Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG)

Overview

The Guadalajara International Film Festival (Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara, or FICG) is the largest film festival in Mexico and the primary competitive showcase for Ibero-American cinema. The 41st edition (FICG 41) runs April 17 to 25, 2026, in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, Jalisco. The festival screens approximately 130 films across 10 competitive sections and draws over 29,000 attendees.

FICG 40 (June 2025) selected 114 films from 2,225 submissions, screened 297 times, and drew 29,400 attendees. Portugal was the guest country of honor. The festival added a new Genre Cinema competitive section (horror, science fiction, fantasy) at its 40th edition, bringing the total to 10 competitive categories.

For Ibero-American filmmakers, FICG is the most accessible A-tier festival in the Spanish-speaking world. The Encuentro de Coproduccion co-production market connects directors and producers with international partners, requiring a finished script and at least 20% of financing secured. Guadalajara Construye awards post-production support to fiction features in the final stages. The Talent Project Market and Episodio 0 programs support early-career filmmakers and series development respectively.

Submission Details

Submissions are made through the Eventival portal. The festival uses its own registration system, not FilmFreeway.

Feature film submissions (FICG 41):

• Submission window: September 8 to December 19, 2025 (18:00 Central Mexico Time, UTC-6)
• Free registration period: September 8 to 26, 2025
• Fee after free period: MX$400 (approximately $22 USD) for feature films
• Minimum running time: 60 minutes
• Films must be completed between 2025 and 2026
• Films must have their Mexican premiere at FICG 41
• Submit via private, password-protected streaming link (no DVDs, Blu-Rays, or download links)

Short film submissions (FICG 41):

• Submission window: September 8 to November 14, 2025 (18:00 Central Mexico Time, UTC-6)
• Free registration period: September 8 to 26, 2025
• Fee after free period: MX$200 (approximately $11 USD) for short films
• Maximum running time: 30 minutes including credits
• Films must be completed between 2025 and 2026
• Films must have their Mexican premiere at FICG 41

Selection results: Announced February 2026 at ficg.mx

Selected films requirements:

• Director presence is mandatory for Official Competition participation. Absence may result in disqualification.
• Final cut must be delivered in DCP and Blu-Ray formats
• Subtitling requirements: Spanish-language films need English subtitles; English-language films need Spanish subtitles; all other languages need both English and Spanish subtitles
• FICG does not pay screening fees for films selected in Official Competition
• Once submitted, projects cannot be withdrawn
• Selected films may be included in national and international showcases organized by FICG in 2026
• Participants must hold a valid passport and Mexican visa if traveling from abroad

Key Sections

• Mezcal Award - Mexican fiction and documentary feature films
• Ibero-American Fiction Feature Film - productions from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal
• Ibero-American Feature Documentary - documentaries from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal
• Maguey Award - international fiction and documentary features with LGBTQ+ themes
• International Animated Feature Film - international animation in any technique
• Genre Cinema - horror, science fiction, and fantasy features (added at FICG 40)
• Made in Jalisco - films produced in Jalisco or directed by Jalisco filmmakers
• Socio-environmental Film Award - films addressing environmental, justice, human rights, or urbanization issues
• Ibero-American Short Film - Mexican and Ibero-American fiction or documentary shorts
• Rigo Mora Award - international animation short films in any technique

What Filmmakers Should Know

FICG accepts open submissions from any country, but competition categories are region-specific. The Ibero-American sections are restricted to films from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal. The Mezcal Award is exclusively for Mexican productions. International films outside Ibero-America can compete in the Maguey Award (LGBTQ+ themes), International Animated Feature, Genre Cinema, and Socio-environmental Film Award sections.

The festival's industry programs are where most business activity happens. The Encuentro de Coproduccion selected 17 projects at FICG 40, connecting directors and producers with international co-production partners over three days of intensive meetings. Projects must have a finished script and at least 20% of financing secured to qualify. Guadalajara Construye awarded 16 prizes to 7 titles in post-production at FICG 40, including post-production services from BDC Producciones, El Taller, and Lemon Studio.

The Talent Project Market supports early-career filmmakers from Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, and other Latin American countries. FICG 40 winners received awards from 2.35 Digital, CTT Exp & Rentals, Caffeine Post, Cine Qua Non Lab, and other industry partners. Episodio 0 supports series development, requiring at least 10% of financing secured and a presentation dossier.

For North American distribution, FICG's proximity to the United States and strong attendance from American and Canadian buyers makes it a strategic platform. The festival's Ibero-American focus means buyers attending are specifically seeking Spanish and Portuguese-language content for theatrical, broadcast, and streaming distribution.

Major Awards

FICG 40 (2025) key winners:

• Best Mexican Film (Mezcal Award): Llamarse Olimpia by Indira Cato
• Best Ibero-American Fiction Feature: O ultimo azul by Gabriel Mascaro
• Best Ibero-American Documentary: Tardes de soledad by Albert Serra
• Maguey Award Best Film: Sabar Bonda by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade
• Best Animated Feature: Olivia & las nubes by Tomas Pichardo Espaillat
• Best First Feature (Opera Prima): Molt Lluny by Gerard Oms
• Audience Award: Boca vieja by Yovegami Ascona Mora

Additional awards across categories:

• Best Director (Ibero-American and Mexican competitions)
• Best Screenplay
• Best Cinematography
• Best Performance
• Best Short Film (Ibero-American)
• Best Animated Short Film (Rigo Mora Award)
• Best Jalisco Feature and Short Film
• Best Socio-environmental Film
• FIPRESCI Prize

Festival History

FICG was founded in 1986 as a platform for Mexican and Latin American cinema. The festival grew alongside the Mexican film renaissance of the 1990s and 2000s, which produced directors including Alfonso Cuaron, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and Guillermo del Toro. The festival celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2025 with 30,000 attendees across 297 screenings.

The Encuentro de Coproduccion, now in its 21st year, has become one of the most important co-production markets in the Spanish-speaking world. The festival moved from its traditional March slot to June for FICG 40 in 2025, and FICG 41 shifts to April 17 to 25, 2026. The festival is organized by the Universidad de Guadalajara and the Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes (CONACULTA).

See Also

To calculate the return on your festival submission spending, use the Festival ROI Calculator. For festival circuit planning and strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. For understanding Latin American cinema markets, see International Film Markets. For the FICG industry program, see FICG Industria.