Santiago International Film Festival (SANFIC)

Overview

SANFIC (Santiago Festival Internacional de Cine) is Chile's primary international film festival. Founded in 2005 and co-financed by the Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y el Patrimonio, the festival is produced by Storyboard Media and presented by Fundacion Corpartes. The 21st edition (SANFIC 21) ran from 17 to 24 August 2025 in Santiago. The 22nd edition (SANFIC 22) is scheduled for 2 to 8 November 2026.

SANFIC screens approximately 150 films across three official competitions and several non-competitive sections. The festival accepts open submissions for all three competitions. It is not an Academy Award-qualifying festival. It does not operate an official film market, but industry activities include networking events, works-in-progress showcases, and industry panels organized alongside the festival program.

The festival is the most important domestic platform for Chilean filmmakers and the primary venue for international cinema in Chile. Chilean cinema has gained significant international recognition in recent years, with films like "A Fantastic Woman" (2017, Sebastian Lelio) winning the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film and "The Club" (2015, Pablo Larrain) winning the Silver Bear at Berlin. SANFIC is the domestic festival where Chilean filmmakers premiere their work to local audiences and industry.

Submission Fees and Deadlines

SANFIC 22 (2026 Edition)

• Submissions open: 20 July 2026
• Submission deadline: 14 August 2026
• Submission platform: Festhome
• International productions: USD 30
• Chilean productions: Free

Historical Deadlines (SANFIC 21, 2025)

• Submissions opened: 15 April 2025
• Submission deadline: 26 May 2025
• Notification date: 1 August 2025
• Festival dates: 17 to 24 August 2025

Submission fees and deadlines shift year to year. The 2026 edition moved from August to November and adjusted the submission window accordingly. Always verify current dates on the SANFIC website or the Festhome festival page.

Eligibility and Requirements

International Competition

• Open to feature-length fiction and documentary films (60 minutes or longer).
• Films must be completed after 1 February of the year prior to the festival. For SANFIC 22, films must be completed after 1 April 2025.
• Open to 1st through 5th films by a director, both national and international.
• The festival gives priority to national and international premieres.
• Films are screened in their original version with subtitles (Spanish or English).
• Submission via Festhome only.

Chilean Cinema Competition

• Open to feature-length fiction and documentary films of Chilean production or co-production.
• Same completion date requirements as International Competition.
• Chilean films in competition must have English subtitles incorporated into the screening copy.

National Short Film Competition (Cortometraje Talento Nacional)

• Open to Chilean short films (fiction, animation, or documentary).
• Maximum duration: 30 minutes.
• Must be completed after the date specified in the current year's rules.
• Short films must have English subtitles incorporated into the screening copy.

Technical Requirements for Selected Films

• Exhibition format: DCP (Digital Cinema Package) - INTEROP or SMPTE, FLAT or SCOPE, 2K and 4K.
• Sound: 5.1, 7.1, or 2.0 channels.
• Alternative: Apple ProRes 4444, 422 HQ, or Avid DNxHD file.
• Accepted frame rates: 23.98, 24, 25, and 30 fps.
• Subtitles: Spanish or English, depending on the original language. Films spoken in Spanish require English subtitles for competition screenings.

Key Sections

• International Competition - fiction and documentary features, 1st through 5th films
• Chilean Cinema Competition - Chilean features and co-productions
• National Short Film Competition (Cortometraje Talento Nacional) - Chilean shorts up to 30 minutes
• Non-Competitive Sections - curated programs, special screenings, retrospectives
• SANFIC Educa - educational section, may be hybrid (in-person and digital)

Major Awards

Each competition has its own jury. The juries award the following prizes:

International Competition

• Best Film
• Best Director
• Best Performance (Interpretacion)
• Up to two Special Jury Mentions

Chilean Cinema Competition

• Best Film
• Best Director
• Best Performance (Interpretacion)
• Up to two Special Jury Mentions

National Short Film Competition

• Best Short Film
• Up to two Special Jury Mentions

The festival does not publish cash prize amounts for its awards. The primary value of winning at SANFIC is domestic visibility in Chile and the industry recognition that comes with jury selection at the country's most important festival.

What Filmmakers Should Know

SANFIC is the most realistic top-tier festival target for Chilean filmmakers. For international filmmakers, SANFIC provides access to Chilean and South American audiences, but it is not a market festival and does not typically generate acquisition deals for international films. The festival's industry value is strongest for Chilean and Latin American productions seeking regional visibility.

The submission process is straightforward through Festhome. The USD 30 fee for international productions is low compared to major European and North American festivals. Chilean productions submit for free. The festival gives priority to premieres, so films that have not yet screened in Chile or internationally have a competitive advantage in selection.

For Chilean filmmakers, the Chilean Cinema Competition is the most important domestic showcase. Winning or being selected in this competition carries significant weight within Chile's film industry and can support applications for national film funding through the Consejo del Arte y la Industria Audiovisual (formerly CORFO film incentives). Chile offers a 25% tax rebate on qualifying film and audiovisual productions through the Audiovisual Development Fund, and SANFIC selection can strengthen a filmmaker's track record when applying for these funds.

International filmmakers submitting to the International Competition should note that the festival prioritizes 1st through 5th films by a director. If you have directed more than five features, you are not eligible for the International Competition. The festival does not have a separate out-of-competition section for established directors' films, though special screenings and non-competitive sections may include invited films outside the competition structure.

The festival's primary venues are located in Santiago, including Cine Arte Alameda, Cine Hoyts La Reina, and other partner cinemas across the city. The festival is organized by Storyboard Media, a Chilean production and cultural management company, with funding from the Ministry of Cultures and Fundacion Corpartes.

Festival History

SANFIC was founded in 2005 as a small international film festival in Santiago. Over 21 editions, it has grown into the most important film festival in Chile, operating continuously with government and private support. The festival is co-financed by the Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y el Patrimonio, which provides public funding through national cultural grants.

The festival has adapted its format over the years. The 20th edition (SANFIC 20, 2024) ran from 18 to 25 August. The 21st edition (SANFIC 21, 2025) ran from 17 to 24 August. The 22nd edition (SANFIC 22, 2026) shifts to November (2 to 8 November 2026), a scheduling change that moves the festival into the southern hemisphere spring and away from the August winter slot it occupied for most of its history.

Chile's film industry has grown significantly since SANFIC's founding, with Chilean films regularly appearing at Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Toronto. SANFIC has served as the domestic showcase for this growing industry, premiering Chilean films that go on to international festival circuits. The festival has also expanded its industry programming over the years, adding networking events and industry panels alongside its competitive sections.

See Also

For Latin American cinema and international film markets, see International Film Markets. For festival submission strategy, read Film Festival Strategy. For festival entry fee budgeting, use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator. For overall production budgeting, see the Production Budget Calculator.