Ferrara Film Festival

Overview

FILM SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2026 EDITION - NOW OPEN! In 2026 FERRARA FILM FESTIVAL will host its 11th edition! The FERRARA FILM FESTIVAL is one of the most popular film festivals in Italy and stands out as the fastest-growing one in the country. It's a global film competition that drew in more than 40,000 attendees during its latest edition, culminating in the Golden Dragon Awards Ceremony. The event encompasses movie-themed collateral events, masterclasses, and entertainment shows. The festival is hosted in the northern Italian City of FERRARA, a UNESCO World Heritage site, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The Ferrara Film Festival is an "IMDB Qualifier Festival" eligible. The Ferrara Film Festival had big movie premieres in its competition, attended by major Italian and international movie stars, as well as world-famous directors, such as GIANCARLO GIANNINI, DANNY GLOVER, JIM SHERIDAN, KEVIN REYNOLDS, PAUL HAGGIS, EDOARDO LEO, ABEL FERRARA, KABIR BEDI, JEREMY PIVEN, STEVEN BAUER, NASTASSJA KINSKI, CAROL ALT, MARTINA STELLA, BILLE AUGUST, ALESSANDRO HABER, STEFANO FRESI, JANE ALEXANDER, CRISTIANA DELL'ANNA, GABRIELE CIRILLI, ROBERTO CIUFOLI, MANUELA ARCURI and many more. FILM CATEGORIES - IMPORTANT INFO: At the Ferrara Film Festival all the selected films will be divided in specific categories by our Organization. Our categories reflect the global nature and relevance of our festival. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? When you submit your film, all you have to do is to choose between “Feature Film”, “Short Film” and “Documentary” then, IF YOUR FILM IS SELECTED, we'll independently put your film in the more specific category (see Awards & Prizes). The awards of the Ferrara Film Festival are called Golden Dragons and they recall the legend and mythological figure of the dragon killed by St. George, which is the Patron Saint of Ferrara. For each edition of the Ferrara Film Festival 3 different juries will be assigned to choose the award winners in all categories. On top of it, special Career Achievement Golden Dragon Awards will be dedicated and given to prestigious personalities in the film Industry. FILM CATEGORIES EXPLANATION The motion pictures, both feature and short films, of a more commercial nature will be included in the category called PREMIERE EVENT, while those of a more authorial nature will be included in the category called PREMIERE AUTORE and the documentaries will fall into the PREMIERE DOCU category. The classic retrospective screenings program category will be called RETRO. Explore our festival on www.ferrarafilmfestival.com

Last updated Sep 4, 2026

Legitimacy Analysis

Trust Signals

Festival Details

FilmFreeway communityGold festival

• Filmmaker

  t was a great honor for me and my team to have our film screened at your wonderful festival. We truly hope that the jury members, the organizers, and cinema lovers enjoyed watching it as much as we enjoyed creating it. We sincerely hope that your festival will become a bridge between us and lead to future collaborations and meetings at upcoming festivals. Wishing you continued success and inspiration in all your future editions.

• Filmmaker

  We are so proud to have taken part in this Film Festival with our project "Deep Black"!!!

• Filmmaker

  Apparently my short narrative was accepted and screened. I accept all superlatives. Thank you.

• Filmmaker

  Honored to have Raised Anchor as a finalist at Ferrara Film Festival. We were not able to attend, but we truly appreciate the recognition and hope to collaborate with the festival in the future.

• Filmmaker

  We were very pleased to reach finalist status at Ferrara Film Festival. It was a meaningful result for the film and one we remember with satisfaction.

FilmFreeway reviews are filmmaker opinions, not our score. Cross-check red flags before paying fees.

Related Festivals in Italy