Cinanima’s international competitions range from animated shorts and features to student films and All Aboard, a section for works that challenge narrative, visual or technical conventions. The Young Dolphin selection addresses younger audiences, while the national competition includes films made by children and young Portuguese directors. Exhibitions, workshops, masterclasses, pitching opportunities and a year-round schools programme extend its focus beyond screenings.
Based in Espinho, Portugal, Cinanima is co-organised by the cultural cooperative Nascente and Espinho City Hall, with origins in a local animation and comics initiative in 1976. It is recognised by ASIFA, and its short-film Grand Prize is an Academy Award qualifying award. The dates for the 50th edition are 6–22 November 2026.
Awards and prizes
International short films: Cinanima Grand Prize – Short Films (Oscar qualifying), Special Jury Prize, +Short – Alves Costa Award for the best film up to 4 minutes, and awards for best animated documentary, commissioned film, experimental film, sound design, screenplay and art direction.
Feature films: Cinanima Grand Prize – Feature Film.
Student films: Cinanima Grand Prize – Student Film – Gaston Roch Award.
All Aboard: Cinanima Grand Prize – All Aboard.
Young Dolphin: awards for the best film for children up to 10, for ages 10 to 15 and for ages 15 to 18.
Audience Award, voted by the festival audience across the international competitions.
National competition: António Gaio Award for the best film, Young Portuguese Director Award for films by children up to 15 and for films by young directors aged 15 to 25.
The international and national juries may also give special mentions.
Festival rules
Cinanima accepts animated works in their final version that have not been submitted to previous editions. Animation follows the ASIFA definition: animated images created with any technique other than live action; films combining live action and animation must be at least 70% animated. For the 2026 edition, films must be completed after 1 January 2025 (feature films after 1 January 2024). Only copyright holders may submit, exclusively through FilmFreeway, with a selection link, two stills, a director photo, a dialogue list in Portuguese or English (.srt) and the signed annexes. Films with dialogue other than English need embedded English subtitles. Submission is free for the International Student Film Competition and the National Competition. Portuguese films may enter both the international and national competitions, except films made by children up to 15.
Categories: Short Films (up to 50 minutes), Feature Films (over 50 minutes), Student Films (up to 30 minutes, directed by students or graduates and produced at art schools, film schools or film training institutions). All Aboard and Young Dolphin are selected by the programming committee from submitted short and student films. National Competition: António Gaio Award or Young Portuguese Director Award (films by children up to 15 made in workshops; films by directors aged 15 to 25).
