Contest rules
ITALIAN CONTEST
The Italian Contest is dedicated to national independent productions and is divided into two categories:
- Italian Feature Film Contest, reserved for documentaries with a running time of over 50 minutes.
- New Talent Short Docs Contest, dedicated to short documentaries (first or second works) with a running time of less than 30 minutes.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
- Documentaries completed after January 1st, 2025, are eligible for the Italian Contest.
- Submitted works must be national premieres. Works are excluded if they: have already had public screenings, participated in festivals, been broadcast on television in Italy, or have been released on streaming platforms accessible from Italy.
- The Italian Contest is reserved for independent Italian productions, defined as follows: productions where at least 50% of the funding comes from Italian sources; or minority Italian co-productions, provided the director is of Italian nationality. Note: “Independent productions” refers to works not entirely commissioned by broadcasters.
LANGUAGE AND SUBTITLES:
- Submitted documentaries must be in Italian with English subtitles (hardcoded/burned-in).
- If the film (or parts of it) is in dialect or a language other than Italian, both Italian and English subtitles (hardcoded) are mandatory.
- The production of subtitles (in both languages) is the responsibility of the participating production company; failure to provide subtitles will result in disqualification from the contest.
INTERNATIONAL CONTEST
The Contest is open to feature films that explore our globalized world, highlighting stark contrasts, exceptional characters, alternative models, fascinating collective actions, non-violent rebellions, and stories of hope. We welcome universal or niche narratives spanning various genres and tones, from drama to comedy.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
- International documentaries with a running time of over 65 minutes, completed after January 1st, 2025, are eligible to participate.
- International documentaries are defined as those: produced outside of Italy, where more than 50% of the funding comes from non-Italian sources.
- Documentaries must be Italian premieres. Visioni dal Mondo will not accept works that: have had public screenings in Italy; have been broadcast on television or distributed via the internet in Italy; or have been presented at other Italian festivals.
LANGUAGE AND SUBTITLES:
- Documentaries must be in English or, if in another original language, must include English subtitles (hardcoded).
- The production of English subtitles is the responsibility of the participating production company. The presence of Italian subtitles is appreciated but not mandatory.
- The Festival will screen the selected titles with Italian subtitles specifically created for the event. The rights to the Italian subtitles produced by the Festival belong exclusively to Frankie Show Biz s.r.l.
Juries and Awards
The Festival Management will appoint three independent juries composed of professionals from the film, cultural, and academic sectors, as well as students from Milanese film schools.
a. Italian Contest Awards
- Visioni dal Mondo Award – Italian Feature Films: A cash prize of €5,000 awarded by the Official Jury to the best documentary in the category.
- Visioni dal Mondo Award – New Talent Short Docs: A cash prize of €2,500 awarded by the Youth Jury (composed of film students) to the best short documentary in the category.
- Rai Cinema Recognition, dedicated to Franco Scaglia: Aimed at feature films in the Italian Contest, this award involves the acquisition of television rights for Rai networks.
b. International Contest Awards
- Visioni dal Mondo Award – International Contest: A cash prize of €3,000 awarded by the International Jury to the best international feature film.
c. MYmovies Award: Titles from both the Italian and International Contests could also be available on the MYmovies platform from September 16th to 27th. Films featured on the platform will compete for the MYmovies Award, assigned by the community of film enthusiasts subscribed to MYmovies ONE. For the winning documentary, the award includes a proposal for SVOD distribution on MYmovies ONE for 18 months with a flat fee of €2,000, plus a media communication package of equal value in the event of a theatrical release.
Rules Regarding Awards
- The Management reserves the right to establish additional awards, special mentions, or collateral juries prior to the start of the 2026 edition.
- All winning films (including those receiving special mentions) are required to display the official Festival logo and the specific award received in the opening or closing credits of the screening copy, as well as on all promotional materials (posters, trailers, press kits). Logos will be provided by the Festival office.
Registration procedures
Applications for the Festival must be submitted by completing the official Entry Form available online on the official website. All applications must be submitted no later than May 31st, 2026.
Registration Procedure: Applications must be submitted via the official links:
- Entry Form – 2026 Italian Contest – Feature Films
- Entry Form – 2026 Italian Contest – New Talent Short Docs
- Entry Form – 2026 International Contest
a) For the pre-selection process, the film must be submitted exclusively via a protected link (preferably on Vimeo). The URL and password must be specified in the online entry form.
b) The viewing link and its password must remain active at least until the end of the Festival.
c) Materials submitted for registration (including screeners) will not be returned.
ENTRY FEE
An entry fee of €30.00 (VAT included) is required for each work submitted to cover administrative, secretarial, and pre-selection costs. This fee is non-refundable and must be paid via the following links:
- Submission Fee – Italian Feature Film Contest
- Submission Fee – Italian New Talent Short Docs Contest
- Submission Fee – International Contest
Note: Only films for which the entry fee has been successfully paid will be admitted to the pre-selection phase.
VALIDATION AND REGISTRATION CONFIRMATION
Registration will be considered valid only when:
- The entry complies with the Regulations and the requirements of the call for entries.
- The screener link (URL and password) has been correctly provided.
- The ENTRY FORM has been completed in its entirety.
- The entry fee has been settled.
If the registration is completed correctly, the Festival office will send a confirmation email acknowledging participation in the pre-selection. The official outcome of the selection process will be communicated to the parties involved by July 1st, 2026.
Selection criteria
The selection of documentaries is carried out at the sole and final discretion of the Festival Management. The Directors are not required to provide comments or feedback on the works submitted, either to the applicants or to any other representative of the work.
An official communication will be sent to the selected films, which must be acknowledged and accepted within five working days of receipt. Once the official invitation has been accepted, the documentary cannot be withdrawn from the program.
The official selection will be announced during the press conference (July 2026). It is strictly forbidden to communicate the selection to third parties before this date, unless specific waivers are granted by the Management.
Teams of the selected films are required to include the official Festival logo on all promotional materials (posters, trailers, social media, and websites) and within the screening copy, certifying their participation in the event. The logo will be provided by the Programming Office following official confirmation. Any promotional activity following the program announcement must cite the film’s participation in the 12th Visioni dal Mondo International Documentary Festival using the provided graphics. In the event of an award, it is also mandatory to display the specific award logo, which will be supplied by the same office.
Decisions regarding programming (sections, screening times, and locations) are the exclusive responsibility of the Management and are to be considered final and binding.
The Festival will oversee the production of a catalog featuring the titles selected for screening.
Selected films – materials
The rights holders of the selected works are required to send the following documentation and the necessary copies for the preparation of Festival materials (catalog, website, social networks, promotion, and screening) within five days of confirmation of selection.
All materials must be submitted digitally, unless otherwise agreed upon with the Management. Digital materials should be sent to:
- Italian Feature Film/New Talent Short Docs Contest: italiancontest@visionidalmondo.it
- International Contest: internationalcontest@visionidalmondo.it
a) APPROVED SCREENING FORMATS
Final screening copies must reach the Festival within the established deadlines. A backup copy will remain in the Festival archives for potential non-commercial use.
a. Italian Feature Film Contest
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Main Format: .mp4 or .mov file with the following specifications:
Codec: H.264
Resolution: Full HD 1920×1080 or Ultra HD (4K) 3840×2160
Frame Rate: 24 or 25 fps
Bitrate: Variable 20-30 Mbps
Audio: Stereo AAC/MP4 48000 Hz
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Backup Format: .mp4 or .mov file with the following specifications:
Codec: H.264
Resolution: 1920×1080
Bitrate: Variable max 10 Mbps
Audio: Stereo AAC/MP4 48000 Hz
b. Italian New Talent Short Docs Contest
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Main Format: .mp4 or .mov file with the following specifications:
Codec: H.264
Resolution: Full HD 1920×1080
Frame Rate: 24 or 25 fps
Bitrate: Variable 20-30 Mbps
Audio: Stereo AAC/MP4 48000 Hz
-
Backup Format: .mp4 or .mov file with the following specifications:
Codec: H.264
Resolution: 1920×1080
Bitrate: Variable max 10 Mbps
Audio: Stereo AAC/MP4 48000 Hz
c. International Contest
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Main Format: DCP
Codec: H.264
Resolution: Full HD 1920×1080 or Ultra HD (4K) 3840×2160
Frame Rate: 24 or 25 fps
Audio: Stereo AAC/MP4 48000 Hz
-
Backup Format: .mp4 or .mov file with the following specifications:
Codec: H.264
Resolution: 1920×1080
Bitrate: Variable max 10 Mbps
Audio: Stereo AAC/MP4 48000 Hz
For international titles, documentaries will be screened in English or, if in another original language, must include English subtitles. The production of English subtitles is the responsibility of the participating production company. Italian subtitles are appreciated but not mandatory. The Festival will screen selected titles with Italian subtitles specifically created for the event. To this end, it is mandatory to send the following by July 20th:
- A low-resolution video copy identical to the final cut;
- An .srt file of the English subtitles with timecodes.
FOR ALL SELECTED FILMS: In addition to the screening copies, an online screener link (password-protected) is required, which will be used by the internal Festival staff until the end of the event. Once the selected film’s participation in Visioni dal Mondo is confirmed, the Communications Office reserves the right to use the online screener for private viewings by selected journalists. Furthermore, the online screener link may be shared confidentially by the Programming Office with the members of the Jury.
b) ONLINE SCREENING ON MYMOVIES:
All titles from the Italian and International Contests may also be made available on the MYmovies online platform, subject to agreement with the rights holders. Documentaries will be available online to registered users in Italy, with a maximum limit of 500 views per title. Each title will remain available on-demand from September 16th to 27th, 2026.
- Required Format: .mp4 file, H.264, 1920×1080 or 1280×720, 25 fps, Bitrate 4-16 Mbps (VBR 2-pass export). Files must be submitted according to these technical specifications to ensure the best viewing experience on the platform.
c) PRESS AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL
Rights holders are required to send the documentation necessary for the catalog, website, and promotion (social media/press) within five days of confirmation of selection. The Festival is not responsible for any errors or omissions in the materials received.
Required Documentation (in both Italian and English):
- Logline, Synopsis, Director’s Notes, Director’s Biography and Filmography, Digital Press Kit (if available).
- Full Technical Sheet (Director, Production, Producer, Distribution, Editing, Cinematography, Running Time, Country, Year, Contacts).
- Poster, High-Resolution (HR) film stills (300 dpi), Director’s photo.
- HR Trailer (max 2 minutes) via digital delivery.
The Festival may also use excerpts from the film or trailer (max 3 consecutive minutes) for national/international promotion and within the official Festival trailer/intro.
General rules
These regulations are drafted in both Italian and English. In the event of any discrepancy or interpretive issues, the Italian version shall prevail and be considered the sole authoritative text.
The Festival shall not be held liable for any “intangible” losses suffered by the director, producer, or distributor due to technical issues during screening. In the event of loss or damage to the copy, the Festival’s liability shall be limited to the cost of reprinting the copy according to the rates currently in force in Italy.
It is the responsibility of producers, distributors, or other parties submitting the film to guarantee that they are legally authorized to enter the film in the Festival. By submitting a film for selection through this call for entries, the participant declares that they are the holder of all copyrights and intellectual property rights for the film (including rights relating to any co-authors who do not wish to participate), as well as rights relating to any copyrighted material included within the film.
The Festival cannot be held responsible for the unauthorized inclusion of copyrighted material within or related to the submitted film. The Festival reserves the right to disqualify any film containing unauthorized copyrighted material.
Use of Material by the Festival
Upon the selection of a documentary, the Festival has the right to:
- Use a maximum of five minutes of the documentary for promotional purposes (Festival promotion and online use).
- Use all promotional material related to the documentary to promote the Festival.
- Retain a copy of the documentary in its archives for non-commercial and educational use.
Application for admission to the Festival implies unconditional acceptance of these regulations. The Festival Management is solely authorized to make decisions regarding matters not covered by these regulations. For any disputes, the Court of Milan shall have exclusive jurisdiction.
Hospitality
The Festival provides hotel accommodation for one or two nights for the director of each selected documentary (provided they are not residents of Milan or the Province of Milan) at a hotel partnered with the Festival.
Details regarding the length of stay, specific dates, and any travel benefits (where applicable) will be communicated by the Programming Office at the time of the official notification of selection. Any requests for additional rooms for team members or extended stays can be managed using the Festival’s special negotiated rates, subject to availability and at the applicant’s expense.
Only the local tourist tax is to be paid by the guest and must be settled directly at the hotel.
Following selection, the Festival will provide all information regarding accommodation arrangements; hospitality must be confirmed by the parties involved no later than the deadlines specified in the invitation letter.