Festival Internacional De Cortometrajes Vitafest 2025 (7)

Início do Festival: 24 Novembro 2025      Fim do Festival: 01 Dezembro 2025

VITAFEST, Vitacura International Short Film Festival is a festival dedicated to national and international short films and a meeting point for diverse agents of the Chilean audiovisual industry.

Now in its sixth edition, VITAFEST has established itself as one of the main platforms for the short film format in Latin America, a meeting point for the various agents of the local audiovisual industry and an official showcase for the new local talented filmmakers.

Prêmios em dinheiro: 3,000€

Best fiction and documentary short film: CLP $1,200,000 + contest award.

Best video clip: CLP $300,000 + contest award.

B) International

Best fiction short film: recognition and direct participation in Vitafest 2025 + digital recognition of the contest.

C) Best acting performance: competition award.

Only a short film from the national competition with local production or co-production between two or more countries will win. They must belong to the fiction genre.

D) Audience Award: CLP $300,000 + digital recognition of the contest.

The short films belonging to the national nominations in competition will participate on the vitafest.vitacuracultura.cl website for the audience award, where the trailers of the selected films will be uploaded and you can vote for a single short film from each category. The short film that obtains the highest number of votes will be the winner.

RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SEVENTH VERSION OF THE SHORT FILM CONTEST VITAFEST 2025 FESTIVAL

BACKGROUND
The Cultural Corporation of Vitacura was created on March 15, 1996, by Supreme Decree No. 291 of the Ministry of Justice, as a non-profit Corporation under private law. It was created with the purpose of collaborating in the fulfillment of the functions of the Municipality, promoting artistic, cultural, labor inclusion, training and other related activities.

Thus, the Cultural Corporation of Vitacura, hereinafter and indistinctly the “Corporation” collaborates with the municipality in the realization throughout the year a large number of activities such as exhibitions, courses, workshops, fairs, film series, lectures, musical and theatrical performances, among many others. For this purpose, it has programs that depend on it, and that differ from each other by their own objectives, since they are aimed at different audiences, so they carry out activities created and oriented to satisfy the needs, tastes and particular interests of the neighbors.

It is for this reason that the Corporation, through the Vitajoven Program, hereinafter and jointly the “VITAFEST organization”, will carry out the seventh version of the International Short Film Festival of
Vitacura “VITAFEST”, an event dedicated to the competition and subsequent exhibition of short films, both national and international, which will take place from November 24 to December 1, 2025, in the district of Vitacura.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

These rules are aimed at individuals over 18 years of age or legal entities legally constituted in Chile, who wish to participate in the Vitacura International Short Film Festival 2025 “VITAFEST”.

A short film is understood as a form of audiovisual narrative of short duration, equal to or less than 30 minutes, which tells a story in a concise manner, and may address various genres and themes.

VITAFEST 2025 COMPETITION STAGES:

Short Film Competition: It has a national and international call for entries, in which productions can apply in the three categories established for this year 2025:

In the National call:
Fiction and Documentary.
Videoclip.

In the International call:
1. Fiction and Documentary.

Festival: Stage where the official selection of short films in competition is screened.

The VITAFEST organization has a team of specialists in charge of selecting the short films, which will be evaluated according to the selection criteria described in point 6.1 of these rules. Afterwards, the selected short films will be handed over to the jury commission to evaluate and select the winners of each category.

Vitafest has a web page www.vitafest.vitacuracultura.cl, where all the content of the Festival is included. It will host the trailers of the selected short films, general information about the short films and the Festival's own content.

On this website you will be able to vote for a favorite short film for the audience award, within the entire selection made for the Festival. Only one short film will win the audience award, which is chosen by voting on the website vitafest.vitacuracultura.cl.

The selected trailers will be shown to the public between November 17 and December 1, 2025.

The Festival will be held in person in the Vitacura district between November 24 and December 1, 2025, where various activities will be held for participants; only some of them will be open to the public. The activities and their schedules will be announced 15 days prior to the start of the Festival through the website www.vitafest.vitacuracultura.cl.

VITAFEST 2025 reserves the right to decide whether the programmed activities will be carried out in person, through digital platforms or in a mixed manner.

APPLICATION deadline.
The deadline for receipt of applications, in digital format, for this competition is between May 2 and June 23, 2025.

FORMALITIES, REGISTRATION AND REQUIRED MATERIALS

VITAFEST 2025 has an application mechanism for short films, in which the applicant must send his/her material through the platforms indicated in point 4.1, within the deadlines indicated below:

Opening of applications: May 2, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. on the www.festhome.com

Closing date for applications: June 23, 2025, until 23:59 hours.

Publication of selected candidates: September 29, 2025, at 4:00 pm.

Public voting on the web: from November 17 to November 25, 2025, until 11:59 pm.

awards: Monday, December 01, 2025, at 7:30 pm.

online movie delivery platforms:

“FESTHOME The online Film Festival Submission Center: A globally recognized platform, it is a film distribution service (feature and short films) through the Internet that offers online viewing quality (up to 2000 kbps); this system will be available for automatic submission for VITAFEST 2025. The producer will be able to register his film through the website https://festhome.com/festival/vitafest-2025, where he will find all the necessary information for his application.


Especially those corresponding to the Videoclip category may apply through a form that will be uploaded to the Vitafest website on the Festival's registration dates, between May 2nd and June 23rd, 2025. The above does not exclude that the projects can be uploaded to the platforms described above.

SHORT FILM REQUIREMENTS.

Entries are open for fiction short films, national and international documentaries, and national music videos. All productions must have been completed after June 1, 2022. There is no cost to register for the Festival.

The registration platforms charge a fee associated with the registration per user. Please note that the Corporación Cultural de Vitacura does not receive any economic benefit associated with the fee charged by these platforms.

Only one short film per director and a maximum of two short films per production company may be submitted.

MANDATORY INFORMATION.

The following information will be requested on the registration form:

Applicant's name.
Photocopy of identity card on both sides.
Authors' contact telephone number.
Authors' contact e-mail address.
Country of origin and commune of the authors.
Date of creation of the short film.
Declaration of copyright ownership (this document will be sent by mail to all short films selected to participate in VITAFEST 2025).
Copyright clearance (if applicable): If the short film involves the use of works protected by copyright and/or performances, phonograms or broadcasts protected by related rights whose owners are persons, natural or legal, other than you, you must attach an express authorization from the owner of the copyright or related rights, which must state precisely the authority to include such works, performances, phonograms or broadcasts in the submitted short film. as well as any payment for the same. This authorization must contain, at least, the identity of the person granting the authorization and of the person receiving it, the express and specific authority to use the work, performance, phonogram or broadcast in the short film submitted, including the term of the authorization (which must include at least six months), whether it is paid for and the form of payment or whether it is a free authorization, and all other clauses agreed upon by the parties, pursuant to the provisions of Article 20 of Law No. 17,336 on Intellectual Property.

The Cultural Corporation shall have no responsibility in the event that the participant does not present them, it being the participant's responsibility to make the necessary arrangements for the declaration.

EXHIBITION FORMATS AND subtitleS:

5.1. Web trailer:

- The duration of the trailer must be a maximum of 1 minute. It must contain subtitles according to the requirements mentioned in point 5.3 of these Guidelines.

5.2. Short Films Presential Exhibition:

- Only short films selected for the festival competition must submit a copy of the short film in DCP format to the production.

- DCP (Digital Cinema Package) - INTEROP or SMPTE - FLAT or SCOPE - 2K and 4K. Sound: 5.1, 7.1 or 2.0 ch.

- Apple ProRes 4444, 422 HQ or Avid DNxHD file - Picture Aspect: 1920x1080p, 1998x1080p or 2048x850p. Sound: 2.0 and 5.1 ch.

- Frame Rate accepted in both formats: 24, 25, and 30 fps.

5.3. subtitles:

For short films and trailers spoken in Spanish, english subtitles are required.

For short films and trailers spoken in other languages, indigenous American languages, or containing dialogues with local slang, Spanish subtitles will be requested.

The following alternatives are welcome:

- In SRT format. Synchronized with the submitted film, with a maximum of 45 characters per line and a maximum of 2 lines per dialogue (Mandatory).

- Rendered (pasted) in the copy. Synchronized with the submitted film, with 45 characters maximum per line and a maximum total of 2 lines per dialogue, color according to the film's photography, and font size: 50 (maximum). They must be located within the safe margins of projection.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Festival reserves the right to check the technical quality of all formats. In the case of other digital formats not specified above, VITAFEST 2025 reserves the right to review each case and decide what is most convenient for its exhibition.

CATEGORIES, CRITERIA AND JURIES.

6.1. CATEGORIES

VITAFEST 2025 includes 3 official competition categories divided into:
National fiction/documentary.
National video clip.
International fiction/documentary.

A) National:
Fiction and Documentary: Short films only of Chilean production or co-production with Chile (co-production being understood as a production that is made with a non-Chilean counterpart but that corresponds to a national project), with a maximum duration of the audiovisual piece of 30 minutes. Fiction and documentary short films are included in the same category.

Videoclip: National music videoclips only produced in Chile and made by local music artists, with a free theme and a maximum duration of 15 minutes for the audiovisual piece.

B) International:
Fiction and Documentary: short films produced outside Chile, being nominated as projects not originating from the national territory. Fiction and documentary short films are included in the same category.

6.2. SELECTION OF SHORT FILMS TO BE SCREENED.

Once the application deadline has expired, a review of the short films and the requested documentation will be carried out in accordance with these terms and conditions.

The review and selection will be carried out by a specialized team of VITAFEST and the short films with the highest score will be selected according to the following evaluation criteria:

6.2.1.EVALUATION CRITERIA:

a. Story and script
Clarity: The narrative must be understandable, without confusing or unnecessary elements. The viewer must be able to follow the story fluently, understanding the objectives and motivations of the characters.

Narrative coherence: The progression of events must have internal logic. Each scene must contribute to the construction of the story, avoiding contradictions or plot gaps.

b. Quality of the characters
Development: Characters should have psychological depth, with a clear evolution or narrative arc, even if brief. A character design that responds to the logic of the story is expected.

Credibility: The actions and decisions of the characters must be credible within the proposed narrative universe.

Relationship to the story: Characters must be functional to the plot. Each character must have a clear role that contributes to the conflict and resolution of the short film.

c. Direction of actors
Quality of the performances: The naturalness, expressiveness and emotional coherence of the actors are evaluated. A convincing performance significantly enhances the impact of the short film.

Effective direction: The director's ability to guide the actors, achieve consistent performances and adapt to the tone of the story, is key to the overall quality of the work.

d. Sound and music
Sound design: The quality of the sound recording, editing and mixing is analyzed. The aural ambience must support and enrich the narrative experience.
Music: Its use must be coherent with the tone of the short film. It can function as an expressive, emotional or rhythmic element, but always at the service of the narrative, without overloading.
Sound integration: How the sound (dialogues, effects, music) integrates with the image, contributing to the overall atmosphere.

e. Photography and lighting
Visual composition: The framing, use of space, depth of field, and how visual elements are used to reinforce the story are analyzed.

Use of light: Lighting must be intentional, generating atmospheres and reinforcing emotions. Both technical mastery and creative use of light and shadow are valued.

Aesthetics: The visual proposal must have stylistic coherence. The photography must dialogue with the tone, genre and content of the short film, providing visual identity.

f. Originality
Evaluates the short film's ability to present its own vision, innovative ideas or a distinctive narrative and aesthetic approach.

This criterion recognizes the creative risk, the freshness of the proposal and the authorial voice, beyond the production resources available.

6.2.2. SCORE.

CRITERIA
Excelent: 15 points
Very good: 12 points
good: 8 points
Regular: 5 points
weak: 1 points
Quality of the characters.

Those short films that obtain the highest number of points will be selected to be part of the 7th version of the Vitafest Short Film Festival. The number of short films selected will be between 50 and 80, depending on the Festival's program.

6.3. CATALOG OF SHORTFILMS

In order to correctly edit the selection of short films that will be uploaded to the website www.vitafest.vitacuracultura.cl, VITAFEST 2025 will extract the material of each short film selected from Festhome and Shortfilmdepot, as specified in these rules, so it is mandatory that the following material be attached to the entry form:

Short film synopsis (600 characters max.)
Biofilmography of the director, including at least the year, city and country of birth; and his or her previous works.
High resolution portrait photography of the director.
Four or more photos of the audiovisual work, also in high resolution.
List of technical and artistic credits, including at least:
Director
Executive producers
Screenwriter
Director of photography
Art director
Editor or editor
Musician
Cast
Trailer of the short film. If it is spoken in a language other than Spanish or in jargon, Spanish subtitles are required. If it is spoken in Spanish, it is requested that it comes with english subtitles.

It is hereby stated that the decisions regarding the editorial content of the catalog are the responsibility of the Corporación Cultural de Vitacura, being the Corporation who decides which short films will be shown, the days, the format and in which instances of the Festival they will be shown, among other possible options.



6.4 EVALUATION OF SELECTED SHORT FILMS.

According to what is described in point 6.2. of these rules, those short films that obtain the highest number of points will be selected to be part of the 7th version of the Vitafest Short Film Festival. The number of short films selected will be between 50 and 80, depending on the Festival's program.

Afterwards, the jury will evaluate the short films selected by the specialized team of Vitafest, according to the criteria established in 6.2.1 and 6.2.2 of these rules.

6.4.1. JURIES.

The VITAFEST organization will appoint the jury as follows:

9 members from outside the competing productions and at least 2/3 must be active in the local audiovisual circuit.
Each category will be reviewed by 3 members of the jury, who will be selected by the Vitafest production team according to the competencies and areas of specialization of each of them and will be communicated during the registration process.

The jury will choose only one winning short film for each category, which will be announced at the awards ceremony to be held on Monday, December 1, 2025, at the Sala Vitacura, Auditorio de la Municipalidad de Vitacura (Av. Bicentenario 3.800, Vitacura), at 7:30 pm.

The organization of VITAFEST 2025 will program the short films of each category within the official program of the Festival.

6.4.2. EVALUATION GRID


With the average score of the jurors and an internal debate among each of them, the selection of the winning short film will be made.

In case of a tie, preference will be given to those films that have obtained the highest score in the “originality” criterion.

In the event of another tie, the VITAFEST 2025 organization will make the tie-breaker.

The organization of VITAFEST 2025 will select the finalist short films, which will participate for the “audience award” and in the activities of the Festival. The organization of VITAFEST 2025 will also be in charge of appointing the members of the jury.

6.4.3. VOTES.
The jury's votes to select the winners of each category will be adopted by simple majority. A representative of VITAFEST 2025 will attend the jury's deliberations, but without the right to vote.

The members of the jury firmly undertake not to express publicly their opinions regarding the films submitted for their consideration, prior to the official announcement of the awards. Any conflict not foreseen in these regulations will be resolved by the organization of VITAFEST 2025.

7. awards

7.1. Audience Award: Once the call for entries has ended, the selection of short films will be carried out by the Festival's organization team, according to the form indicated in these rules, after which the public may register on the website to vote for only one short film in each category.

The short film that obtains the highest number of votes among all the categories will be the winner of the “audience award”.

7.2. The prizes to be awarded by the jury are:

A) National
Best fiction/documentary short film: $1,200,000.- (one million two hundred thousand pesos) and an award from the competition.
Best video clip: $300,000.- (three hundred thousand pesos) and an award from the contest.

B) International
Best fiction or documentary short film: recognition and direct participation in Vitafest 2025 + digital recognition of the contest.

C) Best Acting Performance: competition award. Only one short film from the national competition with local production or co-production between two or more countries will win.

D) Audience Award: CLP $300,000 (three hundred thousand pesos) and an award of the competition.

Special or honorable mentions may also be made to highlight certain short films.

7.3. There will be only one Audience Award winner, as well as one award for each category in competition. The juries may propose only one special mention.

7.4. Short films that have received an award at VITAFEST 2025 must mention it in all publicity and press material, including the VITAFEST 2025 logo, which will be sent to them in due time.

7.5. After accepting participation in any of the categories, the works in competition cannot be withdrawn from VITAFEST 2025. Nor may they be exhibited in Chile on any platform other than Vitafest (this includes any broadcasting platform, such as the Internet or other than vitafest.vitacuracultura.cl) one month before the date of VITAFEST 2025.

7.6. All short films in competition that win an award in their category must present a representative to attend the award ceremony to receive the award. If they are unable to attend, they must give at least

one week's notice to the organization of VITAFEST 2025. The ceremony is scheduled for Monday, December 01, 2025 at Sala Vitacura - Centro Cívico Municipalidad de Vitacura (Av. Bicentenario 3800, Vitacura, Santiago, Chile), at 7:30 pm.

In case of no-show with the respective notice, the prize for that category will be declared void.

8. PRESS AND ADVERTISING

8.1. From the applications received in the short film contest, the Vitafest production team will make an official selection of short films to participate in the Festival.

VITAFEST 2025, the Cultural Corporation of Vitacura, its Vitajoven program and the Municipality of Vitacura, may use fragments of the films -of a maximum of 3 minutes- and photos (extra to those requested in the application), for promotional purposes. The websites and social networks of VITAFEST 2025, the Cultural Corporation of Vitacura, its Vitajoven program and the Municipality of Vitacura, may include graphic material and any promotional support they deem convenient. If the fragments are not available from the film producer, VITAFEST 2025 may copy one or more fragments of the film, only for promotional purposes and for use before, during and after VITAFEST 2025 and until December 2026.

8.2. Selected films will be required to provide VITAFEST 2025 with a corresponding screener to be sent with embargo (or with a specific key for viewing if required) to film critics and festival programmers who wish to view the film in advance of the Festival's screenings; for promotional and dissemination purposes.

9. ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

By the mere fact of applying to the Vitafest 2025 Short Film Festival, the participant accepts these rules.

In the case of being selected, all projects must attach the copyright assignment document duly signed by the director of the short film production. This document will be sent to all projects selected for the official competition.

10. INCOMPATIBILITIES OF THE PARTICIPANTS.

Those who are in any of the following situations are not eligible to apply for this call:

Authorities and employees of the Cultural Corporation or of the Municipality of Vitacura, regardless of their contractual situation (staff, contract, hired under the Labor Code or on a fee basis).
Be a spouse or civil partner; or be related by blood in any degree in a straight line and up to the third degree in a collateral line, either by consanguinity or affinity, with any of the directors, managers, chief executives, heads or administrative positions of the Corporation and the Municipality of Vitacura and with the persons who serve as members of the jury of VITAFEST 2025. If during the application period the incompatibility ceases to exist, the applicant will be considered eligible and may participate in the process while the period for receipt of background information is open, as long as he/she has not applied prior to the cessation of the incompatibility.


In case of conflict, the organization of VITAFEST 2025 will resolve it in accordance with the regulations of the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) regarding international film events.

The organization of the event reserves the right to make the decisions it deems appropriate for those cases not foreseen in these rules.