Film entry regulations
75th Trento Film Festival 2027
1. THE FESTIVAL
The 75th edition of Trento Film Festival is organised by the “City of Trento” International Film Festival of the Mountains and Exploration cultural association, established by CAI – Club Alpino Italiano, the Municipality of Trento, the Municipality of Bolzano and the CCIAAs (Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trades and Agriculture) of Trento and Bolzano, and will be held in Trento from 24 April to 2 May 2027.
Trento Film Festival represents an opportunity to present and promote films of every nationality, genre and duration that deal with the mountains and mountain cultures, highlighting their symbolic significance and reflecting human, historic and social realities, while guided by a spirit of freedom and open dialogue.
2. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
It is possible to submit films of all kinds, formats and durations dealing with one or more of the following themes:
- the mountains and tablelands, with all the related natural, cultural and human aspects;
- the most significant cultural and technical features and human adventure involved in mountaineering;
- environmental protection and sustainable development in the mountains;
- knowledge of geographical areas, peoples and cultures;
- mountain sports, including the various disciplines and their modern development.
3. SECTIONS
3.1 International competition
The competitive section for full-length and short films of any kind, principally of a documentary nature. Full-length works are intended as those with a duration of over 40 minutes. The films compete for the official prizes – the Gentians – awarded by an international Jury. Films that have not been distributed in Italian cinemas are admitted, while admission of films already presented at other festivals will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
3.2 Premieres
A showcase for narrative film set in the mountains, with a selection of films from the main international festivals.
3.3 Special screenings
Special screening events, tributes and restored films, ranging from silent movies to contemporary experimentation. The section may include works of any kind and duration, selected for their historic, artistic or cultural value.
3.4 Highlands
The section dedicated to documentaries of any kind and duration regarding the present day and future of mountain areas and communities around the world, paying particular attention to issues linked to sustainability, social transformation and the safeguarding of local cultures.
3.5 Alp&ism
The section dedicated to documentaries of any kind and duration on mountaineering, climbing, adventure, exploration and mountain sports disciplines, with regard to both historic feats and the new frontiers of vertical and horizontal exploration.
3.6 Near Horizons
The section reserved for films of any kind and duration made by filmmakers born or working in Trentino Alto-Adige and Tyrol or by persons or organisations based in the Euroregion, or which feature places, figures and themes related to the region. The films must not have been shown in Trentino-Alto Adige and Tyrol.
3.7 Destination…
An invitation to learn more about a country and its characteristics through film. Each edition is dedicated to a guest country, presenting a selection of films representing its culture, landscape and identity.
3.8 T4Future
The section for children and families, teachers and pupils. It presents films of any kind and duration designed to encourage the interest of new generations in subjects related to the mountains, nature and sustainability through the language of film.
4. REGISTRATION
Participation in the selection process for the 75th Trento Film Festival is free of charge.
Registration takes place by completing the form at the official festival website:
https://trentofestival.it/2027-submissions/ or via the website of the International Alliance for Mountain Film: https://www.mountainfilmalliance.org/msf.
A link enabling the selection committee to preview the film should be included on the form.
Any change to the final duration of the work must be communicated promptly.
Films not in Italian must be provided with English subtitles, with the exception of films already in English.
As an alternative to a digital link, a hard disk copy may be sent to the following address:
Trento Film Festival – Via S. Croce, 67 – 38122 Trento (ITALY) – Tel. +39 0461986120
Shipping costs are at the participant’s expense. Materials sent from countries outside the European Union should be accompanied by the documents required for customs clearance (pro forma invoice) and state the following: “No commercial value, for cultural purposes only”.
Works already submitted for previous editions of the festival are not eligible for selection.
Deadlines for registration:
Works produced in 2025 and 2026: By 10 January 2027
Works produced in 2027: By 10 February 2027
5. JURIES AND PRIZES
5.1 International competition
An international Jury will award the following official prizes (the Gentians):
- “City of Trento” Grand Prix – Golden Gentian
6,000 € – for the film that best represents the cultural objectives of the festival, being of high artistic quality - Club Alpino Italiano Prize – Golden Gentian
3,000 € – for the best film on mountaineering - City of Bolzano Prize – Golden Gentian
3,000 € – for the best film on exploration or adventure - Silver Gentian
1,500 € – for the best artistic-technical contribution - Silver Gentian
1,500 € – for the best short film - Special Jury Prize
2.000 €
There will be no joint winners. The prizes may be cumulative, with the exception the “City of Trento” Grand Prix – Golden Gentian.
5.2 Audience awards and special prizes
The works admitted may compete for the following audience awards and special prizes, so long as they meet the relevant criteria:
- Audience Award for Best Mountaineering Film: for the best film on the subject, of any length, among those presented at the festival;
- Audience Award for Best Full-Length Film: for the best film over 40 minutes in the competition, excluding those already competing for the Audience Award for Best Mountaineering Film;
- T4Future Award: for the best film in the T4Future section, awarded by a jury of pupils from secondary schools in Trentino;
- Special prizes offered by associations or the festival’s partner organisations, awarded by independent juries. These awards may also go to the same works winning the Gentian awards.
6. SELECTION OF WORKS
6.1 Admission to the international competition and other sections
Admission to the international competition and the other sections shall be decided at the sole discretion of the Festival Management, which will make recourse to a selection committee made up of experts on film, mountaineering, sport and mountain cultures.
Films admitted to the international competition must not yet have been distributed to Italian cinemas. The admission of films already presented at other festivals will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
For admission to the Near Horizons section, films must not have been released in Trentino Alto-Adige and Tyrol.
The admission of works to the international competition or other sections will be notified to participants by the middle of March 2027.
The exclusion of works will also be communicated by mid-April 2027.
The management reserves the right to exclude works that are already available online through free or fee-paying platforms in Italy when the selection process is concluded.
6.2 Screening copies
Screening copies of the works selected must be forwarded following notification of selection, and in any case by no later than 5 April 2027.
If the final version of the work does not correspond with the one sent in at the time of registration, it is the responsibility of the filmmakers and/or producers to provide a new file corresponding perfectly with the version intended for screening, for possible translation and subtitling, and for viewing for professionals and accredited parties only.
6.3 Formats accepted for screening
The formats accepted for screening of the works selected and included in the programme of the 75th edition of Trento Film Festival are as follows:
- DCP (Digital Cinema Package)
- File HD (codec H264 or ProRes, wrapper .mov or .mp4, bitrate at least 30 Mbps)
As an alternative to a digital link, a hard disk copy may be sent to the following address:
Trento Film Festival – Via S. Croce, 67 – 38122 Trento (ITALY) – Tel. +39 0461986120
Shipping costs are at the participant’s expense. Materials sent from countries outside the European Union should be accompanied by the documents required for customs clearance (pro forma invoice) and state the following: “No commercial value, for cultural purposes only”.
The format to be sent and the method of dispatch must in any case be agreed with the Festival’s technical office.
6.4 Subtitles
The cost of preparing subtitles – with the exception of those in Italian – shall be at the participants’ expense.
Specifically:
Films in Italian admitted to the international competition must be provided with subtitles in English;
For all other films selected, transcription of the dialogues or timed subtitles in English must be provided, following notification of selection and in any case by no later than 26 March 2027. If already available at the time of submission, it would be appreciated if they could be sent in advance.
6.5 Promotional material
The following promotional material in digital format must be sent by the date communicated at the time of the invitation: selected photographs, trailers, official poster and any press kit available for distribution to the press.
The festival reserves the right to use excerpts of the works selected, up to a maximum of 2 minutes (or 10% of the total duration in the case of short films) for television broadcasts or on the web, for promotional and non-commercial purposes only.
The filmmakers of the works selected are invited to indicate their participation at the 75th Trento Film Festival and any awards received using the official logo of the festival prepared and provided by the organisation.
7. TRENTO FILM FESTIVAL 365
The ongoing activities of Trento Film Festival 365 provide for distribution of some of the films presented. Subject to agreement with the relevant parties, a selection of films from the 75th edition may therefore be included in screening programmes after the festival.
The film library of CAI – Club Alpino Italiano may also independently request use of the films presented at the festival from the relevant parties for cultural screenings on a non-profit-making basis and on terms to be agreed.
8. CONSERVATION OF THE WORKS
Copies of the films registered will be kept in the festival archives solely for the purpose of internal documentation. To agree the return of any physical media, please write to: mail@trentofestival.it.
9. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Participation at the Festival implies respect for these regulations and the rules on privacy according to EU Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR). For further details, please refer to the full text of the information sheet on the following page: https://trentofestival.it/en/privacy-notice/, and in particular to the paragraph “FILM SUBMISSION”.
It is the responsibility of filmmakers, producers, distributors or other parties presenting films to ensure that they are fully authorised and entitled to submit the films.
The festival management shall have the right to settle all matters not covered by these regulations and to make exceptions to them in special and duly justified cases. For any disputes arising in connection with the interpretation of the individual articles in these regulations, the original version in Italian shall prevail. Trento Court shall have jurisdiction in the event of any disputes.
Trento, 19 June 2026
