5° University Short Film Contest "Cineminutes for the Ocean"
Bases
Anáhuac University Cancún and Delphinus, within the framework of the 14th Festival of the Oceans of the Mexican Caribbean, invite all university students to participate in the Fifth Annual University Short Film Contest "Cineminutes for the Ocean.”
The goal of this contest is to promote the dissemination of short audiovisual messages to raise public awareness about the importance of understanding and protecting the ocean.
Participants:
Participation is open to all currently enrolled students in any undergraduate or graduate program at any public or private university or higher education institution worldwide.
All audiovisual works submitted to the competition must be original and unpublished, with the participant holding exclusive intellectual property rights. If external audio, video, or image sources are used, they must be in the public domain or royalty-free. Works generated through artificial intelligence are not permitted.
Themes:
The participating short films will focus on ocean conservation in a positive and proactive way, addressing the following themes:
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Climate change.
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Overfishing.
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Plastic pollution.
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Invasive species.
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Conservation of the vaquita (Phocoena sinus).
Requirements:
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Participation is individual.
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Short films must be exactly one minute long and include a title card provided by the organizers, which will be placed at the end of the video. The duration of this card will not be counted as part of the running time (download the title card here). If credits are included, they must appear after the title card and will not be counted as part of the running time. Credits may not include any extra content or they will be counted towards the video duration.
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The one-minute film must creatively present one of the five themes and include a possible solution to the problem presented.
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If the short film is not recorded in Spanish or English, it must be subtitled in one of these two languages.
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Participants may submit a maximum of two (2) short films, but only one will be eligible to win a prize.
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The one-minute film may be recorded with any device or video camera and may be edited using external software.
Video format:
The one-minute film must be submitted in .MP4 format. The video must have a resolution of 1080p (Full HD) - 1920 x 1080 pixels, in landscape format.
Submission of Works:
Participants must register using the following form: https://forms.gle/9M3KvXniQuVqez199 indicating their full name, date of birth, country and city of residence, as well as their educational institution and the title(s) of their short film(s).
Participants must also verify their active student status with a certificate, current student ID, academic transcript, or any other document that serves as proof. This document must be attached to the registration form.
Short films must be attached to the registration form. Each file must be named in the following format: “Title of Short Film”_Participant's Name.mp4”
Short films must be submitted from the date of this announcement until 11:59 PM (GMT -5) on April 12, 2026. Submissions received after the deadline will not be accepted.
Prizes:
First Place: Round-trip to Cancún for one person, including round-trip airfare for one person up to USD 600.00 (six hundred US dollars), departing on a date to be determined during the first week of June 2026, a four-night stay at an all-inclusive hotel in Cancún, Quintana Roo, and a PRIMAX dolphin encounter at a Delphinus habitat, a commemorative medal and certificate. Local transportation in Cancún (airport, awards ceremony, hotel, and dolphin encounter, if needed) will also be provided.
Second Place: Round-trip transportation to Cancún for one person, including round-trip airfare for one person up to USD 600.00 (six hundred US dollars), departing on a date to be determined during the first week of June 2026; a four-night stay at an all-inclusive hotel in Cancún, Quintana Roo; and a PRIMAX dolphin encounter at a Delphinus habitat, along with a commemorative medal and certificate. Local transportation in Cancún (airport, awards ceremony, hotel, and dolphin encounter, if needed) is also included.
Third Place: Round-trip transportation to Cancún for one person, including round-trip airfare for one person up to USD 600.00 (six hundred US dollars), departing on a date to be determined during the first week of June 2026, a four-night stay at an all-inclusive hotel in Cancún, Quintana Roo, and a PRIMAX dolphin encounter at a Delphinus habitat, a commemorative medal and diploma. Local transportation in Cancún (airport, awards ceremony, hotel, and dolphin encounter, if needed) will also be provided.
The three winners will participate in a masterclass in communication and cinematography at Anáhuac University Cancún during the Festival dates.
For international winners, the round-trip flight will depart from the capital city airport of their country, or the airport with the highest volume of international flights, and vice versa. If the winner is not in their country's capital, the winner will be responsible for their own transportation to and from the corresponding airport.
If the winner is a local resident (Cancún, Quintana Roo): One flight to any destination of their choice for one person, up to USD 600.00 (six hundred US dollars)*. This prize is valid for one year from the date the top three winners are announced. The prize also includes a four-night stay at an all-inclusive hotel in Cancún, Quintana Roo, a PRIMAX dolphin encounter at a Delphinus habitat, a commemorative medal, and a certificate.
*No prize can be exchanged for cash. The Festival's organizing team must be notified in advance of all details of the selected trip (date, time, destination, airline) to arrange the purchase. If the selected trip exceeds the aforementioned budget, the winner will be responsible for the additional cost.
Jury:
The entries will be evaluated by a judging panel comprised of representatives from the sponsoring institutions and figures from the Mexican film and communications industries.
This is a contest conducted in good faith. For all controversies and matters not expressly addressed in these rules, Delphinus, through its executives, reserves the right to make the necessary decisions to resolve any situation.
Participation in this contest implies full acceptance of these rules. Prizes may not be exchanged for any other goods, services, or cash. If the winners of the trip to Cancún are unable to travel on the stipulated dates, the prize will be forfeited without liability to the organizers. We recommend that international participants complete the necessary passport or visa procedures (if required) prior to participation.
Participants agree that Delphinus (Operadora Xuna SA de CV) or affiliated companies may use the short films for publication, whether for profit or not, as well as for transmission and retransmission through any means of communication, whether currently known or yet to be developed, and that none of these uses will involve any economic or other compensation, present or future.
Presentation:
A selection of the best works will be presented at an event to be determined, as part of the 14th Mexican Caribbean Oceans Festival. The three winners of the trip to Cancún will be notified in advance so they can attend the event.
All submitted works will be published on the Festival's social media channels.
For more information, as well as to view our personal data privacy notice, please visit the Oceans Festival website: