CIMASUB 2026 Breaks Attendance Records and Submits Its Entries to the Jury

The deadline for submitting entries to CIMASUB 2026 ended yesterday, and it does so with news that fills us with excitement: this 50th edition has seen the highest number of entries in the festival’s history. In such a special year, the response from underwater photographers and filmmakers has exceeded all our expectations. Images and stories have arrived from every corner of the world, once again highlighting the immense passion for the ocean and the need to protect it.

The numbers speak for themselves. We received 42 documentaries and 77 short films, covering a wide range of fascinating topics and, in many cases, carrying an important message about raising awareness and protecting our oceans. We received nearly 700 photographs, including more than 80 environmental awareness photos, which once again demonstrate the participants’ commitment to marine conservation. 70% of the submissions came from international artists, confirming CIMASUB’s increasingly global nature.

These figures not only reflect the festival’s growth but also the growing influence of underwater imagery as a tool for outreach and raising awareness. Every photograph, every short film, and every documentary brings us closer to ecosystems, species, and stories that often remain hidden from view, reminding us of everything that is at stake beneath the surface.

Now begins the jury’s difficult task

Now that the submission period has closed, it’s time to present all these entries to our jury. And it won’t be an easy task.

The team responsible for evaluating the entries is made up of leading professionals in underwater photography and cinematography, with extensive experience in national and international competitions and festivals. For this edition, the jury consists of Dr. Alex del Olmo, Carlos Minguell, Jose Antonio García “Zica,” Esteban Toré, Roberto Suárez García, Jesús J. Insausti, Verónica Mateos Franco, and Iker Zubillaga Sancho. The addition of Luca Keller to the jury brings a fresh, international, and contemporary perspective to this 50th edition. A filmmaker, producer, director of photography, and professional videographer, Keller is the founder of Underwater Lunatics and has a distinguished career in the field of underwater cinematography.

We would like to extend our most sincere thanks to all of them for accepting, once again this year, the responsibility of serving on the CIMASUB jury. Their experience, knowledge, and passion for the underwater world will be essential in selecting the works that will be honored at this very special edition.

Thank you to all participants

We at CIMASUB would like to extend our gratitude to all the photographers, filmmakers, and creators who participated in this year’s competition. Thank you for your time, your effort, and your creativity. Thank you for diving in, observing, waiting, and capturing moments that allow us to discover the beauty, diversity, and fragility of our oceans. And, especially this year, thank you for helping us celebrate our 50-year history doing what we’re most passionate about: bringing the underwater world closer to society through imagery.

The competition ends here for the participants, but it begins now for the jury. Now it’s time to wait; over the next few weeks, the jury will review hundreds of different stories and perspectives, making the selection process very difficult.

Throughout the month of October, we’ll learn which works have been selected, and later, the winners of CIMASUB 2026 will be announced. Once again, thank you for being part of this story. Thank you for making CIMASUB 2026 an edition to remember!