Welcome to the 4th Year of the Short Way International Short Film Festival!

We are happy to continue our journey in São Paulo, Brazil, bringing together the global short film community to celebrate creativity, diversity, and innovation. Short Way remains dedicated to independent cinema, celebrating its plurality and creative strength. We proudly believe in the power of short films to give visibility to unique voices and aesthetics that shape the future of filmmaking.

With categories ranging from narrative, documentary, animation, horror, LGBTQIA+, experimental films, to works made with AI, we aim to showcase the diversity and quality of independent filmmaking. Winners will receive laurels, digital certificates, and the chance to be featured in our curated live screenings.

We invite filmmakers from all corners of the world to submit their projects, and we encourage audiences to join us in celebrating the originality and artistic vision behind every short film.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates, including the full list of previous winners and directors' statements.

Let’s continue to honor exceptional storytelling and inspire the world with the power of short films.

𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐄 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑:

Best Short Film
Best Director in a Short Film
Best Actress in a Short Film
Best Actor in a Short Film
Best Cinematography in a Short Film
Best Screenplay in a Short Film
Best Editing in a Short Film
Best Audio Design in a Short Film
Best Production Design in a Short Film
Best Costume Design in a Short Film

𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐂 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒

-𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦:
Best Experimental Short Film
Best AI Short Film

-𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦:
Best Horror Short Film
Best Director in a Horror Short Film
Best Characterization in a Horror Short Film
Best Actor in a Horror Short Film
Best Actress in a Horror Short Film
Best Screenplay in a Horror Short Film

-𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦:
Best Animated Short Film
Best Director in an Animated Short Film
Best Technique in an Animated Short Film

-𝐋𝐆𝐁𝐓𝐐𝐈𝐀+ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦:
Best LGBTQIA+ Short Film
Best Director in an LGBTQIA+ Short Film

-𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦:
Best Black Short Film
Best Director in a Black Short Film

-𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦:
Best Women’s Short Film
Best Director in a Women’s Short Film

-𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦:
Best Interview in a Documentary Short Film
Award for Social Impact in a Documentary Short Film

-𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦:
Best Narrative Latin Short Film
Best Director in a Narrative Latin Short Film

-𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐨 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐚-𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦:
Melhor Filme de Cinema Brasileiro Curta-metragem
Melhor Curta-metragem de Cinema Brasileiro feito por Mulheres
Melhor Curta-metragem de Cinema Brasileiro feito por Estudante
Melhor Curta-metragem de Animação de Cinema Brasileiro
Melhor Direção de Cinema Brasileiro Curta-metragem
Melhor Atriz de Cinema Brasileiro Curta-metragem
Melhor Ator de Cinema Brasileiro Curta-metragem
Melhor Cinematografia de Cinema Brasileiro Curta-metragem
Melhor Roteiro de Cinema Brasileiro Curta-metragem
Melhor Edição de Cinema Brasileiro Curta-metragem
Melhor Trilha Sonora de Cinema Brasileiro Curta-metragem
Prêmio de Impacto Social em Cinema Brasileiro Curta-metragem
Melhor Curta-metragem Experimental de Cinema Brasileiro
Melhor Curta-metragem de Cinema Brasileiro feito em IA

-𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦:
Best Student Animated Short Film
Best Student Horror Short Film

-𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦:
Best Super Short Film
Best Director in a Super Short Film

-𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦:
Best Mobile Short Film
Best Director in a Mobile Short Film

-𝐓𝐕 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐭:
Best Short Film
Best Director in a TV Pilot

-𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬:
Best Webseries
Best Director in a Webseries

-𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨:
Best Lyrics in a Music Video
Best Performance in a Music Video

-𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐈:
Best Short Film Made in AI
Best Director in a Short Film Made in AI

**SHORT WAY INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL - RULES & TERMS**

### 1. GENERAL INFORMATION
- The Short Way International Short Film Festival (SWF) is organized annually.
- The festival accepts films completed within the past six years. For the 2025/2026 edition, eligible films must have been completed after January 1st, 2020.
- Films of all languages are accepted but must include subtitles in English, Spanish, or Portuguese.
- The festival reserves the right to refuse any submission at its discretion.
- All communications, including selection notifications, deadlines, and event information, will be sent via email only. Submitters must keep their contact information up to date and check spam folders regularly.

### 2. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
- Multiple entries from the same submitter are accepted; however, each film must be submitted separately with its own entry fee.
- Submission fees are non-refundable.
- Films must be submitted in the correct category. If a film is submitted in the wrong category or without the correct fee, it may be deemed ineligible at the discretion of the festival’s programming or executive director. SWF will not refund any fees if the filmmaker fails to submit the film in the correct category.
- The festival does not cover any expenses incurred by the filmmaker.
- There are no debut requirements.

### 3. SELECTION & JUDGING PROCESS
- Being selected means that your film has been approved to compete for awards in its respective category.
- Selected projects are reviewed by our jury. The final decision on winners, finalists, honorable mentions and the films chosen for exhibition is made by the festival's jury.
- Every entry/submission will be judged based on its directing, acting, technical, and artistic merits, as related to the submission.
- The jury’s decision is final and not subject to appeal.
- Due to time and space constraints at our screening venue, only a curated group of winning films will be showcased.
- If a film is deemed eligible for exhibition, the submitter will be notified.
- Films deemed eligible for exhibition must provide subtitles in SRT format separately.

### 4. AWARDS & RECOGNITION
- Winners in each category will be announced on "Notification Day."
- All winners will receive the official Short Way International Short Film Festival laurel and digital certificate.
- All officially selected projects will receive the festival laurel.

### 5. LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- The submitter must hold all necessary rights, including but not limited to image rights, talent releases, soundtrack and/or source music releases.
- The festival accepts no responsibility, financial or otherwise, for any submitted material.
- The burden of obtaining copyrights and all proprietary interests for submitted material rests solely on the applicant.
- By submitting, the filmmaker grants SWF permission to list their film on the festival’s website and promotional materials.
- The screening of a film at the festival is exclusively for cultural and promotional purposes, with no commercial distribution. Any ticket sales are solely intended to cover the event's operational costs.
- The Short Way International Short Film Festival (SWF) does not pay any fees for the screening of films at the event, regardless of selection or awards. Participation in the festival is voluntary and without financial compensation.
- By submitting a film, the participant acknowledges and accepts all rules and terms established by the festival.

### 6. DISCLAIMER
- SWF may, without prior notice, amend these Rules & Terms at any time. Such amendments take immediate effect upon publication. It is the responsibility of the submitter to periodically review these rules for updates.

REGRAS

**SHORT WAY INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL - REGRAS E TERMOS**

### 1. INFORMAÇÕES GERAIS
- O Short Way International Short Film Festival (SWF) é realizado anualmente.
- O festival aceita filmes concluídos nos últimos seis anos. Para a edição 2025/2026, são elegíveis filmes finalizados após 1º de janeiro de 2020.
- Filmes de qualquer idioma são aceitos, mas devem incluir legendas em inglês, espanhol ou português.
- O festival se reserva o direito de recusar qualquer inscrição a seu critério.
- Todas as comunicações, incluindo notificações de seleção, prazos e informações sobre o evento, serão enviadas exclusivamente por e-mail. Os inscritos devem manter suas informações de contato atualizadas e verificar suas caixas de spam regularmente.

### 2. DIRETRIZES DE INSCRIÇÃO
- São permitidas múltiplas inscrições de um mesmo participante, porém cada filme deve ser enviado separadamente com sua respectiva taxa de inscrição.
- As taxas de inscrição não são reembolsáveis.
- Os filmes devem ser enviados na categoria correta. Se um filme for submetido na categoria errada ou sem o pagamento adequado, poderá ser considerado inelegível a critério da programação do festival ou do diretor executivo. O SWF não reembolsará nenhuma taxa caso o cineasta não envie o filme na categoria correta.
- O festival não cobre quaisquer despesas incorridas pelo cineasta.
- Não há requisitos de estréia.

### 3. PROCESSO DE SELEÇÃO E JULGAMENTO
- Ser selecionado significa que o filme foi aprovado para competir por prêmios em sua respectiva categoria.
- Os projetos selecionados são avaliados pelo júri do festival. A decisão final sobre vencedores, finalistas, menções honrosas e filmes escolhidos para exibição é feita pelo júri do festival.
- Todas as inscrições serão julgadas com base em seus méritos de direção, atuação, técnicos e artísticos, conforme relacionado à inscrição.
- A decisão do júri é definitiva e não pode ser contestada.
- Devido a restrições de tempo e espaço no local de exibição, apenas uma curadoria de filmes vencedores será exibido.
- Se um filme for escolhido para a curadoria de exibição, o responsável pela inscrição será notificado.
- Os filmes da curadoria para exibição devem fornecer legendas separadas no formato SRT.

### 4. PRÊMIOS E RECONHECIMENTO
- Os vencedores de cada categoria serão anunciados no "Dia da Notificação", que é especificado no site FilmFreeway.
- Todos os vencedores receberão o laurel oficial do Short Way International Short Film Festival e um certificado digital.
- Todos os projetos oficialmente selecionados receberão o laurel do festival.

### 5. RESPONSABILIDADES LEGAIS
- O responsável pela inscrição deve possuir todos os direitos necessários sobre o filme, incluindo, mas não se limitando a, direitos de imagem, autorizações de talentos e liberações de trilha sonora e/ou músicas utilizadas.
- O festival não assume qualquer responsabilidade, financeira ou de outra natureza, sobre o material enviado.
- A obtenção dos direitos autorais e de quaisquer outros interesses proprietários sobre o material submetido é de responsabilidade exclusiva do participante.
- Ao se inscrever, o cineasta concede ao Short Way International Short Film Festival (SWF) permissão para listar seu filme no site do festival e em materiais promocionais.
- A exibição de um filme no festival é exclusivamente para fins culturais e promocionais, sem qualquer distribuição comercial. Qualquer cobrança de ingresso destina-se exclusivamente à cobertura de custos operacionais do evento.
- O Short Way International Short Film Festival (SWF) não paga nenhum valor pela exibição do filme no evento, independentemente de sua seleção ou premiação. A participação no festival é voluntária e sem compensação financeira.
- Ao submeter um filme, o participante reconhece e aceita todas as regras e termos estabelecidos pelo festival.

### 6. ISENÇÃO DE RESPONSABILIDADE
- O SWF pode, a qualquer momento e sem aviso prévio, modificar estas Regras e Termos. Tais modificações entram em vigor imediatamente após a publicação. Cabe ao participante revisar periodicamente as regras para acompanhar eventuais atualizações.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Angeliki Pardalidou

    So happy for being part of this festival

    May 2026
  • Here is the review written in English, tailored for an international film festival audience (e.g., for FilmFreeway, a press kit, or festival catalog).

    I have maintained the logical structure and analytical depth of the previous review while using professional film criticism terminology suitable for a global audience.

    [Film Review] Interview: The Hollow Echo of Idealism in a Material World
    Title: Interview Director: Teddy Kim Genre: Drama / Social Commentary Verdict: Finalist Selection

    1. Narrative Arc: A Dissonance of Two Voices
    While titled "Interview," the film operates less as a conventional Q&A and more as a psychological cross-section of a fractured psyche. The narrative is driven by the collision of two opposing internal forces (or societal voices) within the runtime:

    The Idealist (The Activist): A weary voice that has dedicated a lifetime to social reform and protests. This persona expresses deep disillusionment with a stagnant society where "money and power" still dictate all values, confessing a profound sense of isolation.

    The Realist (The Materialist): A voice that interjects with the cold logic of hyper-capitalism. It speaks of luxury goods, "30-pyeong apartments," "1 billion won in assets," and the prestige of elite education ("SKY" universities).

    By juxtaposing these voices, the film effectively dramatizes the cognitive dissonance experienced by individuals who are torn between their moral convictions and the crushing demands of a winner-takes-all society.

    2. Thematic Analysis: The Tragedy of the "Echo"
    The core theme of Interview is the alienation of the individual and the futility of resistance.

    The Stagnation of Change: The protagonist laments, "I’ve lived my whole life protesting, but this society hasn’t changed." This line strikes a chord regarding the universal struggle of artists and activists who feel their work has become powerless against the status quo.

    The Violence of Comparison: The film utilizes specific economic markers (apartment size, asset value) to highlight how modern society standardizes success. The dialogue, "We live in competition, but consideration and understanding are disappearing," serves as the film’s logical anchor, diagnosing the loss of humanity in the face of economic pursuit.

    3. Artistic & Directorial Critique
    From an artistic standpoint, the film’s strength lies in its auditory contrast.

    Structure of Disruption: The editing creates a rhythm where the noble (yet tired) monologue of the activist is constantly interrupted by the vulgar (yet powerful) desires of the materialist. This structure forces the audience to viscerally feel the protagonist’s mental exhaustion.

    Metaphor of the Echo: The line, "Protest was a way to make a voice heard, but now that voice is merely an echo," is the film’s most poignant metaphor. It visualizes the tragedy of communication in an era where genuine connection has been severed by the noise of capital.

    4. Conclusion
    Interview is a somber, introspective piece that goes beyond simple social critique to explore the existential void left behind when idealism collides with reality.

    It poses a heavy question to its viewers: In a world where "only the winners survive," what happens to the soul of the one who refuses to play the game? As a finalist selection, this film stands out not for visual spectacle, but for its raw, unfiltered honesty and its logical dissection of modern despair.

    December 2025
  • Maravilhoso tudo! gratidão!
    Voltarei no próximo!

    December 2025
  • Alejandro Moreno

    A huge thank you to the festival for welcoming my short film and honoring it with two awards! It’s been such a joy to be part of this edition and to share space with so many inspiring works. I’m deeply grateful and excited to bring future projects your way.

    October 2025
  • I love everything this festival is about—the way it celebrates cinematic talent and brings together such an amazing community of artists and film lovers. I’m beyond grateful that my short film The Days of Knight: Chapter 3 was officially selected and even won an award! Huge thanks to the judges and everyone who makes this festival so special. I can’t wait to share my next short with you all. See you again soon!

    September 2025