IDEAS COMPETITION

As part of the third edition of the UBA International Film Festival (FIC.UBA), we present FIC.UBA LAB, an initiative designed for students of the Audiovisual Design programme at UBA, supporting the development of fiction feature films.

To this end, FIC.UBA LAB launches the 1st Ideas Competition for Fiction Feature Films, aimed at fostering talent and creativity by offering opportunities for project development through specialised mentorships and financial support.

To participate, applicants must submit a presentation of no more than five slides, including a brief description of the idea and reference images. A fully developed project is not required. The competition will value originality and creativity above all.

Submissions will be open from Wednesday, August 20 to Saturday, September 20, 2025, via the following submission form.

A jury composed of faculty members from the Audiovisual Design programme will select ten projects to advance to the mentorship stage. The ten finalists will be announced during the third edition of FIC.UBA.

The selected projects will take part in a six-month mentorship programme, with monthly sessions led by industry professionals in directing, screenwriting, and production. Over this period, teams will begin developing their narrative treatment, aesthetic approach, and production plan. At the end of the programme, finalists will pitch their projects to UBA faculty, industry professionals, and university authorities, and will also submit a written dossier.

In the next stage, a jury will select two winning projects. Each will receive ARS 5,000,000, to be used exclusively for writing the first draft of their screenplay and producing a teaser. At this stage, the winning teams must also include students from at least three different FADU programmes, fostering interdisciplinary and collaborative work.


‍Organisers
FIC.UBA, UBA’s Secretariat for Science and Technology, FADU (School of Architecture, Design and Urbanism, Audiovisual Design programme).


Submission requirements
 Participants must present an original fiction feature film project that includes the following:
‍• Title
• Concept / Idea
• Reference images


Participation conditions
• Each team must include a producer, a screenwriter, and key crew members representing different FADU programmes.
• In the case of an adaptation, proof of rights transfer from the original author must be provided.
‍
Registration is free of charge, and each team may only submit one project.


Prizes  
Two winning teams will each receive:  
• ARS 5,000,000 to be used exclusively for the project’s development (screenplay and teaser).
• A personalised mentorship programme with industry professionals, coordinated by FIC.UBA’s General Direction, supporting the stages of development, production, and final presentation.


Competition objective

The FIC.UBA Ideas Competition aims to stimulate original storytelling in narrative genres that are rarely explored in academia, consolidate real-world interdisciplinary production experiences, and encourage collaboration among students from diverse fields within FADU.

This initiative embodies the spirit of this year’s FIC.UBA: fostering the exchange of knowledge, professionalising creative processes, and strengthening new voices in the Argentine audiovisual landscape.