCREENING
a) Video files .mov (H.264, H.265, ProRes), .avi (uncompressed) and .mp4 (H.264 or H.265), native resolution and frame rate, via Internet;
b) DCP (check ANNEX I of the Regulations.
§ Films with watermarks or any kind of mark are not accepted.
V – COMPETITION
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Categories:
1. Short Films – films up to 50 minutes.
2. Feature Films – films over 50 minutes.
3. Student Films – Films until 30 minutes, directed by students or graduates, produced at Art Schools, Film Schools or Film Training Schools.
4. All Aboard – Among the works submitted for the Short Film and Student Film Competition, the Programming Committee may select films to be part of this new competitive section of the Festival.
NATIONAL COMPETITION
1. A film is considered to be Portuguese when it has been directed by a Portuguese citizen or whose production is entirely Portuguese.
2. Portuguese films may also apply to the International Competition, except for films made by children and/or young people up to 18 years of age.
3. Portuguese films can enter only one of the National Competition categories:
a) ANTÓNIO GAIO Award – Best film in the National Competition;
b) YOUNG PORTUGUESE DIRECTOR Award:
i. Films directed by Children and Youngsters (until the age of 18) within the scope of educational activities or workshops.
ii. First film directed by a Young Portuguese Director (aged between 18 and 30).
VI – INTERNATIONAL GRAND PANORAMA - FILMS FOR SCHOOLS
Among the films submitted to the Festival and not selected for the Competition, both the Programming Committee and the Festival’s Educational Service organise programmes with the designation International Grand Panorama - Films for School for children and youngsters.
1. No screening fees will be paid for the films selected for Competitive Sections and/or the International Grand Panorama - Films for Schools.
2. The Pre-selection is the responsibility of the Festival's Programming Committee.
3. The final decision on the works for the Competition and the International Grand Panorama - Films for Schools is up to the Programming Committee and the Festival's Educational Service.
4. The decision on the selected works will be communicated by email until September 15, 2025, and published on the Festival's website (www.cinanima.pt).
5. All directors/producers of the selected works will:
a) receive the official laurel;
b) be offered accreditation granting access to all Festival events.
6. After the selection notification, the submitter may send:
a) Trailer of the film, for promotional purposes;
b) Promotional materials of the work (posters, postcards, flyers, etc.).
VII – SENDING AND RETURNING OF FINAL COPIES
Copies for final screening must be sent by e-mail to technical@cinanima.pt until the 5th of October. Should this rule be broken, the film may be either withdrawn or screened in the format sent for selection.
VIII – JURIES
1. The JURIES are appointed by the Festival Programming Committee and will be composed by three to five members.
2. The Juries will decide, according to their own Regulations, and their decision is final.
3. No member of the Jury (International and/or National) shall be associated with the production of the films presented.
4. The name of the Jury members will be announced on the website www.cinanima.pt.
IX – AWARDS
SHORT FILMS
The International Short Film Jury awards the following prizes:
- Grand Prize CINANIMA 2025 – Short Films | City of Espinho Award
- Jury’s Special Award
- +Short - Alves Costa Award – Best Film up to 4 minutes in duration
- Award for the Best Animated Documentary
- Award for the Best Commissioned Film
- Award for the Best Experimental Film
- Award for the Best Sound Design
- Award for the Best Screenplay
- Award for the Best Artistic Direction
FEATURE FILMS
The International Jury for Feature Films will attribute the following award:
- Grand Prize CINANIMA 2025 – Feature Film Award
STUDENT FILMS
The International Jury for Feature Films will attribute the following award:
- Grand Prize CINANIMA 2025 – Student Film – Gaston Roch Award Award for the Best Student Film, until 30 minutes, directed by students or graduates, produced at Art
Schools, Film Schools or Film Training Schools.
ALL ABOARD COMPETITION
The Jury for the All Aboard Competition will attribute the following award:
- Prize CINANIMA 2025 – All Aboard Award
NATIONAL COMPETITION
The National Jury will attribute the following awards:
- ANTÓNIO GAIO Award – Best Film in the National Competition;
- YOUNG PORTUGUESE DIRECTOR Award – for Films directed by children and youngsters (until the age of 18) within the scope of educational activities or workshops;
- YOUNG PORTUGUESE DIRECTOR Award for Young Directors – Best first film of young Portuguese directors (aged between 18 and 30).
AUDIENCE AWARD
Attributed by the Audience of the Festival, through a vote, awarding their favourite film from those screened in any of the three International Competitions.
NOTE: The monetary prizes will be announced on the CINANIMA website in August 2025.
X – SUBTITLING
1. The subtitling of the Short and Feature films selected for competition is the Organisation’s responsibility, as long as the complete text of the dialogues or narration,
in English or French, is sent when the film is submitted in a .srt file with timecode.
2. Should this request be ignored, the film will be screened with no subtitles and in its original language.
XI – RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Directors/producers of the films awarded authorise its screening in additional sessions to be held on the last day of the Festival – Sunday, the 16th of November 2025.
2. Directors/producers of the films awarded authorise their screening on the Opening Session of the Festival, in November 2026 and also in the activity “CINANIMA at Universities”, with no commercial purposes, promoted at the partner Universities, in October 2026.
3. It is mandatory to fill in and send ANNEX I, II and III under penalty of exclusion of the submission.
4. The applicants authorise the screening of an excerpt of the film (a maximum of 10% of its total runtime or 60 seconds (the shorter version is the valid) on TV/social media for promotional purposes.
5. The applicants authorise the use of stills of the film and/or of the director(s) and technical data of the film, with promotional purposes, on press kits, catalogues,
websites, social media and/or other promotional materials.
6. Any doubt or matter omitted in the present Regulations will be resolved by the Organisation according to the rules of fairness and common sense.
7. Should any interpretation issues arise, only the Portuguese version is considered lawful.
8. The submission in CINANIMA 2025 implies full acceptance of these Regulations.
XII – DATA PROTECTION
The requested information will be use only to facilitate the treatment of information for the selection process of the films in the International Competition and International Grand Panorama - Films for Schools and it will be shared only with the Selection
Jurors and Programming Committee.
According to the stipulations of the Regulation (EU) nr. 679/2016, of 27 April, updated by Rectification 00/2016, of 4 May, the Festival will retain the data for the legally stipulated timeframe. The holders of the data may exercise their right of access, opposition, rectification and deletion, by contacting the Festival’s organization.
