FestCurtasBH - Belo Horizonte International Short Film Festival

Overview

FestCurtasBH is the Belo Horizonte International Short Film Festival, one of the most important events for the dissemination and promotion of short film production in Brazil. The 28th edition takes place October 30 to November 8, 2026, at Cine Humberto Mauro in the Palacio das Artes, Belo Horizonte, capital of Minas Gerais state. The festival is organized by the Clovis Salgado Foundation (FCS) and the Pro-Cultura e Promocao das Artes Association (Appa), through Cine Humberto Mauro.

The 27th edition in 2025 ran for 10 days from October 31 to November 9, screening programs in person at Cine Humberto Mauro and simultaneously online via the CHM+ platform. The festival accepts short films up to 45 minutes in all genres except advertising films, institutional films, series episodes, and music videos. Films can be submitted in 35mm, 16mm, or digital formats (DCP 2K, 4K, 3D). Submissions are free of charge.

The festival awards the Capybara Trophy across competitive sections for International, Brazilian, and Minas Gerais short films. Winning films in the competitive screenings receive a cash prize of 5,000 reais. The Audience Award winner receives 3,000 reais. The 27th edition also introduced the Jose Zuba Junior Prize, honoring the festival's creator, awarded to artists and collectives contributing to the aesthetic, political, and social vitality of short films.

Submission Process and Fees

Submissions for the 28th edition are open from April 2 to May 17, 2026:

• Submission fee: Free (no fee charged)
• Submission platforms: ShortFilmDepot or the FestCurtasBH website
• Eligibility: Short films completed in 2025 or 2026, up to 45 minutes duration
• Accepted genres: All genres except advertising films, institutional films, series episodes, and music videos
• Accepted formats: 35mm, 16mm, or digital (DCP 2K, 4K, DCP 3D)
• Selection notification: September 2026 (based on 27th edition timeline)
• Full regulations: Available on the FestCurtasBH website

For non-premiere films, the completion date is considered the first public screening date. The selection is made by a specialized curatorial commission, which programs the competitive and specialized showcases.

Key Sections

Competitive Sections

• International Competition - short films from around the world competing for the Capybara Trophy
• Brazilian Competition - Brazilian short films across all genres, competing for Capybara Trophy and cash prize
• Minas Gerais Competition - short films from Minas Gerais filmmakers, with separate jury and awards

Special and Parallel Sections

• Animation - curated animation program
• Children's Program - short films for young audiences
• FilmLab - experimental and innovative short film works
• Midnight Section - late-night programming
• Songs of Earth and Sea - thematic program
• Spell-Films (Filme-Feitico) - curated special program
• The Gestures of Narcisa Hirsch - retrospective/homage program (27th edition)
• Tropical Malady - parallel program
• Urban Archaeologies - parallel program
• Youths Program - short films for and by young filmmakers

Awards and Prizes

Competitive Awards

• Capybara Trophy - Best International Short Film
• Capybara Trophy - Best Brazilian Short Film - 5,000 reais cash prize
• Capybara Trophy - Best Minas Gerais Short Film - 5,000 reais cash prize
• Honorable Mentions - awarded at jury discretion in each competitive section

Audience and Special Awards

• Audience Award (Capybara Trophy) - most voted short film across all competitive and parallel sections, 3,000 reais cash prize. 27th edition winner: Tita: 100 Years of Struggle and Faith by Danilo Candombe
• Jose Zuba Junior Prize - awarded by festival organization to artists, collectives, and film workers contributing to short film vitality. 27th edition inaugural recipient: "Lights, Camera, School in Action" project at Newton Amaral Franco Municipal School in Contagem

27th Edition Winners (2025)

• Brazilian Competition: Americana (Pará) by Agarb Braga and team, recognized for "regional and class decentralization and formal inventiveness"
• Brazilian Competition Honorable Mention: Letters from Absurd (Cartas do Absurdo) by Gabraz (Rio de Janeiro)
• Minas Gerais Competition: Nubia by Barbara Bello (Belo Horizonte), recognized for "aesthetic courage, consistency of formal proposal, and unique way of inhabiting the erotic-urban space"
• Minas Gerais Honorable Mention: Princess Macula and the Sad Song by Mayara Mascarenhas (Sao Joao del Rei)
• Audience Award: Tita: 100 Years of Struggle and Faith by Danilo Candombe

What Filmmakers Should Know

For Brazilian Filmmakers

The Brazilian Competition is one of the most significant competitive platforms for short films in Brazil. The 27th edition jury highlighted "regional and class decentralization and formal inventiveness" in its winning selection, indicating a programming direction that values geographic diversity and formal experimentation beyond Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro production centers. The 5,000 reais cash prize for competitive section winners is above average for Brazilian short film festivals. Films are also made available online via the CHM+ platform during the festival, expanding audience reach beyond Belo Horizonte.

For Minas Gerais Filmmakers

The Minas Gerais Competition is the most important regional platform for filmmakers from the state. The 27th edition jury awarded Nubia by Barbara Bello from Belo Horizonte, with an honorable mention to Princess Macula and the Sad Song by Mayara Mascarenhas from Sao Joao del Rei. The separate jury and dedicated competition section means Minas Gerais films are not competing against the full Brazilian field. For filmmakers based in Minas Gerais, this is the primary festival opportunity in their home state.

For International Filmmakers

Submissions are free through ShortFilmDepot or the festival website. The International Competition accepts shorts up to 45 minutes in all genres except advertising, institutional, series episodes, and music videos. The 27th edition honored Argentine experimental filmmaker Narcisa Hirsch, indicating the festival's openness to experimental and non-narrative work. Films must be completed in 2025 or 2026. The festival provides online screening via CHM+ alongside in-person screenings, which means selected films reach audiences beyond those physically present in Belo Horizonte.

Online Distribution

The 27th edition made Minas and Brazil Competitive Programs available online on the Cine Humberto Mauro Mais (CHM+) platform from November 3 to 7, simultaneously with in-person screenings. This online component extends the festival's reach. International filmmakers should note that online availability may affect subsequent festival premiere status eligibility, depending on the requirements of other target festivals.

Itinerant Program

After the main festival in Belo Horizonte, selected films travel to schools and cultural centers in the capital and more than 30 cities in the interior of Minas Gerais state. This itinerant program extends the screening life of selected films well beyond the 10-day festival window, providing exposure to audiences across the state who would not otherwise have access to international short film programming.

Festival History

FestCurtasBH was founded in 1997 by Jose Zuba Junior, making it one of the longest-running short film festivals in Brazil. The festival has operated continuously for 28 editions, maintaining its commitment to short film as a distinct art form rather than a stepping stone to feature filmmaking. The festival is organized through Cine Humberto Mauro, the cinematheque of the Clovis Salgado Foundation, which is the primary cultural institution of Minas Gerais state.

The 27th edition in 2025 honored Argentine experimental filmmaker Narcisa Hirsch with a retrospective program "The Gestures of Narcisa Hirsch" and a catalog publication. The opening session screened Hirsch's silent films, creating what the festival described as "a silent pact in the audience" of more than a hundred people holding their breath in respect for cinema.

The Jose Zuba Junior Prize was introduced at the 27th edition, named after the festival's creator. The inaugural award recognized the "Lights, Camera, School in Action" project at Newton Amaral Franco Municipal School in Contagem, a film education program created in 2017 that focuses on the educational potential of cinema in public schools.

The festival is funded through the Clovis Salgado Foundation, a state-level cultural institution, with additional support from Appa (Pro-Cultura e Promocao das Artes Association). The itinerant program that extends screenings to over 30 cities in interior Minas Gerais reflects the festival's commitment to geographic access, bringing international short film programming to communities outside the capital.

Practical Information

• 28th edition dates: October 30 to November 8, 2026
• Location: Cine Humberto Mauro, Palacio das Artes, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais
• Submission window: April 2 to May 17, 2026
• Submission platforms: ShortFilmDepot or festcurtasbh.com.br
• Submission fee: Free
• Maximum duration: 45 minutes
• Accepted formats: 35mm, 16mm, DCP 2K, DCP 4K, DCP 3D
• Online platform: CHM+ (Cine Humberto Mauro Mais)
• Itinerant program: Post-festival screenings in 30+ cities across Minas Gerais
• Website: festcurtasbh.com.br / English site

See Also

For Brazilian cinema context, see International Film Markets. For festival submission strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. Use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator to evaluate the cost-benefit of submitting to festivals with paid submission fees. For other Latin American festivals, see Festival do Rio in Brazil, Mar del Plata in Argentina, or FICCI Cartagena in Colombia.