- The total prize money increases by 7% in 2026, reaching €229,000
- Younger viewers will be responsible for choosing the winner of the new Miniminci Award
- Feature films and short films produced after the last quarter of 2025 may be submitted until July 15
The Valladolid International Film Festival (SEMINCI) has opened the submission period for its 71st edition, to be held from October 23 to 31, 2026. Companies and individuals interested in participating in any of the competitive sections for feature films and short films may register for free via the festival’s digital platform until 11:59 p.m. on July 15, 2026 (To access the platform, you must log in with a user account).
At this 71st edition, Seminci will award a total of €229,000 in prizes thanks to a 7% increase in the budget allocation for this purpose from the City Council’s Cultural Foundation for 2026, representing an increase of €15,000. This amount is supplemented by cash prizes paid directly by entities affiliated with Seminci, such as the ESCAC Award for Best New Fiction Director, established in 2025 and worth €5,000.
Another notable new feature is the creation of the Miniminci Award, worth €6,000. This award will be granted after the votes cast by elementary school students attending the screenings in this section are tallied. Additionally, the La Meseta Awards, an initiative launched in 2025 to promote independent cinema, will award €5,000 and €4,000, respectively, to the two best projects from its development lab.
Monetary prizes
The Golden and Silver Spikes of the International Official Competition maintain their prize amounts of €70,000 and €25,000, respectively, as do the Ribera del Duero Award for Best Director (€6,000) and the Pilar Miró Award for New Spanish Directors (€5,000).
In the Meeting Point section, the main prize is worth 30,000 euros, and the FUNDOS Special Prize is worth 10,000 euros. The Grand Prize and Special Prize in the Time of History section are worth 20,000 and 10,000 euros, respectively, and the DOC España Prize for the director of the best Spanish-produced non-fiction film is worth 5,000 euros. The Grand Prize in the Alchemies section (€10,000) and the SEMINCI Joven Prize (€6,000) round out the feature film awards.
The winning short films will receive 6,000 euros for the Golden Spike and 3,000 euros for each of the two Silver Spikes, in addition to other specific awards such as Best European Short Film (€2,000) and Best Spanish Short Film (€3,000).
Most of the prize money will go to distributors and filmmakers to support the release and promotion of the films.
Eligibility Requirements
SEMINCI maintains its commitment to showcasing and promoting films of high artistic merit that contribute to the enrichment of world cinema. Feature films (with a runtime of more than 60 minutes) and short films (with a maximum runtime of 30 minutes) are eligible to participate.
Films entering the various competitions must have been produced after the last quarter of 2025 and may not have been released in theaters, on television, or on platforms accessible from Spanish territory, nor may they have been previously screened at other festivals or events in Spain, whether in competition or out of competition.
The required screening format is DCP, and copies must be submitted by uploading them to the festival’s online platform. All screenings will be in the original language, with subtitles in Spanish or English.