The University of Los Andes (ULA) consolidated itself as the great winner of the third edition of the Encuentro en Corto: Cine Estudiantil 2026 festival, after winning the top awards and all the honorable mentions of the event held at the National Cinematheque of the Museum of Fine Arts.
Represented by the School of Audiovisual Media (EMA), ULA won first place in the fiction category with “Gael and the Sea,” by Endika López, and first place in documentary with “I Only Need Colors,” by Jorge Colmenares. The Andean institution's dominance was absolute, also securing special mentions in both categories with the works “The Cure,” “Memories About a Little Me,” “Whispers of Water,” and “Ramón.”
The audiovisual event, which drew 1.200 viewers between August 26 and September 6, screened 72 short films from 22 film schools across the country. The awards ceremony also recognized the film "Volver a mí" (UnivFilms Academy), directed by Solange Piñero, with the Audience Award after it received 45 votes.
During the closing ceremony, cultural authorities and members of the jury highlighted the success of the event, which included the participation of 155 people in training workshops, and announced that the winning filmmakers will receive training scholarships, a financial incentive, and technical support in equipment for their upcoming film projects.
