International Student Film Festival 2026, Rome, Italy

• novembre 11, 2026
  Date de l'événement :
• 15 novembre 2026
  Fin de l'événement :

À quoi s’attendre en 2026

The International Student Film Festival, also known as CSC – ISFF, is a new international short film festival promoted by the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome. The festival is dedicated to emerging filmmakers from film and audiovisual schools in Italy and around the world, creating a meeting point for students, young directors, screenwriters, actors and other future cinema professionals.

The festival combines film screenings with professional meetings, masterclasses, interdisciplinary laboratories, pitching activities and networking opportunities. Its focus is not only on presenting student films but also on helping emerging talent connect with producers, distributors, broadcasters and digital platforms.

The artistic direction is led by Marco Bellocchio, while an international selection committee and jury of film professionals, critics and academics will evaluate the participating works. Awards are planned for filmmaking, directing, screenwriting, editing, cinematography, animation, audience choice and innovation in cinematic language or technology.

Dates des festivals

The International Student Film Festival 2026 will take place in Rome from November 11–15, 2026. The festival is planned as a five-day programme combining screenings, meetings, training activities and professional networking.

The festival’s official programme is still being prepared, so individual screening times, masterclass schedules and event times should be checked closer to the festival.

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Lieux et lieux de festival

The principal festival location is the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, located at Via Tuscolana, 1520, 00173 Rome, Italy. The CSC’s historic Rome complex is the headquarters of the Italian National Film School and includes educational, production and cinema facilities.

The CSC complex is situated in the Cinecittà area of Rome and is closely connected with the city’s historic film-production district. The site includes screening spaces, classrooms, theatres, laboratories and other facilities associated with film education and production.

As the 2026 festival programme develops, individual rooms and screening spaces may be assigned to specific activities. Visitors should check the official festival programme before travelling to a particular session.

Programme complet

The 2026 programme is designed around five main areas:

• Official short-film screenings featuring finalist works from international film and audiovisual schools
• Masterclasses with directors, writers and other film professionals
• Interdisciplinary laboratories for practical creative development and experimentation
• Pitching Lab sessions where projects can be presented to producers, distributors and platforms
• Industry networking activities connecting students, schools and audiovisual professionals

The festival is intended to function as both a screening event and a professional development platform. This makes the programme particularly relevant to students who want to understand different aspects of contemporary filmmaking while meeting people working within the industry.

The complete programme has not yet been published by the organisers, so individual workshops, talks and screening titles should be confirmed through the official festival channels.

Films en vedette & premières

The central film component will consist of a curated selection of finalist short films submitted by film and audiovisual schools. The competition accepts fiction, documentary, animation and experimental works, giving the festival a broad representation of student filmmaking and contemporary audiovisual approaches.

Eligible films must have a maximum running time of 20 minutes. The regulations also establish production-date requirements and require films that are not in English to include English subtitles.

Individual selected titles, premiere information and competition groupings have not yet been published. Once the official selection is announced, visitors will be able to identify the films representing different schools, countries and cinematic disciplines.

Réalisateurs, acteurs et invités

The artistic direction of the festival is entrusted to Marco Bellocchio, one of Italy’s internationally recognised filmmakers and an important figure within the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia.

The published selection committee includes:

• Silvia Pezzopane, film critic and cultural organiser
• Ilaria Ferretti, film writer and festival communications professional
• Pierfranco Allegri, columnist, screenwriter and film curator
• Leonardo Malaguti, writer and director

An international jury made up of film professionals, critics and professors will award the principal festival prizes.

Additional directors, actors, authors, producers and industry guests may be announced as the programme is finalised. The festival specifically plans meetings and masterclasses with cinema professionals, making guest participation an important part of the event.

Calendrier des projections

The screening schedule will be centred on the selected finalist short films from international film and audiovisual schools. Screenings are expected to form one of the main components of the five-day festival programme.

The organisers have not yet released the complete screening timetable. Visitors should therefore consult the official programme once it becomes available rather than relying on unofficial schedules.

The programme is expected to combine competition screenings with other festival activities, allowing attendees to move between film presentations, professional meetings, educational sessions and special events.

Types de billets et accréditations

Public ticketing and visitor-access details have not yet been fully announced. No confirmed public screening price is currently published by the organisers, and there is no reliable previous-edition ticket price because the 2026 event is the festival’s first edition.

For filmmakers and participating schools, the festival’s submission process has separate application requirements. The published application guidelines list a submission fee of approximately $59 for the standard application and approximately $35 for CILECT members, converted from the official application fees. These are submission fees rather than visitor ticket prices.

Selected filmmakers may receive hosted participation. The organisers state that up to two directors per selected work will be hosted in Rome with accommodation and meals covered by the organisation.

Industrie et accès professionnel

Industry activity is a major part of CSC – ISFF. The festival aims to connect emerging filmmakers with producers, distributors, broadcasters and platforms and to create opportunities for professional development.

The Pitching Lab will provide a setting for presenting projects to industry representatives, while networking activities are intended to connect students, film schools and professionals from Italy and abroad.

Masterclasses will also address cinematic language, creative processes and the dynamics of the audiovisual industry. These sessions are designed to complement the film competition by giving young filmmakers direct contact with experienced professionals.

Tapis rouge & événements spéciaux

The festival’s published programme emphasises official screenings, masterclasses, interdisciplinary labs, pitching and networking rather than a conventional commercial red-carpet format. Special appearances and professional meetings may form part of the festival atmosphere as guests are announced.

The opening and closing activities, award presentations and any special guest events should be confirmed through the official programme when released.

The festival’s emphasis is on emerging cinema and professional exchange, so special events are expected to complement the competition rather than operate as a separate celebrity-focused programme.

Règles du festival

The official regulations establish the festival as a competition for national and international film and audiovisual schools and their students. Students may participate while enrolled or if they graduated from an eligible school within 12 months of the submission deadline.

Each school may submit up to three works. Students from participating schools may also submit independently, with one work permitted for an individual submission.

Key requirements include:

• Maximum film duration of 20 minutes
• Fiction, documentary, animation and experimental films accepted
• English subtitles required for films not in English
• Films must satisfy the production-date requirement established in the regulations
• Required rights, authorisations and music clearances must be secured
• Selected works may be screened as part of the festival and related activities

The official regulations should be consulted for the complete eligibility, technical, rights and submission conditions.

Comment y arriver

The Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia is located on Via Tuscolana in the Cinecittà area of Rome. It is well connected with the wider city through Rome’s public transport network.

Visitors arriving by air can travel into Rome and continue toward the Cinecittà area using the city’s rail and Metro connections. From central Rome, Metro Line A provides a direct route toward the Cinecittà area.

The festival venue is part of the historic CSC complex, making it easy to identify once visitors reach the Via Tuscolana and Cinecittà district.

Transports en commun et stationnement

Metro Line A is one of the most convenient options for reaching the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, with Cinecittà and Subaugusta among the nearby stations. Local bus services also serve the Via Tuscolana area, including routes 213, 502, 503, 520, 548, 558 and 789.

Visitors using public transport should allow additional walking time between the nearest station or bus stop and the specific festival entrance.

Parking arrangements for festival visitors have not been specifically published. Attendees travelling by car should check local parking restrictions and availability around the Cinecittà district before arriving.

Zones d’hébergement

Staying in the Cinecittà, Tuscolana or Appio areas provides convenient access to the festival venue and public transport. These neighbourhoods offer a mixture of hotels, guesthouses, serviced apartments and short-term accommodation.

Visitors who prefer to combine the festival with sightseeing can also stay in central Rome and use Metro Line A to travel toward the Cinecittà area.

For participants travelling specifically for the festival, accommodation information should be checked in advance, particularly if attending several days of screenings and professional activities.

Restauration et restauration

The Cinecittà and Tuscolana districts offer a broad selection of cafés, bakeries, pizzerias, casual restaurants and traditional Roman dining options. Visitors can find food and refreshments around Via Tuscolana and the surrounding residential streets.

For longer festival days, eating close to the venue can be convenient between screenings, workshops and networking sessions. Central Rome also offers a much wider choice of restaurants for visitors planning evening meals after the festival programme.

Because the official festival programme does not currently publish a dedicated food programme, visitors should plan meals independently around their screening and event schedule.

Accessibilité

Accessibility information for individual festival spaces has not yet been published in detail. The Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia is a large historic complex with multiple educational and cultural facilities, so accessibility arrangements may vary between individual spaces.

Visitors requiring step-free access, seating assistance or other accommodations should contact the organisers before attending so that the appropriate arrangements can be confirmed.

The festival’s contact information is provided through the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, which can provide the most accurate information about access to specific screening rooms and event areas.

Meilleures projections à laquelle assister

The official competition screenings should be central to any first visit because they present the selected student films from film and audiovisual schools in Italy and internationally.

Masterclasses are particularly useful for visitors interested in directing, screenwriting, production, cinematography and other filmmaking disciplines. They provide an opportunity to hear directly from experienced directors, authors and industry professionals.

The Pitching Lab and industry networking sessions are also important for students and emerging filmmakers interested in professional connections, project development and potential relationships with producers, distributors and platforms.

Faits marquants de l’année précédente

The International Student Film Festival 2026 is the inaugural edition of CSC – ISFF, so there is no previous festival edition to use for historical highlights. The event has instead been developed as a new international platform connected to the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia and its long-standing film-school tradition.

The first edition is planned around international student short films, professional encounters, masterclasses, interdisciplinary laboratories, pitching and networking.

The festival’s first jury will award prizes for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Animation, Audience Award and innovation in language or technology, with the possibility of additional special mentions.

Billets officiels et accréditation

The official festival website is the main source for programme announcements, screening information, visitor access, participation details and accreditation updates.

International Student Film Festival IT

For festival enquiries, the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia lists +39 06 722941 and csc@cert.fondazionecsc.it. The festival website also provides the dedicated contact address infocscfestival@fondazionecsc.it.

Because the event is a new festival, public ticket prices and the final accreditation system should be confirmed when the organisers publish the completed programme and access information.

Localisation

FAQ