It is undeniable that the way we consume audiovisual content has changed. Our mobile screens and digital platforms have created new ways of storytelling. What started almost as an anecdote, the vertical format (9:16), is now a language of its own with great power, capable of connecting directly with the audience without losing quality, depth, or authorial identity.
For this reason, Curtas Festival do Imaxinario is taking a step forward in its 54th edition (October 23 to November 1, 2026) with the creation of Vertical Fantastic Contest. A new competitive section focused on exploring how horror, fantasy, and science fiction breathe when we turn the screen. We are looking for short films and web series designed from the ground up for mobile devices—pieces that are not mere crops of a panoramic shot, but that understand verticality as part of the story.
We want to see how creators take advantage of this canvas to generate immersion and tension in a different way. The selection will be very carefully curated: we will choose only 10 works to compete for this category’s award. Furthermore, we want to make our position clear regarding new technological tools. We value human talent and perspective above all else; while the occasional use of artificial intelligence as a minor creative aid is permitted, we will not accept projects generated entirely by AI. The work must have a human pulse and heart.
The call for entries is now open. Works can be submitted from this moment on through the festival’s usual submission platforms.
You can check all the details, requirements, and full rules at the following link: https://curtas.org/en/vertical-fantastic-contest-en/
ABOUT CURTAS FESTIVAL DO IMAXINARIO
With a history dating back to 1973, Curtas Festival do Imaxinario in Vilagarcía de Arousa is established as the dean of audiovisual competitions in Galicia and an absolute reference for the fantastic and horror genre. More than a strictly cinematic event, the International Fantastic Film Festival of Galicia constitutes a multidisciplinary experience that transforms the city into the capital of the extraordinary, integrating cinema, literature, comics, and visual arts into a unique cultural proposal.
The solvency and quality of the festival are endorsed by the main institutions in the sector. Curtas Festival do Imaxinario is an official member of the Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF), which allows it to annually grant the prestigious Méliès d’Argent seal to the best European fantastic short film. Recently, it has been recognized with the EFFE Label 2026-2027, the quality seal granted by the European Festivals Association (EFA) with the support of the European Commission, and selected as one of the 90 best genre festivals in the world.
Declared an Event of Tourist Interest by the Concello de Vilagarcía de Arousa, the festival offers every autumn a carefully selected international program of feature films and short films, complemented by an agenda of meetings with top-tier creators, unprecedented exhibitions, and workshops. At Curtas Festival do Imaxinario, imagination is not just the object on the screen, but the engine of an unmissable event that celebrates the fantastic in all its forms.
Curtas Festival do Imaxinario will celebrate its 54th edition from October 23 to November 1 with the institutional support of the Concello de Vilagarcía de Arousa, the Deputación de Pontevedra, and the Xunta de Galicia, and the sponsorship of De Angeles Films, Gadis, and Rei Zentolo.v