Overview
Cinemed (Festival international du cinema mediterraneen de Montpellier) is a competitive festival dedicated to cinema from the Mediterranean basin. The 48th edition runs October 16 to 24, 2026, in Montpellier, France. The festival is the second most important cinema festival in the Mediterranean after Cannes, according to its Wikipedia entry. Cinemed programs feature fiction, feature documentaries, and short films from countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea states, Portugal, and Armenia. The festival's president is Leoluca Orlando, and its artistic director is Christophe Leparc.
The festival was established in 1979 by the Cine-club Jean-Vigo under the original name "Rencontres avec le cinema mediterraneen." In 1989, a competitive section was added and the festival was renamed Festival Cinema Mediterraneen Montpellier. The 2026 edition marks the 48th edition.
Montpellier's location on the French Mediterranean coast and its large student population give the festival natural connections to the cultures it programs. The city's ties to North Africa and the Middle East through immigration history align with the festival's geographic focus.
Submission Details
Submissions are made online through the Cinemed website. The festival accepts open submissions for all competition categories.
Submission fees:
- Feature fiction films: EUR 30 (VAT not included)
- Feature documentary films: EUR 30 (VAT not included)
- Short films: EUR 10 (VAT not included)
- Development Grant projects: EUR 30 (VAT not included)
Payment is made online via credit card only. All fees are non-refundable.
Deadlines for the 48th edition (2026):
- Short films: July 6, 2026
- Development Grant: July 10, 2026
- Feature documentary: July 17, 2026
- Feature fiction: August 21, 2026
Feature fiction eligibility:
- Films completed since July 1, 2025
- Director must be from one of the states in the Mediterranean Basin, the Black Sea states, Portugal, or Armenia
- Running time over 60 minutes
- Must not have been distributed in France (commercially, non-commercially, or on video)
- Accepted screening format: DCP
- Films presented at the 2025 Cinemed cannot be entered in 2026
Short film eligibility:
- Films completed since July 1, 2025
- Director must be from one of the Mediterranean Basin states, Portugal, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, or Armenia
- Maximum running time: 30 minutes
- Subject must relate to Mediterranean themes
- Accepted screening format: DCP
Selected films must provide:
- Artistic and technical sheets
- Director photo (minimum 750x1000 px, 300 dpi, .jpg)
- Film still (minimum 1500x1000 px, 300 dpi, .jpg)
- Synopsis (700 characters max)
- Director bio and filmography (700 characters max)
- Trailer
- DCP with French subtitles by October 2, 2026 (feature fiction) or October 1, 2026 (short films)
Key Sections
- Feature Fiction Competition - Mediterranean feature films competing for the Antigone d'Or
- Feature Documentary Competition - nonfiction films competing for the Prix Ulysse
- Short Film Competition - approximately 30 shorts (fiction, animation, experimental, documentary) in competition and panorama
- Development Grant (Bourse d'aide au developpement) - 36th edition in 2026, pitch sessions on October 20 and 21, 2026
- Country Focus - special programs dedicated to a specific Mediterranean nation each year
- Retrospectives - programs honoring Mediterranean filmmakers
What Filmmakers Should Know
Cinemed is the primary European competitive platform for filmmakers from Mediterranean countries. The Antigone d'Or, the festival's top prize, carries a EUR 15,000 award funded by Montpellier Mediterranee Metropole, with EUR 10,000 going to the French distributor and EUR 5,000 to the filmmaker. This distribution-focused prize structure means the award directly supports theatrical release in France.
The Development Grant (Bourse d'aide au developpement) is a distinct opportunity for filmmakers with projects in development. The 36th edition in 2026 awards grants after pitch sessions held October 20 and 21. The registration fee is EUR 30 (VAT not included), with a deadline of July 10, 2026.
Films selected for the Official Competition are provided to the festival free of charge. If a DCP is encrypted, a KDM set opening for the entire festival period must be sent to kdm@cinemed.tm.fr and regie@cinemed.tm.fr.
The festival does not accept films that were presented for selection at the previous year's edition.
Major Awards
Feature Fiction:
- Antigone d'Or de Montpellier Mediterranee Metropole - EUR 15,000 (EUR 10,000 to French distributor, EUR 5,000 to filmmaker)
- Prix de la Critique Credit Agricole Languedoc - EUR 2,000
- Prix du Public Midi Libre - EUR 2,000
- Prix Jeune Public des activites sociales de l'energie - distribution of winning film through social energy networks
- Prix JAM de la meilleure musique - EUR 1,200
- Prix etudiant de la premiere oeuvre CCU-Crous - EUR 1,500
Short Films:
- Grand prix du court metrage de Montpellier Mediterranee Metropole - EUR 4,000 to filmmaker + EUR 1,000 in post-production services
- Prix du public La Gazette - Titra Film - EUR 1,000 to filmmaker + EUR 500 in DCP services
- Prix Jeune Public Ville de Montpellier - EUR 2,000
- Prix Canal+ - purchase of winning film for broadcast on Canal+
Documentary:
- Prix Ulysse Decipro - Montpellier Mediterranee Metropole - EUR 2,500
2024 Antigone d'Or: To a Land Unknown by Mahdi Fleifel (France/UK/Greece/Germany/Netherlands/Palestine)
Festival History
Cinemed was established in 1979 by the Cine-club Jean-Vigo team under the name "Rencontres avec le cinema mediterraneen." The festival was non-competitive for its first decade. In 1989, a competitive section was inaugurated and the festival took its current name. The Antigone d'Or has been the festival's top prize since the competition was established.
Over 47 editions, Cinemed has built an archive of Mediterranean cinema that covers the film cultures of Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Portugal, Armenia, and the Black Sea states. The festival's competitive structure brings these traditions together in direct comparison, highlighting both shared concerns and distinct national approaches.
The Development Grant was created to support filmmakers with projects in development, not just finished films. The grant has run for 36 editions and has expanded beyond Montpellier to include international workshops.
Past Winners
2024 Antigone d'Or: To a Land Unknown by Mahdi Fleifel (France/UK/Greece/Germany/Netherlands/Palestine). The film premiered at Cannes Directors' Fortnight 2024 and won the Audience Award at Thessaloniki before taking Cinemed's top prize.
2023 Antigone d'Or: Nuit Noire en Anatolie by Özcan Alper (Turkey). The jury president was Pascal Elbe.
2022 Antigone d'Or: Ashkal by Youssef Chebbi (Tunisia/France). The film also won the Prix de la Critique and Prix de la meilleure musique. It was discovered at Cannes Directors' Fortnight and sold internationally by The Party Film Sales. Jour2Fete distributed the film in French theaters.
2021 Antigone d'Or: Hive by Blerta Basholli (Kosovo/Switzerland/Albania/North Macedonia). The jury president was Asia Argento.
Notable Alumni Films
- Ashkal (2022 Antigone d'Or) - after winning at Cinemed, the film received French theatrical distribution through Jour2Fete. The Party Film Sales handled international sales. The film also won the Prix de la Critique at Cinemed, doubling its festival impact.
- Hive (2021 Antigone d'Or) - Blerta Basholli's debut feature previously won the World Cinema Documentary Audience Award at Sundance 2021 and was Kosovo's Oscar submission for Best International Feature Film.
- To a Land Unknown (2024 Antigone d'Or) - Mahdi Fleifel's debut narrative feature premiered at Cannes Directors' Fortnight 2024 and won the Audience Award at Thessaloniki before claiming Cinemed's top prize.
Watch
Submission Tips
- Cinemed restricts competition to filmmakers from Mediterranean Basin states, Black Sea states, Portugal, and Armenia. Verify your country's eligibility before submitting.
- The Antigone d'Or carries a EUR 15,000 award split between the French distributor (EUR 10,000) and the filmmaker (EUR 5,000). This distribution-focused prize structure means the award directly supports theatrical release in France.
- Films selected for the previous year's Cinemed edition cannot be re-entered. Plan your submission timing accordingly.
- The Development Grant (Bourse d'aide au developpement) accepts projects at the script stage, not finished films. The 36th edition in 2026 runs pitch sessions on October 20 and 21 with a EUR 30 entry fee.
- Feature fiction films must not have been distributed in France in any format (commercial, non-commercial, or video) to remain eligible.
Industry Reputation Notes
Cinemed is the primary European competitive platform for Mediterranean cinema. The festival's Antigone d'Or carries a distribution-focused EUR 15,000 prize that directly supports French theatrical release, making it a strategic target for Mediterranean filmmakers seeking French distribution.
Compared to the Cairo International Film Festival, which covers Arab cinema more broadly, Cinemed focuses specifically on the Mediterranean basin including Southern European, North African, and Middle Eastern cinema. The festival's Development Grant adds a project-stage funding dimension that most regional festivals lack.
The festival's 47 editions have built an archive spanning Italian, French, Spanish, Greek, Turkish, Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian, Lebanese, Israeli, and Palestinian cinema. This geographic breadth gives Cinemed a unique position among European festivals focused on regional cinema.
See Also
To calculate the return on your festival submission spending, use the Festival ROI Calculator. For festival strategy guidance, see Film Festival Strategy. For international film markets and distribution, see International Film Markets.
