1. General Rules and Sections
We hereby announce the 1st edition of the PETRONILA. BURGOS FILM FESTIVAL, to be
held in Burgos, Spain, in February 2026.
Participation is open to all Spanish and international short films produced on or after 1 January 2023. These general rules apply to all short films submitted to any competitive section.
The maximum duration of each film must not exceed 35 minutes, including credits.
All genres — fiction, animation, documentary, and experimental — and all original production formats are accepted, provided that the works explore social themes in their full diversity and breadth.
Only Ibero-American productions are eligible to participate. Co-productions are permitted, provided that at least one Ibero-American country is involved.
Submissions must be made by a person, organisation, or company that holds the rights to the work or is legally authorised to represent it.
The individual submitting the film to the competition shall be responsible for the payment of any royalties generated by the use of the work.
2. Online Registration and Fees
The registration period will open on 29 April 2025 and will close on 15 September 2025.
To participate in the festival, entries must be submitted via the official platforms:
www.festhome.com
www.filmfreeway.com
The following registration fees apply:
Regular period: from 29 April to 15 June – €3
Extended period: from 16 June to 15 September – €6
To be considered, participants must upload viewing copies of their films in the original version. If the films are not in Spanish, they must include subtitles in Spanish or, if unavailable, in English.
3. Selection
The Selection Committee, composed of professionals from the audiovisual arts sector and members of the organising team, will be responsible for selecting works for the various sections of the festival.
The organisation will notify the contact person of the final selection by email.
If a work is selected, the organisation will contact the designated representative to request all necessary materials.
Screening copies of the selected films must be submitted within the timeframe and in the manner specified by the organisation. In all cases, they must be delivered online.
The screening format must be digital, with the following technical specifications:
Container: .mov / .mp4 (H.264) or Apple ProRes 422
Resolution: Full HD (1920x1080)
Audio: Stereo AAC
Screening copies must be submitted in their original language.
If the film is not in Spanish, it must either include Spanish subtitles or be accompanied by an English dialogue list (preferably in .srt format).
Copies of the selected films may be used for limited viewings by the Selection Committee and for screenings held during the Festival Awards events, strictly for cultural and non-profit purposes, provided that the producers are duly informed of such use.
The selected films will be screened at the times and locations indicated in the official programme and published on the website www.elcirculo.es . By registering, participants authorise these screenings.
The organisation will also cover accommodation and subsistence costs for representatives of the selected films in a single room, at least on the day of the screening.
The Fundación Círculo Católico de Burgos / Petronila. The Burgos Film Festival will not cover or arrange transport.
By submitting a film and accepting these rules, the rights holders of the selected works grant the Festival the right to screen the films—strictly for cultural and non-commercial purposes— during the year and a half following the Festival, in a series of special events held outside the official festival week, aimed at promoting the Festival.
In all such cases, the film owners will be informed in advance, and all screenings will be free of charge for the public.
4. Sections
The Petronila Festival will include three sections: Official Section, Young Audiences, and Castilla y León.
4.1 Official Competition
Ibero-American and Spanish short films* will compete on equal terms in the Official Competition and are eligible for the corresponding awards listed below.
(*) Spanish short films are defined as works produced in Spain, co-productions with a Spanish share of more than 40%, or films directed by Spanish filmmakers, regardless of the country of production.
4.2 Young Audiences
The general eligibility criteria are the same as those for the Official Section. Submissions must be made to the appropriate section via the aforementioned platforms, and the applicable fees must be paid.
This section comprises two competition categories, in which both Spanish and international productions may participate:
Short films for children (ages 3 to 11)
Short films for young audiences (ages 12 to 17)
4.3 Castilla y León
Any work that meets at least one of the following criteria is eligible to participate in this section:
Directed or produced by a person born in Castilla y León
Filmed, in part or in full, in Castilla y León
Produced by a company based in Castilla y León
Directed or produced by someone who has resided in Castilla y León for five consecutive
years or seven non-consecutive years.
Works that meet any of these criteria and are selected in other festival sections are also eligible for this award.
The submission must indicate that the short film qualifies for the Castilla y León Award and include supporting documentation if requested by the organisation.
5. Awards
5.1 Official Section Awards
Best Short Film of the Festival: €3,000
Petronila Award for Best Director
Petronila Award for Best Actress
Petronila Award for Best Actor
Best Young Filmmaker Short Film: €1,000
Special Audience Award: €1,000
5.2 Young Audience Awards
Best Short Film for Children: €1,500
Best Short Film for Young People: €1,500
5.3 Castilla y León Award
Best Short Film: €1,000
5.4 Petronila Honour Award
The Petronila Honour Award is presented to a distinguished figure in the film industry in recognition of their professional career. The award carries a monetary value of €3,000, which will be donated by the Fundación Círculo Católico de Burgos to a social organisation of the winner’s choice.
6. Acceptance of the Rules and Data Protection
Registration implies full acceptance of these rules, as well as the decisions of the organisation, the Selection Committee, and the juries.
Data Protection
In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons regarding the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data, and with Organic Law 3/2018 of 5 December on the Protection of Personal Data and the Guarantee of Digital Rights, we inform you that the personal data you provide will be processed by:
Data Controller: Fundación Círculo Católico de Burgos
Tax ID (CIF): G09000779
Address: Plaza España 3, 09005 Burgos, Spain
Email: fundacion@elcirculo.es
Purpose: Your data will be processed for the purpose of managing your participation in the Petronila. Burgos Film Festival. The Fundación Círculo Católico de Burgos will adopt appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard your data.
Legal Basis: The legal basis for processing your data is the consent you grant by accepting this Privacy Policy. On the basis of legitimate interest, the Foundation may occasionally send you information about other activities it organises or sponsors, which may be of interest to you. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Data Retention: Your data will be retained for as long as necessary to process your request and in accordance with legal requirements. If you have given your consent to receive updates on other activities, your data will be stored until you withdraw your consent.
Data Transfers: Your data will not be transferred to third parties, except where legally required.
Exercise of Rights: You may exercise your rights of access, rectification, erasure, objection, restriction of processing, and data portability at any time by contacting the Foundation at the postal or email address provided above. Upon receipt of your request, you will be sent a form to exercise the relevant right. This form must be returned along with a photocopy of your ID or passport. Once the documentation is received, your request will be processed within the legally established timeframe.
If you are not satisfied with the response to your request, you may file a complaint with the supervisory authority: the Spanish Data Protection Agency – https://www.aepd.es
