FIDBA - Buenos Aires International Documentary Festival

Overview

FIDBA (Festival Internacional de Cine Documental de Buenos Aires) is Argentina's international documentary film festival. The 13th edition runs November 24 to 30, 2026, in Buenos Aires. The 12th edition (November 24 to 30, 2025) screened 60 films in competition from 24 countries at Cines Atlas del Patio Bullrich (Av. del Libertador 750, Buenos Aires).

The 2025 edition awarded Best International Feature to Kuarahy Ara - El tiempo del sol by Hugo Gamarra Etcheverry (Paraguay), a film built on archival materials and research into Paraguayan cinema, spoken in Spanish, Guarani, and French. Best Argentine Feature went to 3000km en bicicleta by Ivan Vescovo. Best Iberoamerican Feature was awarded to Soñé su nombre by Angela Carabali (Colombia). The Best Queer Film award went to Copacabana, 4 de maio by Allan Ribeiro (Brazil), which also won Best Documentary at the Rio Film Festival's Premio Felix.

For documentary filmmakers: FIDBA is the primary documentary-only festival in Argentina and one of the most active in Latin America. Argentine films submit for free. International films pay a submission fee through FilmFreeway. The festival has no attached film market. It is organized by the Fundacion de Altos Estudios en Cine Documental and produced by 996 FILMS SRL.

Submission Details

Submissions are made through FilmFreeway or other authorized digital platforms. The entry form is legally binding upon submission.

Eligibility for 2026 (13th edition):

• Open to Argentine and foreign documentary features and short films
• All productions must have been completed after January 1, 2025
• Films must have Spanish or English subtitles if not in Spanish
• Screening format: DCP (24/25 fps) via download link, with subtitles

2026 submission deadlines:

• Regular deadline: June 13, 2026
• Late deadline: July 4, 2026
• Extended deadline: July 25, 2026

Entry fees:

• Argentine films: Free
• International films: Fees set at different tiers by the platform (FilmFreeway), increasing with each deadline tier
• Fees are non-refundable for submissions that do not meet eligibility requirements

Competition categories:

• a) International Documentary Feature Films - national and international films over 40 minutes
• b) International Documentary Short Films - international films 40 minutes or shorter
• c) National Documentary Short Films - Argentine films 40 minutes or shorter
• d) Latin American Documentary Feature Film Competition - Latin American documentaries over 40 minutes
• e) International Documentary Feature Film Competition "New Filmmakers" - first or second nonfiction film, over 40 minutes
• f) International Competition New Narratives (experimental cinema) - experimental films of any nationality and duration
• g) Argentine Documentary Feature Film Competition - Argentine documentaries only
• h) Thematic Panorama Competition - documentaries addressing Music, Sports, Architecture, or Cinema, over 40 minutes
• i) International Fiction Feature Film Competition "Fictions of the Real" - fiction features that have a documentary relationship
• j) International Feature Film Competition "Queer Doc" - LGBTQI documentaries
• k) International Documentary Competition on Human Rights
• l) International Documentary Competition related to childhood and adolescence

Required materials for selection:

• Completed entry form on the platform
• Link to the film for online viewing (Vimeo, YouTube, etc.)
• Indication of whether the work is final cut, rough cut, or work in progress
• All gaps in the entry form must be filled

Selected films requirements:

• Film synopsis, director biography and filmography, one film still, and full artistic and technical credits
• Festival may use excerpts up to 3 minutes for promotional purposes (10% for short films)
• Selected films will be available in the festival's online Video Library for accredited press and guests
• Screening schedule is decided by festival organizers
• Once submitted and selected, a film cannot be removed from the lineup
• Participants must not publicly disclose their selection until the lineup is announced by FIDBA

Key Sections

• Orbita - International Competition - feature and short documentaries from around the world
• Hemisferio - Iberoamerican Competition - feature and short documentaries from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal
• Austral - Argentine Competition - feature and short documentaries from Argentina
• New Narratives - experimental documentary cinema of any duration
• New Filmmakers - first or second nonfiction features
• Thematic Panorama - documentaries on Music, Sports, Architecture, or Cinema
• Fictions of the Real - fiction features with documentary qualities
• Queer Doc - LGBTQI documentary competition
• Human Rights - documentary competition on human rights themes
• Childhood and Adolescence - documentary competition related to young people
• FIDBA Campus - industry and educational program

What Filmmakers Should Know

For Argentine Documentary Filmmakers

FIDBA is the most important documentary-only festival in Argentina. Argentine films submit for free, making it the most accessible domestic platform for nonfiction work. The Austral competition is dedicated exclusively to Argentine documentaries, meaning Argentine filmmakers compete only against other Argentine productions for the top domestic prize. The 2025 Argentine feature winner, 3000km en bicicleta by Ivan Vescovo, is a personal and territorial documentary about a bicycle journey. The 2025 Argentine short winner was Los no humanos by Ximena Gonzalez.

For Latin American Documentary Filmmakers

The Hemisferio (Iberoamerican) competition gives Latin American, Spanish, and Portuguese filmmakers a dedicated competition section alongside the international categories. The 2025 Iberoamerican feature winner was Soñé su nombre by Angela Carabali (Colombia). Best Director in this category went to Paloma Lopez Carrillo for Decir adios (Mexico), and Best Short Film to La desesperacio de la pell by Mireia Vilapuig (Spain). This means Latin American filmmakers have two paths to recognition: the international Orbita competition and the regional Hemisferio competition.

For International Documentary Filmmakers

FIDBA provides exposure to Buenos Aires's politically engaged, cinephile documentary audience. The Orbita international competition in 2025 included films from Paraguay, Canada, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Mexico, the United States, and other countries. The opening film in 2025 was Copacabana, 4 de maio by Allan Ribeiro (Brazil), which also won the Best Queer Film award. International filmmakers should note that FIDBA is a documentary-focused festival with no attached market, so it is best suited for artistic recognition and Latin American exposure rather than deal-making.

For Experimental and Queer Documentary Filmmakers

FIDBA has dedicated competition sections for experimental documentary (New Narratives) and LGBTQI documentary (Queer Doc), which is uncommon among Latin American festivals. The New Narratives section accepts experimental films of any nationality and duration, making it one of the few Latin American platforms for experimental nonfiction.

Awards

FIDBA presents the FIDBA Award statuette and diploma for 1st place in each competition category. Additional partner awards may include:

• SIGNIS World Award
• Argentinian Association of Documentaries Award
• Argentinian Association of DOP Award
• Argentinian Association of Sound Engineers Award
• Argentinian Association of Editors Award
• CINE.AR Award

2025 winners (selected):

Orbita - International Competition:

• Best International Feature: Kuarahy Ara - El tiempo del sol (Paraguay) - Dir. Hugo Gamarra Etcheverry
• Best International Short: Am I the skinniest person you've ever seen? (Canada) - Dir. Eisha Marjara
• Special Mention (Short): Czyste Niebo (Poland) - Dir. Marcin Kundera

Austral - Argentine Competition:

• Best Argentine Feature: 3000km en bicicleta - Dir. Ivan Vescovo
• Special Mention (Feature): El niño oscuro - Dir. Martin Farina and Mercedes Arias
• Special Mention (Feature): Deserto vertigo - Dir. Rocio Barbenza
• Best Argentine Short: Los no humanos - Dir. Ximena Gonzalez
• Special Mention (Short): Zamana - Dir. Marianela Siccardi

Hemisferio - Iberoamerican Competition:

• Best Iberoamerican Feature: Soñé su nombre (Colombia) - Dir. Angela Carabali
• Best Director: Paloma Lopez Carrillo for Decir adios (Mexico)
• Best Iberoamerican Short: La desesperacio de la pell (Spain) - Dir. Mireia Vilapuig

Best Queer Film:

• Copacabana, 4 de maio (Brazil) - Dir. Allan Ribeiro

Festival History

FIDBA was founded to provide Argentina with a dedicated documentary film festival, complementing the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema (BAFICI), which programs fiction and documentary side by side but does not have a documentary-only focus. The festival is organized by the Fundacion de Altos Estudios en Cine Documental and produced by 996 FILMS SRL.

The festival has grown into Argentina's most important documentary-only event. The 2025 edition (12th) screened 60 films in competition from 24 countries across multiple competition sections, with screenings at Cines Atlas del Patio Bullrich in Buenos Aires. The festival's programming combines international documentary highlights with Argentine nonfiction, creating dialogue between local and global documentary filmmaking.

Argentina's documentary community is one of the most active in Latin America, with Argentine documentarians regularly competing at IDFA, CPH:DOX, and other major international events. FIDBA provides the primary domestic recognition platform for this work.

Past Winners

2025 Winners (13th edition, November 24-30, 2025):

Orbita - International Competition:

• Best International Feature: Kuarahy Ara - El tiempo del sol - Dir. Hugo Gamarra Etcheverry (Paraguay). Built on archival materials and research into Paraguayan cinema. Spoken in Spanish, Guarani, and French.
• Best International Short: Am I the skinniest person you've ever seen? - Dir. Eisha Marjara (Canada)
• Special Mention (Short): Czyste Niebo - Dir. Marcin Kundera (Poland)

Austral - Argentine Competition:

• Best Argentine Feature: 3000km en bicicleta - Dir. Ivan Vescovo
• Best Argentine Short: Los no humanos - Dir. Ximena Gonzalez

Hemisferio - Iberoamerican Competition:

• Best Iberoamerican Feature: Soñé su nombre - Dir. Angela Carabali (Colombia)
• Best Director: Paloma Lopez Carrillo for Decir adios (Mexico)
• Best Iberoamerican Short: La desesperacio de la pell - Dir. Mireia Vilapuig (Spain)

Best Queer Film: Copacabana, 4 de maio - Dir. Allan Ribeiro (Brazil). Also won Best Documentary at the Rio Film Festival's Premio Felix.

2024 Winners (12th edition, October 1-6, 2024, 184 films from 45 countries):

Orbita - International Competition:

• Best International Feature: 1489 - Dir. Shoghakat Vardanyan (Armenia, 76 min, 2023). A personal documentary about the director's brother, who went missing during the Nagorno-Karabakh war.
• Best Director: Pierre-Francois Sauter for Far West (Switzerland, 86 min)
• Best International Short: Getty abortions - Dir. Franzis Kabisch (Germany)

Hemisferio - Iberoamerican Competition:

• Best Iberoamerican Feature: Saturno - Dir. Daniel Tornero (Spain)
• Best Director: Allan Ribeiro for Mais un dia, Zona norte (Brazil)
• Best Iberoamerican Short: Dalmata - Dir. Andrea Franca (Brazil)

Austral - Argentine Competition:

• Best Argentine Feature: KM 5203 - Dir. Patricia Eleanne Ortega
• Best Director: Ines Moldavsky for Israel Desnuda (Argentina, 65 min)
• Best Argentine Short: Recetas para la supervivencia - Dir. Cane Kallsen

2023 Winners (11th edition, October 2-8, 2023):

Orbita - International Competition:

• Best International Feature: Defectors - Dir. Hyun kyung Kim (South Korea/USA, 84 min). A family portrait and historical journey exploring the lasting effects of the Korean War across multiple generations.
• Best Director: Zeca Brito for Hamlet (Brazil)
• Best International Short: Algorithms of beauty - Dir. Milena Trivier (Belgium)
• Special Mention: Llamadas desde Moscú - Dir. Jose Luis Yero (Cuba)

Notable Alumni

• *1489* (2024 FIDBA Best International Feature) - Directed by Shoghakat Vardanyan (Armenia). A first-person documentary about the director's brother, who disappeared during the Nagorno-Karabakh war. The 76-minute film also screened at IDFA and other major international documentary festivals. Its FIDBA win helped build its European festival circuit profile.

• *Defectors* (2023 FIDBA Best International Feature) - Directed by Hyun kyung Kim (South Korea/USA). An 84-minute documentary blending humor and family portrait with historical inquiry into the Korean War's lasting effects. Also won the Special Jury Award at Visions du Reel (Nyon, Switzerland). Screened at Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Centre Pompidou, FIDMarseille, Viennale, BAFICI, and Busan International Film Festival. The FIDBA win was part of a multi-festival award run.

• *Copacabana, 4 de maio* (2025 FIDBA Best Queer Film) - Directed by Allan Ribeiro (Brazil). Won Best Documentary at the Rio Film Festival's Premio Felix in addition to its FIDBA recognition. The film was the opening night selection for FIDBA 2025.

• *A Queda do Ceu* (2024 FIDBA opening film) - Directed by Eryk Rocha and Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha (Brazil). Premiered at Cannes Directors' Fortnight 2024 before opening FIDBA's 12th edition. The film's FIDBA screening was its Argentine premiere.

• *KM 5203* (2024 FIDBA Best Argentine Feature) - Directed by Patricia Eleanne Ortega. Won additional recognition from the Argentine Association of Editors (EDA) for Best Editing, with editing by Julia Straface, Damian Giron, and Patricia Ortega.

Submission Tips

1. Argentine films submit for free. If your film is an Argentine production, there is no submission fee. This makes FIDBA the most accessible domestic platform for Argentine nonfiction work. International films pay through FilmFreeway at tiered rates that increase with each deadline.

1. Target the right competition section. FIDBA has 12 competition categories. Orbita is the international feature and short competition. Hemisferio is for Iberoamerican films. Austral is for Argentine films. New Narratives accepts experimental nonfiction of any duration. Queer Doc is for LGBTQI documentaries. Human Rights is for social justice films. Choose the section that best fits your film's identity, as each has its own jury.

1. Ensure Spanish or English subtitles. If your film is not in Spanish, it must have Spanish or English subtitles. This is a hard requirement. Films without proper subtitles will not be considered.

1. Submit through FilmFreeway. FIDBA uses FilmFreeway as its primary submission platform. The entry form is legally binding upon submission. Have your online viewing link (Vimeo, YouTube, etc.) ready and indicate whether the work is final cut, rough cut, or work in progress.

1. Note the completion date requirement. For the 2026 edition (13th), films must have been completed after January 1, 2025. Films completed before this date are not eligible.

1. Prepare DCP for exhibition. Selected films must be delivered in DCP format (24/25 fps) via download link with subtitles. The festival does not accept other exhibition formats for competitive screenings.

1. Do not disclose selection publicly. Once submitted and selected, a film cannot be removed from the lineup, and participants must not publicly disclose their selection until the lineup is announced by FIDBA. Plan your festival strategy communications accordingly.

Industry Reputation

FIDBA is Argentina's primary documentary-only festival and one of the most active documentary festivals in Latin America. It is not Oscar-qualifying and does not have an attached film market. Its value is in artistic recognition and Latin American exposure.

The 2024 edition screened 184 films from 45 countries across 7 venues, with the industry program LINK featuring 37 projects across WIP, DOC:LAB, and Linkeados formats. The 2025 edition screened 60 films in competition from 24 countries. The festival is organized by the Fundacion de Altos Estudios en Cine Documental and produced by 996 FILMS SRL.

FIDBA fills a gap that BAFICI (Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema) does not: a dedicated documentary-only focus. While BAFICI programs fiction and documentary side by side, FIDBA gives nonfiction its own competitive platform. The festival's programming combines international documentary highlights with Argentine nonfiction, creating dialogue between local and global documentary filmmaking.

The industry program LINK provides connections to other Latin American festivals. 2024 LINK partners included FICVINA INDUSTRIA (Chile), SANFIC (Chile), FAM, SAPCINE, and MAFIZ (Malaga), offering direct selection pathways to these markets. Partner awards include the SIGNIS World Award, CINE.AR Award, and awards from Argentine associations of documentarians, DOPs, sound engineers, and editors.

For international filmmakers, FIDBA offers exposure to Buenos Aires's politically engaged, cinephile documentary audience. It is best suited for artistic recognition and building a Latin American festival profile rather than deal-making.

Watch

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Fernanda Faya discusses winning the Best Documentary Feature Award at FIDBA, offering a firsthand perspective on the festival's awards ceremony and what recognition at Argentina's primary documentary festival means for a filmmaker's career.

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Preview of A Queda do Ceu (The Fall of the Sky), directed by Eryk Rocha and Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha. The film premiered at Cannes Directors' Fortnight 2024 and opened FIDBA's 12th edition, demonstrating the festival's practice of programming Cannes-premiered titles alongside its competition slate.

See Also

To calculate the return on your festival submission spending, use the Festival ROI Calculator. To estimate your probability of acceptance based on festival tier and film characteristics, use the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator. For documentary filmmaking, see Documentary Filmmaking Guide. For Latin American cinema distribution, see International Film Markets. For festival strategy guidance, see Film Festival Strategy.