Deadline: 01-Sep-2025
Applications are now open for the Alternativa Film Festival, which celebrates films that blend artistic excellence with powerful social impact. The 2026 edition introduces more award categories and a larger prize pool to offer increased support and recognition to filmmakers.
The festival will feature expanded screenings, public events, and discussions designed to engage wide and diverse audiences. It will also host Industry Days, a professional program aimed at connecting filmmakers, producers, and social impact leaders.
There are six award categories. The Spotlight award honors films that shed light on overlooked stories and foster public engagement. The Future Voice award recognizes debut or sophomore features that showcase bold creativity and social relevance. The Alter award is given to films that tackle urgent issues and inspire action. The Nativa award honors films exploring cultural or national identity with nuance and respect. The Focus award is reserved for films that examine challenges within the current Alternativa Focus Region, offering regional insight. Finally, the Shorts Awards celebrate two outstanding short films from the Focus Region.
A total of $120,000 will be awarded across the six categories. Filmmakers from Latin America and Asia are eligible for four of the awards, each worth $20,000: Spotlight, Future Voice, Alter, and Nativa. The Focus and Shorts Awards, both exclusive to Latin America, offer $20,000 and $10,000 each, respectively.
Eligible films must be made by directors from countries or areas in Latin America or Asia, and completed after January 1, 2025. The production date is determined by copyright. Feature-length films are accepted from both regions, while short films are accepted only from Latin America.
Latin American countries and areas considered for eligibility include Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, and others based on shared cultural and historical heritage. For Asia, eligible areas include countries such as India, Japan, Iran, Indonesia, the Philippines, Turkey, and many more, using cultural identity rather than political borders as the defining criteria.
Feature-length films must be at least 60 minutes for fiction and animation, or at least 40 minutes for documentaries and hybrids. Short films, only accepted from Latin America, must not exceed 40 minutes in duration.
For more information, visit Alternativa.
