Rules & Regulations

If you have a documentary film, regardless of length, subgenre, or format, you are eligible to register for our Call of Entries. Be part of the 2026 Official Selection and win one of the prizes that will be awarded this year in the different competitive sections.

Register now!

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Regulations

1. The 21^st International Documentary Film Festival of Mexico City will take place from October 22^nd to 30^th, 2026.

2. Each participant may submit one or more films to the Call for Entries.

3. Documentaries may be entered in the following categories. However, the competitive sections will be distributed according to thematic or narrative criteria.

• International Feature Film.
• Latin American Feature Film.
• Mexican Feature Film.
• International Short Film.
• Mexican Short Film.
• Ibero-American Short Film for Children.

Submissions

4. The registration recovery fee is as follows:

• International and Latin American Feature Film: 12 USD ($200 MXN)
• International, Latin American and Ibero-American Short Film for Children: 6 USD ($100 MXN)
• Mexican Feature Film: 200 MXN (12 USD)
• Mexican Short Film: 100 MXN (6 USD)

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 26^th, 2026.

8. Under no circumstances will national entries be accepted after 23:59 on June 30^th, 2026.

9. The date of production should be later than January 1^st, 2025.

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.

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. If necessary, the Artistic Direction may change the film from one section to another, with previous consent.

Participation

17. 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.

18. Once notified the participants will receive further instructions about the required digital formats, physical copies and other materials.

19. All selected documentaries must have Spanish subtitles, in accordance with the Mexican Federal Law of Cinematography.

However, if the distributor or person who submitted the film does not have a subtitled copy in Spanish, DocsMX can provide the subtitling service at an additional cost.

20. All the shipping expenses of the material must be covered by the sender. DocsMX is not responsible for any shipping damage.

21. All shipments and parcels must be clearly marked as follows: «With no commercial value, for cultural purposes only».

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. 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.

25. The filmmakers whose films have been selected may attend the festival under the following conditions: the organization will assume the cost of accommodation (number of nights defined by DocsMX) for those who require it and need to travel to Mexico City, as well as the meals for one person per movie. In the case of co-directions, the organization will pay for a double room and meals for two filmmakers.

25.1. The festival does not cover travel or any other expenses, but can support the search for financing with national institutions to cover these travel expenses. However, requests to these institutions must be made directly by the filmmakers.

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 24^th | Call for Entries opens.
• May 26^th | International deadline.
• June 30^th | National deadline.
• October 22^nd to 30^th | 21^st DocsMX.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact programacion@docsmx.org

Mexico City, February 2026.