Torino Underground Cinefest (13)

Festival start: 25 September 2026      Festival end: 04 October 2026

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The 13th Torino Underground Cinefest will take place in late September 2026 at the splendid "Cinema Baretti", in the heart of "San Salvario", one of the city’s most vibrant districts. Once again, this edition confirms the partnership with the distribution company "Piano B", which will ensure theatrical and television distribution of selected feature films and documentaries deemed most suitable for commercialization. Thanks to the collaboration with "Streeen!", several selected titles will also have the opportunity to be distributed via streaming.

Cash prizes will be awarded for Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, and Best Documentary. In addition, special awards will be presented for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Sound Design. An Audience Award and mentions from our media partners are also planned.

The festival is supported by media partnerships and cultural organizations from the region.

*IMPORTANT:* *FOR SALES AND VARIOUS CATALOGUES: NO SCREENING FEES ARE EXPECTED!*

“It is obvious that art cannot teach anyone anything, since in four thousand years humanity has learnt nothing at all.”
― Andrei Tarkovsky

Cash Prizes: 1,500€

-BEST FEATURE FILM
-BEST SHORT FILM
-BEST DOCUMENTARY
-BEST HORROR FILM
-SOONER AWARD
-STREEEN! AWARD
-BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM
-BEST ANIMATION FILM
-BEST DIRECTOR
-BEST SCREENPLAY
-BEST ACTOR
-BEST ACTRESS
-BEST EDITING
-BEST SOUND DESIGN
-BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
-ARTINMOVIMENTO SPECIAL MENTION

*Eight film categories can be submitted to the Festival:*

- *Short Films:* Films with a running time of 1 to 59 minutes.

- *Feature Films:* Films with a running time of 60 minutes or more.

- *Documentaries:* Documentaries with a running time of 1 to 120 minutes.

- *Experimental Films:* A section dedicated to experimental films and video art, with a maximum running time of 40 minutes.

- *Italian Showcase:* A section exclusively for Italian films of all genres, with a duration between 1 and 120 minutes.

- *Insane: a category dedicated to films of any length that stand out for their extreme, radical, and unconventional language.

- *Animation:* Films with a running time of 1 to 59 minutes.

- *Slow (Ambient) Content:* A genre popular for its calming soundscapes, ideal for working, studying, relaxing, meditating, or even sleeping. Slow content can include footage of waves, bike rides, train rides, crackling fireplaces, aerial drone shots over forests, nighttime sky-scapes, scenic nature tours with relaxing music, or an infinite number of possibilities—relaxing music being essential (maximum running time of 90 minutes).

*13th TORINO UNDERGROUND CINEFEST 2026 submissions will be open from September 2025 to August 2026.*

Projects submitted must be the original work of the participant and must not have been completed before January 1, 2020.

All films in a language other than English must be subtitled in English. Exceptions are made for films in Italian or Spanish, which do not require subtitles.

Multiple projects can be submitted, but each project requires a separate submission fee.

By submitting a film to the 13th TUC 2026, you confirm that you own the rights to the film.

All selected films will be screened in a cinema hall in Turin during a public event.

The 13th TUC 2026 reserves the right to make any necessary changes to the final event.

Submission fees are non-refundable.

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*Please note:* Payment of the festival submission fee implies acceptance of the rules and terms outlined. By submitting, the contestant agrees to these terms without exception.

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-- RULES AND TERMS --

1. Organization

The 13th Torino Underground Cinefest is organized by the Cultural Association SystemOut, in collaboration with the Association Baretti.

2. Purpose

The Festival aims to promote and disseminate independent cinema in all its artistic forms.

3. Admission requirements

Only films completed after January 1, 2020 are eligible.

No premiere status is required.

To apply, the submission fee must be paid through Festhome.

4. Official Selection

4.1 Submissions

Opening: September 2, 2025

Closing: mid-August 2026

4.2 Selection process

The selection is carried out by a team of five industry experts, together with the general director and the artistic director.
The decision to include a film in competition or out of competition is final and not subject to appeal.

5. Selected films

5.1 Programming

The invitation to participate must remain strictly confidential until the official announcement of the program.

The definition of the general program and screening schedule is the exclusive responsibility of the Festival management.

5.2 Screening copies

Rights holders of selected works must submit, no later than August 16, 2026:

A DCP in its original version, with Italian subtitles (or English subtitles for Italian films).

Submission must be made exclusively via digital transfer.

Notes:

Subtitling costs are the responsibility of the participants.

Subtitles produced with artificial intelligence services will not be accepted; failure to comply will result in exclusion.

Extensions to the deadline can only be granted in writing by the Festival. However, if copies are not received by September 1, 2026, the screenings will be canceled.

The Festival reserves the right to reject copies that, upon inspection, are deemed unsuitable for proper public screening.

5.3 Festival catalog

All required materials for the Festival catalog (synopsis, poster, cast and crew, director’s biography and complete filmography, director’s photo and stills from the film, a short director’s statement) must be uploaded to the film’s profile on Festhome.

5.4 Official logo

After the official program announcement, all promotional materials must display the official Festival logo provided by the management.

Award-winning films must also include the official graphics indicating the prize received.

6. General rules

Participation in the Festival implies full acceptance of these Regulations.

Producers, distributors, or any other parties submitting the film are responsible for ensuring they have the necessary rights and authorizations to do so.

The Festival Director reserves the right to decide on any matters not covered by these Regulations, as well as to grant specific, motivated exceptions.