Italian Film Festival USA – Shorts

Organized by the Italian Film Festival of St. Louis—a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization—the Italian Film Festival USA (IFFUSA) is dedicated to bringing Italian-language cinema to audiences across major American metropolitan hubs. The festival’s mission is to showcase high-quality Italian feature films, documentaries, and short films that have limited or no local exposure in the United States, fostering a deeper appreciation for Italy’s rich culture, landscapes, history, and language.

Expanding across numerous U.S. cities—including historic stops such as Detroit, Indianapolis, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Memphis, Kansas City, St. Louis, Boulder, Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, Boston, Salt Lake City, Madison, and Portland—the festival features an active audience-voting system alongside jury evaluations to honor outstanding cinematic achievements.

Awards, Prizes & Audience Voting

• Shorts Program Curation: Between 5 and 8 short films are curated each season to screen across selected tour cities during dedicated short film evenings.
• Voting Structure: Audience members evaluate each screening via 1-to-5 star rating ballots. The combined scores of audience ballots across all screening cities and city committee jury votes determine the overall festival winner.
• Monetary Award: The director of the winning short film receives a $500 cash prize.
• Feature Recognition: Feature films compete for the overall audience-voted Best Film Award, documented on the festival’s official IMDb event page.
• Scheduling Notice: Festival dates and touring city schedules are subject to adjustment, with organizers keeping selected filmmakers and distributors informed of programming updates.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for consideration, all submitted short films must fulfill the following standards:

1. Italian Connection (Must meet at least ONE):
   • Filmed on location in Italy, OR
   • Directed by an Italian filmmaker, OR
   • Written by an Italian screenwriter, OR
   • Spoken predominantly in the Italian language.
2. Completion & Format:
   • Projects must be 100% completed by the final entry deadline (January 31). No works-in-progress or rough cuts are accepted.
   • Maximum running time is 40 minutes.
   • Animated short films are fully eligible provided they meet the cultural/linguistic criteria.
3. Language & Subtitles:
   • Any film with dialogue in Italian or other non-English languages must include accurate English subtitles.
4. Commercial Availability & Prior Screenings:
   • Projects must not be widely available to the public in the U.S. commercially on DVD, home video, streaming platforms, or digital release prior to festival dates.
   • Shorts that have screened at other film festivals remain completely eligible.

Entry & Submission Procedure

• Preview Screeners: Submissions must be delivered via secure online streaming links (such as Vimeo or comparable platforms). Downloadable files are not accepted for initial review.
• Application Data: Complete the full application form with accurate credits and contact information. Applicants are strongly advised to retain a personal copy of all submitted information.
• Additional Assets: If selected, filmmakers may be asked to provide high-resolution production stills, digital posters, and official press kits.

Judging & Selection Process

Every submission is reviewed in its entirety by the programming committee. Projects are evaluated on comprehensive artistic and technical merits, including:

• Screenplay quality (narrative arc, dialogue, character depth)
• Performance and acting
• Production values, cinematography, and lighting
• Sound design, original score, and audio mixing
• Editing, pacing, and visual storytelling
• Set design, art direction, and use of filming locations
• Indie Filmmaker Boost: The festival actively supports grassroots and independent productions, awarding bonus points to standout shorts completed on low budgets or with minimal crews.
• Notification: All applicants are formally notified of their selection status via email by late February.

Requirements for Selected Projects

• Exhibition Media: Selected entrants must promptly deliver a high-definition exhibition master file upon request.
• Mandatory Director Intro: Every accepted director must provide a short personal video introduction (under 2 minutes) to accompany their film. Failure to deliver this introduction will result in removal from the festival lineup.

Key Rules, Terms & Legal Agreement

• Entry Fees: All submission fees are non-refundable. Separate entry fees are required for multiple entries or for resubmissions following edits.
• Committee Authority: All programming decisions, scores, and jury selections are final.
• Promotional Rights: Submitting grants the festival the right to use excerpts of the film (up to 30 seconds) as well as production stills for promotional, web, catalog, and press purposes.
• Rights & Clearances: Filmmakers warrant that they hold full legal authorization, intellectual property rights, and music licenses for their project. IFFUSA assumes no legal liability for copyright claims, and submitters agree to indemnify the festival from any third-party disputes.
• Lineup Guarantee: Submission does not guarantee placement. Non-compliance with eligibility rules or delivery requirements may lead to disqualification without refund.
• Policy Updates: The festival reserves the right to modify festival terms, scheduling, and rules as necessary.

Festival Contact & Information

• Organization: Italian Film Festival USA (Italian Film Festival of St. Louis)
• Address: 9475 Mackenzie, St. Louis, MO, USA 63123
• Phone: (314) 422-3102
• Email: shorts@italianfilmfests.org
• Website: www.italianfilmfests.org

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