call: Punto y Raya Festival 2025
Deadline 29 September 2025
Call for entries
Punto y Raya Festival 2025
Call for Entries
The ninth edition of Punto y Raya Festival will take place December 3-6, 2025, in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Participation is free and submissions are handled through our website. Simply REGISTER in the portal, create your Artist profile (or use the one you created on a previous occasion), and submit your film within your user account.
https://www.puntoyrayafestival.com
-GENERAL RULES
· Submitted films must be made entirely with ABSTRACT IMAGERY, avoiding representational elements such as cars, people, landscapes, texts, etc. The focus should be on shapes, lines, patterns, blotches, color, and expressive elements in their own right.
· All techniques are welcome: drawing, video composition, CGI, scratch, op-art, stop·motion, camera-less film… the possibilities are endless.
· The soundtrack must not contain any words or lyrics, in any language. You may use instrumental music, silence, noise, abstract sounds, sonic landscapes, vocal textures… anything that does not include intelligible speech.
· Maximum duration: 8 minutes.
· Opening and/or closing credits are welcome.
· Films must have been produced in 2022 or later.
· Please submit your film in FULL HD / 1080p (1920 x 1080 / progressive scan). If a DCP version is available, indicate so in the form – we’ll request it if selected.
· You must provide a direct download link or FTP access to your film. Submissions without downloadable files may be disregarded.
· Preferred formats: .MOV or .MP4, using no or high-quality compression when possible.
ELIGIBILITY
This call is open to everyone, worldwide.
· EVALUATION CRITERIA
· Audiovisual synergy: The interplay between image and sound (or silence), and the depth of exploration in this relationship (40%).
· Plastic expression: Use of form, motion, texture, and color or black & white composition (25%).
· Sound design: Creative use and expressive exploration of sound, texture, and sonority (20%).
· Conceptual approach: Originality and depth of the concept – be it formal, aesthetic, or narrative (15%).
· SELECTION
· You may submit as many works as you wish. However, a maximum of two films per artist may be selected for the official competition.
· Submission does not guarantee selection for screening or inclusion in the PYRTV Platform.
· All entrants will be notified by email regarding the outcome of the selection process. Only selected works will appear on our website and in the PYRTV Catalogue
· Images from the selected works, along with texts provided during the submission process, will be published in our information sheets, website, and PYRTV online Catalogue. Accordingly, entrants are kindly requested to prepare their texts carefully, and to submit stills and avatars in high resolution.
· As part of our mission to build a comprehensive resource hub for abstract film, MAD reserves the right to feature information and images from non-selected works in the PYRTV Catalogue – but never the films themselves. Only links to publicly available versions (e.g. Vimeo, YouTube) will be shared
· Promotional trailers and teasers for press may include brief excerpts from selected films, used exclusively for festival outreach.
AWARDS
· An international jury will present three monetary Prizes, and may also grant one Honorable Mention at their discretion.
The awarded films will also receive a Punto y Raya Statuette, created by a Bulgarian artist.
· This year, we’re thrilled to introduce a monetary Student Prize, awarded by a dedicated Jury. If you’re a student (or made your film during your studies) and it isn’t selected for the Official Competition, remember it will receive a second review for possible inclusion in the Student Competition.To be considered, just make sure to check the student box during the submission process.
· And last but not least, an Audience Award, to be determined by festival attendees, who will vote for their favorite film during the event.
The monetary amounts for the four prizes will be announced once an agreement has been formalized with our sponsors and collaborators.
ENTRY RIGHTS
By participating in this call, the artist conveys the non-exclusive rights to screen their work at Punto y Raya Festival 2025 in Bulgaria.
The curated program “Best of PyR 2025”, featuring the finalist and awarded films, will also be presented at partner animation festivals thoughout the following year. By submitting your film, you agree to its inclusion in these touring screenings if it is selected as a finalist or prize-winner. These events are entirely non-commercial and aim to further share and celebrate this creative achievement. The organization will notify all selected authors ahead of each screening.
In the case of special screenings held in other contexts -such as media exhibitions or multi-day events- where revenue may be generated, the organization will personally reach out to each selected artist to discuss the details and ensure that fair artist fees are arranged.
ACCEPTANCE OF THE RULES
Submitting your film/s to this call entails the acceptance of these terms and conditions, as well as the interpretation and decisions of the festival selection committee and jury. Any issues unforeseen in these rules will be sorted out by the festival organizers.
By taking part in our call, participants confirm being the owners of any license, copyrights and image/sound rights. MAD and all other institutions involved decline all legal responsibility for the films and their content.
https://www.puntoyrayafestival.com/
