The 32nd L’Alternativa - Barcelona Independent Film Festival will be held from 13 to 23 November at its main venue, Centre de Cultura Contemporània in Barcelona (CCCB). The call for entries is now open for films wishing to take part in the different sections of this year's film festival. As part of its rich and diverse programme, L'Alternativa features three official competitive sections: Spanish, International Feature Films and International Short Films. All titles submitted must have been produced after 1 January 2024. The deadline for submissions is 1 July 2025, with an extended deadline for late entries by 8 July 2025.

The film festival will award the following prizes to the winners: €6,000 for the best international feature film, €3,000 for the best international short film, and €6,000 for the best Spanish feature film or short film. Of course, L'Alternativa encourages the selected filmmakers to attend the festival in person to accompany the screenings, as the event can help to cover travel and/or accommodation costs. The screenings may also be followed by a discussion with the audience. Full details on how to register for these sections can be found here.

At the same time, the festival’s L'Alternativa PRO section organises conferences, workshops, masterclasses, meetings and Cinema Pendent, a series of activities that supports the development of audiovisual and film projects. Since 2013, this initiative has been dedicated to expanding opportunities within the independent film and audiovisual production sector. With the aim of promoting the creation, production and distribution of the sector, programmes and activities are offered for selected projects. The focus is on fostering their creative potential and identifying the ideal channels for their realisation and circulation.

The entry deadlines are: Development Laboratory (feature-length fiction or hybrid projects in development) from 8 May to 30 June; the same date for Corto y cierro (short film projects) and for Mentoring Projects (feature-length non-fiction or experimental projects). For the EXTREMLAB section (feature film projects linked to schools and universities) the deadlines are from 15 May to 15 July. For Mentoring Acció>Cinema Pendent (feature and short film projects of a social nature linked or needing to be linked to an NGO): from 8 May to 30 June, the same date as for WIP Screenings (feature film projects in post-production).

The assessment criteria will take into account several factors, including whether the project demonstrates artistic risk and uniqueness, regardless of its budget size. They will also assess the originality of their story and narrative approach, the suitability of the budget and the sources of funding planned or confirmed. Additional criteria include whether the creators are just embarking on their career, as well as the professional career of the director, screenwriter, or producer. The selection committee will also take into account whether the creative and technical teams meet gender parity standards, and whether the production model promotes sustainability. Languages spoken by the director, screenwriter, or producer will also be considered, along with the project's connection to Catalonia and/or Extremadura, including shooting locations, co-productions, the involvement of technical or artistic professionals from these regions and the use of co-official languages.

The terms and conditions of the calls for projects are available here.