The FIACAFI Image Showcase presents a curatorial panorama of independent and contemporary cinema produced in Ibero-America, Africa and their diasporas, bringing together works that explore new cinematic languages and expand the aesthetic and political horizons of the moving image.

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This section prioritises films emerging from historically underrepresented contexts on global screens, valuing Black and Afro-diasporic cinema, Indigenous cinema, cinema made by women, and LGBTQIAPN+ narratives.

Through an international selection, the Showcase seeks to highlight filmmakers who reinvent the ways of telling stories, offering unique perspectives on memory, territory, identity, social justice, and cultural transformation.

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Organised with institutional and technical cooperation from the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship, UNESCO, the Instituto Cervantes, and various national and international cultural institutions, the Showcase operates as a space for exchange between different cultural and cinematic geographies.

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In this sense, the FIACAFI Image Showcase positions FIACAFI as a meeting point for cinemas of the Global South, contributing to the international circulation of new voices and strengthening a more diverse, plural, and innovative cinematic ecosystem.

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We are seeking cinematographies committed to aesthetic, racial, territorial, and gender diversity.

 

Submissions and Deadlines

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Period: 23 March – 10 May 2026
Deadline: Submissions close at 23:00 (Brasília time)
Submission: The official submission form will be available exclusively via the button below, opening at 23 March and closing at 23:00 on 10 May 2026 (Brasília time).

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Eligibility Criteria

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Eligible works include films produced or co-produced in Latin America, Africa, and Europe, as well as their diasporas. Productions from other regions that establish a consistent artistic, cultural, or thematic connection with these territories may also be considered.

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Priority will be given to films directed by filmmakers from these contexts or works that meaningfully reflect their social, cultural, or historical realities. Special attention will be given to projects demonstrating effective diversity in their teams, with at least 60% participation from historically underrepresented groups, including Black and Afro-diasporic individuals, Indigenous peoples, women, LGBTQIAPN+ creators, and creators from peripheral territories.

 

Eligible regions include, but are not limited to:

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Americas: Latin American and Caribbean countries, including Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Guatemala, Panama, among others.

Africa: Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, Mali, among others.

Europe: Spain and Portugal, as well as productions or co-productions by filmmakers from African and Ibero-American diasporas based in European countries, including France, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland, among others.​

 

The festival reserves the right to evaluate specific cases that align with the Showcase’s curatorial principles, even if originating from territories not explicitly listed above.

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Priority Focus

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Priority will be given to works that contribute to expanding racial, cultural, territorial, and gender diversity in contemporary audiovisual production, with particular attention to creators from historically underrepresented groups.

 

Technical Specifications

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Categories: Short films (10–30 min) and feature films (70–120 min)

Genres: Fiction (including drama, comedy, and subgenres), documentary, animation, children’s cinema, as well as hybrid, experimental, or works exploring new cinematic languages

Production Date: Films completed between 2019 and 2026

Language: Films may be submitted in any language, provided they include subtitles in Portuguese, Spanish, or English

 

Important Note: 

Films may be accepted into the Official Competition. The selection committee is the sole authority for determining the category in which a selected work will be exhibited.

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Awards and Governance

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The selection of films is carried out by a national and international jury composed of audiovisual and cultural professionals from diverse countries and cultural contexts, reflecting the festival’s commitment to multiple perspectives, aesthetic plurality, and international representation.

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Selected films compete in various award categories, as determined by the festival organisation, including Best Film, Best Direction, Best Documentary, Best Short Film, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Performance, Best Original Score, among other artistic and technical awards.

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Awards may include financial support, academic and training grants, post-production services, distribution consultancy, participation in international markets, circulation initiatives, and the presentation of the official festival statuette N’Tama, Spirit of Creation symbolising artistic recognition for awarded works.

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Exhibition and Circulation

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The festival will take place from 9–16 August 2026. Selected works will be screened simultaneously in São Paulo, Salvador, Brasília, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, and Belo Horizonte, promoting cultural exchange between Brazil, Ibero-America, Africa, and their diasporas, while strengthening the international circulation of these cinematographies.

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Note:

At its discretion and subject to budgetary availability, FIACAFI may provide hospitality support to representatives of selected works, including filmmakers residing outside Brazil and those from the North, Northeast, South, and Central-West regions of Brazil. This support may cover travel, accommodation, meals, and insurance, varying according to festival criteria, up to US$ 1,500 - US$  3,000 for international guests and up to R$ 2,500 for filmmakers residing in these Brazilian regions.

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For further information, enquiries, or institutional requests, please contact: imprensa@fiacafi.com.br​​​

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