01.
Read the rules and regulations.
Please read the Call for Entries carefully.
02.
2. Choose your category!
Take a look at the one that’s suitable for you.
03.
Submit your film!
Be part of our Official Selection 2023!
Rules & Regulations
The International Documentary Film Festival of Mexico City, will celebrate its 18th edition from October 12th to 21th, 2023. DocsMX will screen the most outstanding national and international productions in a variety of competitive sections.
We are passionate about documentaries in all their forms and dimensions, and welcome all non-fiction formats.
Submit your film to the call for entries to be a part of the official selection 2023.
We are waiting for your film.
Register now!1. The 18th International Documentary Film Festival of Mexico City will take place from October 12th to 22th, 2023.
2. Each participant may submit one or more films to the Call for Entries.
3. The competitive categories will be distributed by geographic, narrative and thematic criteria, length, and defined as follows:
- International Feature Film.
- Latin American Feature Film.
- Mexican Feature Film.
- International Short Film.
- Mexican Short Film.
- Ibero-American Short Film for Kids.
Submissions
4. The registration recovery fee is as follows:
- International and Latin American Feature Film: $10 USD ($200 MXN)
- International, Latin American and Ibero-American Short Film for Children: $3 USD ($60 MXN)
- Mexican Feature Film: $200 MXN ($10 USD)
- Mexican Short Film: $60 MXN ($3 USD)
4.1 The payment of the recovery fee is made through the gateway provided in the registration form.
4.2 In the case of submitting three or more documentaries, they may request a preferential recovery fee by writing to programacion@docsmx.org.
4.3 Filmmakers from any of the following countries may request a waiver of the recovery fee by writing to programacion@docsmx.org.
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti,
Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Haiti, Iraq, Iran, Kenya, Kurdistan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Palestine, Rwanda, Russia, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan,
Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
5. In order to participate, interested parties must fill out the on-line registration form and pay the registration fee in section 4 of this Call for Entries.
6. We will only receive on-line screeners de Google Drive, Dropbox, Vimeo, FileMail or YouTube. Links must be protected with a password and have the download option enabled (mandatory). Links with invalid passwords will not be considered.
7. Under no circumstances will international entries be accepted after 23:59 on May 24st, 2023.
8. Under no circumstances will national entries be accepted after 23:59 on Jun 30th, 2023.
9. The date of production should be later than January 1st, 2022.
10. The short films should be works of up to 30 minutes including credits. If the film exceeds this length it will be considered as a feature film.
11. We accept films which have been produced, co-produced or distributed, whether or not it has been screened elsewhere.
12. Films must be subtitled in Spanish and/or English language —depending on the original language.
13. For its competitive sections, DocsMX requires Mexico City premiere.
13.1 Films that have been screened online, in any festival or platform, within the Mexican territory before or during the festival will not be considered.
14. All films submitted to the Call for Entries, whether or not selected, will be a part of the festival archive. DocsMX may make use of them, strictly for cultural purposes and in a public and free manner within the Video Library, they may also be considered in other events organized by the festival, with the prior authorization of the owners of the rights of the works.
Selection
15. If the film is selected the programming team will notify the person who submitted the film with instructions and print traffic material requirements, including the editorial information.
16. The Selection Committee includes DocsMX staff and other professionals in the Mexican film industry who follow the quality and creative parameters set by the DocsMX Artistic Direction.
17. If necessary, the Selection Committee may change the film from one section to another, with previous consent.
Participation
18. The selected films will have 15 days from the date of notification to send the film and the required editorial materials. If the film does not comply with the deadline it may be disqualified.
19. Once notified the participants will receive further instructions about the required digital formats, physical copies and other materials. If it is a Mexican film, we will notify you with the specific address and schedule to submit the two required Blu-ray copies for special screenings.
20. Films whose original language is English or any other language must be subtitled in Spanish. However, if the distributor or person who submitted the film does not have a subtitled copy in Spanish, DocsMX can provide the service at an additional cost.
21. All the shipping expenses of the material must be covered by the sender. DocsMX is not responsible for any shipping damage.
22. All shipments and parcels must be clearly marked as follows: «With no commercial value, for cultural purposes only».
23. The festival organization assumes that the producers or directors who submit the films through this Call for Entries are the rights holders of the works for exhibition, exempting DocsMX from any civil or penal responsibilities.
24. If selected, the documentaries in post-production (work in progress) will be accepted as long as the producer or the director guarantees the reception of the film within the dates for the Call for Entries.
25. DocsMX does not pay screening fees in its competitive sections, nor cover extra costs, if the film is sent in a format other than the specified festival format.
Jury
26. The Jury members will consist of international and national reputable personalities within the audiovisual industry and cultural organizations. The Jury will be announced prior to the festival.
27. The Jury members cannot submit any works to this current Call for Entries.
28. DocsMX staff will not be part of the Jury.
29. The Jury’s decision is final.
Final Clause
30. Submitting the film implies the producer or director agrees to these rules and regulations; and its interpretation and application are solely for the organizers.
Important Dates
- February 22th | Call for Entries opens.
- May 24st | International deadline.
- Jun 30th | National deadline.
- October 12th to 21th | 18th DocsMX.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact programacion@docsmx.org
Mexico City, February 2023.
Sign up!
Mexico is waiting for your film!