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Sitges FanPitch and WomanInFan 2026 Calls for Entries Are Now Open

09 Mar 2026
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Exactly three weeks ago we opened the call for film submissions for the 59th edition of SITGES – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia. Today, it’s time to keep moving closer to the world’s greatest celebration of genre cinema through its Industry branch.

 

Once again, Sitges FanPitch and WomanInFan open their doors to receive projects and profiles from artists destined to become the next breakout talents in the cinema we are passionate about.

 

 

Below are all the details and new features for each call for entries. 

 

IV Open Call Fantastic Residence WomanInFan – Sitges Fanlab

 

Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia presents the 4th call for applications for the WomanInFan – Sitges FanLab training grants, as part of the WomanInFan program

 

This initiative by the Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia created to promote the visibility and inclusion of women creators in fantastic cinema offers a new platform for filmmakers working in the genre. It is a training program in a residency format, which will take place during the 59th edition of SITGES – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia.

 

The grant includes:

  • Accommodation, travel, and per diem for the entire 59th edition of the Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia.
  • Access to all Industry sessions of the 59th edition of the Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia.
  • Selected participants will receive intensive guidance from leading experts in the film industry to develop their projects in various areas. The consultations and workshops will take place in Sitges during the Festival.
  • Training through mentorships, one-on-one consultations with experts, screenings, masterclasses, and workshops.
  • Opportunity to present the project within the framework of the corresponding edition of the Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, either in the Industry section and/or in other spaces deemed most appropriate by the festival.

 

Calls for Entries and Registrations

  • Call Opening: March 9, 2026
  • Registration Period:
  • Standard: March 9, 2026 – May 31, 2026 (11:59 PM on May 31) (Registration Fee: 53 euros)
  • Extended: June 1, 2026 – June 30, 2026 (11:59 PM on June 30) (Registration Fee: 63 euros)
  • Call Closing: June 30, 2026 (11:59 PM on June 30). Projects submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.
  • Announcement of Selected Project: September 1, 2026

 

Inscripciones a través de Festhome, FilmFreeWay e Incoproduction.

 

Questions and Issues with Registration

Technical issues with submitting materials to the platforms:

Incoproduction: info@incoproduction.com

Festhome: https://festhome.com/es/faqs#2
 

If you can’t find an answer, contact Festhome at help@festhome.com, via online support chat, on Skype (festhome.festivals), or by phone:

Spain: +34 683 158 619

USA: +1 (516) 85842 85

FilmFreeWay: https://filmfreeway.com/help

Questions about requirements and content: industry.hub@sitgesfilmfestival.com

 

Check the guidelines here

 

Talent Accelerator by WomanInFan

 

This year the traditional Short-Teaser Contest evolves into Talent Accelerator by WomanInFan, an international, competitive call aimed at the professional development of women creators in the field of fantastic cinema. Its goal is to strengthen creative, strategic, and professional skills, providing tools for the autonomous development of audiovisual projects based on cultural and social sustainability principles, while promoting diversity, inclusion, and equality in the film industry. Among all submitted projects, 30 will be selected to participate in the Talent Accelerator by WomanInFan.

 

Strategic Objectives of the Program

  • Promote female creative leadership in fantastic cinema.
  • Provide practical tools for sustainable professional development.
  • Support the consolidation of audiovisual projects with international potential.
  • Promote values of diversity, equality, and inclusion in the audiovisual industry.

 

Target Participants

The call is aimed at professional women, either emerging or experienced creators in the international audiovisual sector, who are interested in developing feature film projects within the fantastic genre.

 

High-Level Professional Training Program

Selected participants will take part in an intensive specialized training program lasting two and a half days, from October 13 to 15, within the framework of Sitges FanLab and alongside the Festival. The training will be led by prominent film industry professionals and will cover the following areas:

  • Script development and analysis
  • Creative talent management
  • Personal branding and professional positioning
  • Evaluation of audiovisual projects
  • Presentation and pitching techniques

The program will place special emphasis on inclusivity, diversity, and equality, both in the pedagogical approach and in the evaluation of the selected projects.

 

Certification

Participants who complete all training sessions will receive a certificate of participation in the Talent Accelerator by WomanInFan.

 

Key Dates

  • Call Opening: March 9, 2026
  • Registration Period:
  • Standard: March 9, 2026 – May 31, 2026 (11:59 PM on May 31) (Registration Fee: 53€)
  • Extended: June 1, 2026 – June 30, 2026 (11:59 PM on June 30) (Registration Fee: 63€)
  • Call Closing: June 30, 2026 (11:59 PM on June 30). Projects submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.
  • Announcement of Selected Project: September 1, 2026

 

Submissions must be made through Festhome, FilmFreeWay and Incoproduction.

 

Questions and Issues with Registration

Technical issues with submitting materials to the platforms:

Questions about requirements and content: industry.hub@sitgesfilmfestival.com

 

Check the guidelines here

 

 

Sitges FanPitch 2026

For the 12th consecutive year, the Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia organizes Sitges FanPitch, its pitch competition for feature film and serial production projects.

Sitges FanPitch is an international pitch contest focused on feature films and serial productions in development within the horror, science fiction, and/or fantastic genres. The initiative continues to aim at discovering the best genre projects and connecting them with leading industry companies. The event will be held in a hybrid format on October 12 and 13, 2026, during the Sitges Festival.

A maximum of five series and seven feature films from around the world will be selected. These will be joined by projects chosen by the Festival at Sitges FanPitch partner film markets and the project selected at Sitges FanPitch Catalunya Imaginaria.

The creators of the selected projects will have the opportunity to deliver a sales pitch and meet with each participating company. Additionally, the five winning feature film projects will be eligible for travel grants for international circulation and to participate, with travel costs covered, in the upcoming Feratum Residency and FantasoLab Residency.

Once again, local talent is supported through the Catalunya Imaginaria label, guaranteeing a spot in the final selection for one Catalan-language project.

In the series category, one winning project will be awarded a cash prize for its development.

For the sixth consecutive year, this edition is complemented by the Showrunners LAB, a seminar providing an introduction and guidance on the role of the showrunner. Selected series projects will have the opportunity for individual mentorship sessions with the showrunners participating in this edition.

 

New Features of This Edition

This year, Sitges FanPitch introduces several notable updates aimed at expanding opportunities for contact and collaboration for the selected projects.

First, the event date has changed: Sitges FanPitch will take place on Monday, October 12, integrating into a new configuration of the Festival’s Industry calendar.

Additionally, the event duration has been extended with the addition of a meeting session on the morning of October 13. This new slot will allow companies and professionals who are not direct program partners to request meetings with the selected projects.

Meetings can be requested through the Festival’s Industry department via a link that will be provided once the selected projects are announced in September. In this way, Sitges FanPitch opens the door to new industry professionals, broadens the reach of the projects, and fosters the creation of new collaborations and professional opportunities.

Finally, this year the call has been expanded to include, for the first time, documentaries specialized in fantastic and genre cinema. This expansion reaffirms the commitment to diversity of perspectives and languages, recognizing documentary as an essential form of exploration, reflection, and expansion of the fantastic imagination. It enriches the call and embraces new forms of expression that engage with the genre through research, memory, and creation.

The Sitges FanPitch Documentary call, promoted by the Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, focuses on documentary projects linked to fantastic and genre cinema. Topics include horror, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, and animation, as well as studies of authors, film movements, cult films, creative processes, and the cultural and industrial impact of the genre. It also welcomes research on new narratives, special effects, makeup, fandom, the history of fantastic cinema, and its contemporary evolution, always approached from an authorial and specialized perspective.

 

Check the guidelines for Sitges FanPitch Documentary

 

AWARDS

Feature Film

  • Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival – NAFF Award: Travel grant including accreditation, travel, and accommodation for one project representative.
  • Fantasia International Film Festival – Frontières Market Award: Travel grant including accreditation, travel, and accommodation for one project representative.
  • Ventana Sur – Blood Window LAB Award: Travel grant including accreditation, travel, and accommodation for one project representative.
  • Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival – BIF Market Award: Travel grant including accreditation, travel, and accommodation for one project representative.
  • Feratum International Fantastic Film Festival – Residencia Feratum Award: Covers the stay, but not travel expenses.
  • FantasoLab Award: Enrollment and direct selection for the Ibero-American Fantastic Film Projects Laboratory – LAB Section. Covers tuition, but not travel or accommodation.

 

Series

  • Sitges FanPitch – Scripted Series Award: Cash prize of 2,500 euros (VAT included) for project development.

 

Key dates

  • Call Opening: March 9, 2026
  • Registration Period:
  • Standard: March 9, 2026 – May 31, 2026 (11:59 PM on May 31) (Registration Fee: 53 euros)
  • Extended: June 1, 2026 – June 30, 2026 (11:59 PM on June 30) (Registration Fee: 63 euros)
  • Call Closing: June 30, 2026 (11:59 PM on June 30). Projects submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.

  • Announcement of Selected Project: September 1, 2026

     

Registrations via Festhome and FilmFreeWay.

 

Questions and Issues with Registration

Technical issues with submitting materials to the platforms:

Questions about requirements and content: industry.hub@sitgesfilmfestival.com

Partner: International Producers Meeting – EIP

 

Check the guidelines for FanPitch here

 

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Submissions are now open for the 59th edition