Vertical Fantastic Contest - Curtas Festival do Imaxinario

VERTICAL FANTASTIC CONTEST

THE FORMAT CHANGES, BUT THE ESSENCE OF THE UNUSUAL REMAINS

Curtas Festival do Imaxinario launches its new competitive section dedicated to vertical horror, fantasy, and sci-fi short films and web series. This is a creative challenge where the abyss of the screen rises before us in a 9:16 format; we are looking for pieces that not only inhabit the mobile device but turn it into a window to other worlds.

In the shadows of the digital and the pixels of the everyday, fantastic cinema finds a new canvas. We want to explore how verticality alters our perception, defying the rules of classical composition to build stories where immersion is absolute and the impact is immediate. Present your best vertical narrative at Curtas Festival do Imaxinario and compete for our highest award: only 10 works will be selected to be part of this competitive showcase.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

It is not a question of adaptation; it is a question of origin. We are looking for creators who conceive the story from verticality. We want framings that defy gravity, rhythms that adapt to the immediacy of the mobile era, and visions that understand that, on a vertical screen, the horizon is not a line, but an infinite depth. Stories that feel like a direct whisper in the ear or an inevitable presence lurking from the other side of the glass.

CALL FOR ENTRIES DETAILS

  • Section: Competitive (only 10 works selected).
  • Format: Vertical video (9:16).
  • Genres: Horror, sci-fi, and fantasy.
  • Production year: 2024–2026.
  • Resolution: 1080 x 1920 or higher.
  • Subtitles: Mandatory in English or Spanish if the original language is different.
  • Authorship and Technology: The works must be the product of human vision, which must be the essence of the narrative. Videos generated entirely by artificial intelligence will not be accepted. The use of AI is only allowed sparingly as a minimal and complementary creative tool.

PARTICIPATION AND SELECTION

The call is open to filmmakers, digital creators, visual artists, and any explorer of the fantastic who wishes to defy conventions. The selected works will be part of this new competitive section during Curtas Festival do Imaxinario, integrating into our official programming to be experienced under the gaze of an audience that is not afraid to look up.

Do you have a story that needs to stand vertically? Get ready to summon your vision in the format of the future.