Phenomena Festival - São Paulo Premiere Fantastic Film Festival ()

Festival start: 05 December 2023      Festival end: 12 December 2023

At Phenomena Festival, we celebrate the most imaginative and captivating genre films from around the world. From fantasy and sci-fi to horror and thrillers, we're on the hunt for the most unique and surreal films to showcase for a global audience of film enthusiasts.

Our goal is to discover films that not only entertain, but also have a deeper meaning or message hidden within. These are the films that stay with us long after the credits have rolled, the ones that transport us on a journey beyond the ordinary. We believe that genre films offer a rare opportunity to combine art and entertainment in a meaningful way, and we're passionate about promoting and celebrating this type of storytelling.

The festival takes place in the bustling metropolis of São Paulo, Brazil, and in the picturesque coastal town of Paraty, Rio de Janeiro, with a full week of screenings, panel discussions and workshops. As one of the biggest markets for independent films, São Paulo is the perfect location to showcase the best in genre filmmaking.

So if you're a filmmaker or artist with a genre-bending film, we invite you to submit your work to Phenomena Festival. We welcome diversity and originality, and impose no ratings restrictions. Join us for a week of great films and an unforgettable experience. Submit your film now!

For Phenomena Festival 2022 we are remodeling our trophy and starting a new phase for the event. Created by artist Davi Cananea, the Night Mask represents all the mysteries of our worlds, both external and internal. The mask is still on paper and should have its physical version in a few months. It will come with a support and satin ribbon for those who want to use it at masquerade balls or enact their favorite private fantasies. It comes with the power to show us our unconscious facets, dark corners of the soul, as well as bring out our most enlightened and powerful potential. It's a unique and magical item made to honor the best filmmakers on the planet. Stay tuned for news...

Best Feature Film - Phenomena Mask Award
Best Short Film - Phenomena Mask Award
Best Short Animation - Phenomena Mask Award

Other categories will receive our beautiful
certificate. This certificate highlights the significance and value that art represents for the Phenomena Festival, and therefore it is awarded as a quality seal for the uniqueness and mastery of the cinematic arts demonstrated by this work. In our constant search for works that transcend mainstream entertainment, we applaud visions and artists willing to take risks as narratives, films that escape conventional categorization and stories that dwell on the edges between the surreal, the mysterious and the extraordinary. The creation of films and myths is a unique gift that we have as humans, let's celebrate this potential by praising the great directors who participated in the Phenomena Festival 2022.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

GENERAL
By entering the Phenomena Festival the participants recognize the elements they fill are true and they are the original authors of their works and holders of the copyright. The participants agree that the organizing committee has the right to refuse to receive works which may be considered offensive morally, political or religiously. Submission of entries acknowledges the right of the organizers to use them for the publication of the catalog/book of the event (including digital publication), for promotion of the event purposes (including posting in social media and adds) and for an eventual exhibition regarding the Phenomena Festival event. Any different use of the entries needs the participant's approval.

FILM
Eligibility Requirements for the feature film and short film competition (jury award):

- Running time for all feature films must be 70 minutes or more.

- Running time for all shorts must be less than 30 minutes.

- Selected films must be made available in a 35mm composite print, Blu-ray, or DCP.

- All films must be at least a São Paulo premiere and cannot be made available publicly online at any time before the fest.

- Preview screening format is an online screener ONLY - No DVD screeners.

- If submitting more than one film, a separate completed entry is required for each title.

- The submitted films must have Portuguese or at least english subtitles.

ENTRY FEES, deadline, NOTIFICATION, AND SCHEDULING

Entries are scheduled at the discretion of Phenomena Festival. Phenomena Festival retains the right to make changes to the published schedule at any time and for any reason. Films may be screened more than once.