Call for entries 2023

 

The Montecatini International Short Film Festival is one of the most representative Italian film festivals. Its origins lie in a city whose historical importance in cinema is comparable with the longest-lived festivals in Italy, such as the Venice International Film Festival.

 

The history of cinema in the city of Montecatini Terme dates back a century ago. Already in the Twenties (1926), the annals of the Cinema of the city record the presence of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (co-founders of the United Artists), who inaugurated the first Cinema Hall (Excelsior), promoting at the same time the cinematographic works they produced in America.

 

Italian cinema activities have a close relationship with the spa town of Montecatini. Official sources and books report the historical developments below:

 

«In 1949, the FEDIC, Italian Federation of Cineclubs to which our Cineclub belongs, was born in Montecatini. In 1950, the FEDIC began organizing the National Competition of Amateur Cinema. In the 1970s, Italian filmmakers focused on more committed and up-to-date cinema with the "Manifesto70". In 1978, there was an experimental phase without a competition, a review and sections dedicated to members, non-members, schools and women. In 1979, there was the "Mostra del Film d'Autore" (art-house film festival) and sections dedicated to social issues and customs. The year 1980 is dedicated to the experimental, evolution of innovative and alternative language. Since 1983, the Organizing Committee of Montecatini Terme is dedicated only to the International Festival, while the National Competition is moved to San Giovanni Valdarno. »

 

In 2002, the Montecatini Cinema Association (APS), which organizes the Festival of Montecatini Terme was born in Montecatini Terme: the members are the Municipality of Montecatini Terme, the Fedic, the local Cineclub.

 

Since 2012, the Festival is increasingly characterized by an international profile. The old name changes: MISFF, Montecatini International Short Film Festival stands as a festival promoter of short films from Italian and International independent atuhors. Over the years it began to obtain awards and prestige that soon led it to become an international reference point, becoming a springboard for many filmmakers. Today it boasts the participation of filmmakers from more than 70 countries, multi-year collaborations with film festivals in Ukraine, Portugal, Spain, Russia, France, collaborations with schools, universities, institutes of Italian language and culture, etc.

The training activities created through the MISFF Academy are dedicated to young people from schools in Montecatini Terme and other parts of Italy and Europe. The festival is a promoter of Italian cinema in the world, and at the same time hosts the world's most important filmmakers in Montecatini Terme, creating a crossroads of cultural exchange that feeds the international creative film scene.

 

For an author, presenting their own works at the MISFF Festival of Montecatini Terme is an obligatory or expressly recommended step.

 

The Festival takes place every year in Montecatini Terme in the month of October and is organized using the amazing locations of the thermal city: The Historical Hall of the Excelsior and Tettuccio Spa, and the historical Cinema Halls on Viale Verdi. The Festival has a special regard for promotion and the international scene, and for this reason it organizes every year its own international tour involving the twinned festivals that host innovative cultural formats (MISFF IRS, Montecatini Days, Italian Identities), produced under the guidance of the Montecatini International Short Film Festival.

 

In recent years, the Festival, in addition to the International Competition, has created a platform and a permanent Showcase of the authors. It is also very socially active, with ethnographic-anthropological audiovisual recordings and interviews regarding the various age groups of the population in the territories in which the Festival operates, investigating and recording the present and the life of the communities.

 

Currently the MISFF Festival Community has over 7500 members.

 

Awards & Prizes

Best Short Film

Best Debut Film

Best Italian Film

Best Film Production Company

Best Distribution Company

Best Animation Film

Best Documentary Film

Best Fiction Film

Best Experimental Film

Best Monograph/Biography

Best Enterprise Film

Best Territorial Film

Best Photography Director

Best Actor

Best Actress

Best Cinema & Dance Film

Best Wedding Film

 

Rules & Terms

Welcome to Montecatini, the cradle of cinema since 1926, among its guests there have been some of the greatest interpreters of world Cinema: to give just a few examples, from Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin (1926) to Federico Fellini, Marcello Mastroianni, Nino Manfredi, Alberto Sordi, Enrico Vanzina, Giancarlo Giannini, Alessandro Gassmann, Paolo Virzì and many others.

 

Art. 1 Who can participate:

Films made after January 1st, 2021 or Winners Films,

Films already presented in other Italian or foreign events can participate.

All films must be subtitled in English (English-language works must attach English subtitles in .srt format).

Authors and/or Distributors must attach their artistic profile, personal photos, scene photos and media/press kit.

 

Art. 2- Competitive Sections:

Animation

Documentary

Fiction

Experimental / Video Art

Monographs/ Biographies (Bio & Arts)

Business Cinema, Cinetourism and Territorial Promotion, Migrazioni & Sviluppo,

 

The Monographs/Biographies (Bio & Arts) section refers to films dealing with the biographies, or the entire work, of eminent figures in their field of action, who have actively contributed to improving their sector and its knowledge in Italy and the world.

 

The Business Cinema section refers to works dealing with companies or enterprises, well-known in Italy and worldwide, and their history.

 

The section Cinetourism and Promotion of Territories refers to works that highlight the beauty of the territory in an identity key and its peculiar communities.

 

New section Cinema & Dance explored the stories about Dance on Cinema

Wedding Film, tales and memories of italian wedding

 

Art.3 Length of the Works

Animation up to 20 minutes

Documentaries up to 30 minutes

Fiction up to 20 minutes

Experimental / Video Art up to 15 minutes

Monographs/Biographies (Bio & Arts) up to 15 minutes

Business Cinema, Cinetourism and Territorial Promotion up to 30 minutes

Cinema & Dance Film up to 20 minutes

Wedding Film up to 20 minutes

 

Art. 4 Awards:

Best Short Film

Best Debut Film

Best Italian Film

Best Film Production Company

Best Distribution Company

Best Animation Film

Best Documentary Film

Best Fiction Film

Best Experimental Film

Best Monograph/Biography

Best Enterprise Film

Best Territorial Film

Best Photography Director

Best Actor

Best Actress

Best Cinema & Dance Film up to 20 minutes

Best Wedding Film up to 20 minutes

 

Art. 5 How to participate:

In order to participate in the Festival, it is necessary to register the film that meets the criteria of this announcement through the filmfreeway.com platform.

The artistic direction reserves the right to invite films of particular artistic value.

The following documentation must be submitted along with the film:

A copy of the film for screening, must be available on the platform chosen for entry

Short synopsis

English subtitle file (format .srt)

Film poster (format .jpeg)

Author's photo (format .jpeg)

Film stills from the film (format .jpg)

Company presentation/author profile

 

Art. 6 Entry deadlines:

Regular deadline: June 30, 2023

 

Art. 7 Entry costs:

Regular deadline: 50,00 €

Monographs – Biographies: 250,00 €.

Business Cinema: 250,00 €

Promotion of the Territory: 250,00 €.

Cinema & Dance: 250,00 €

Wedding Film: 250,00 €

 

Art. 8

When submitting a film to the festival the author declares:

I have read, understood and fully comply with all eligibility information, entry rules, conditions and requirements;

To the best of my knowledge, all information entered by me during the application of the work is true;

This work is not subject to or threatened by any litigation;

I am duly authorized to submit this work to the festival;

I certify that I have full rights to the use of the music in the work I entered;

I grant permission to use stills, titles, copy, and/or information from the film for promotional purposes;

I grant permission to view the film directly on the platforms to artistic committees and juries appointed by the festival organization, including popular juries;

I grant permission to screen the film at the Montecatini Terme Festival and in the International Tour called MISFF IRS or MONTECATINI DAYS, including participation and/or presentations in festivals twinned with common projects whose dates and programs will be communicated from time to time, participation in collateral and promotional events anywhere in the world as long as they are organized, participated in and/or authorized by the organization of the Festival or by the Montecatini Cinema APS Association;

Specific clause for periods related to the emergency Covid-19: in case of transfer of the projections of the works and / or the Entire Festival on On Line Platforms and / or Television Networks, the authors still grants the right of projection only and exclusively during the duration of the Festival, including streaming, live or deferred, as long as it is protected with watermarks of the Festival or the Television Network logo over imprinted during the projections, with the legal warnings for misappropriation and / or unauthorized copies. In the event that this clause is deemed incongruous the filmmaker and / or distributor is required to make a written statement for any adjustments.

 

Please note: We do not pay screening fees for screenings during festivals, programs or promotional events organized by us to promote the film and its creator or director. Should the film-maker and/or the authors and/or the distribution agencies request any screening fees, the work will not be admitted.

 

 

Attention: additional authorization to authorize viewing on the On Line platforms identified as partners for the 2023 edition