Fabrique du Cinema Awards (12)

Festival start: 15 December 2026      Festival end: 15 December 2026

The Fabrique du Cinéma Awards are the annual film prize promoted by Fabrique du Cinéma, an Italian magazine and cultural platform dedicated to independent cinema, debut films, and emerging talents in Italian and international audiovisual production.

Now in its 12th edition, the Awards have established themselves as a key event in the Italian cultural landscape, attracting filmmakers, screenwriters, producers, and industry professionals from around the world. Over 1,300 submissions are received each year from more than 80 countries.

The ceremony takes place in December in Rome, at the Cinema Hall of the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, and culminates in an award night featuring an international jury, industry panels, and networking with distributors, broadcasters, and film schools.

Prizes include cash awards and distribution contracts on international digital platforms.

Submissions are managed exclusively via Festhome.

General Guidelines for Submission and Participation

1. DATES
The Fabrique du Cinema awards will be held in DECEMBER 2026.



2. FESTIVAL SECTIONS
The "F awards" for the FEATURE FILMS in COMPETITION: 
Best International Documentary Film 

Best International Feature Film 

Best International Short Film 

Best Italian Actor in a Feature Film 

Best Italian Actress in a Feature Film 

Best Italian Debut Feature Film 

Best Italian Innovative Feature Film 

Best Italian Short Film 

Best Italian Soundtrack 

Best Italian TV Series 

Best Short Film Screenplay 

Best TV Series Concept
Best AI Short Film

3. REQUIREMENTS
Only projects that meet the following requirements will be invited to participate in the Official Selection:

Films  must have been completed after January 1st, 2023.

Projects submitted to the Fabrique du Cinema awards must never have taken part in previous editions. This rule applies to all categories.

If participating in the Short Film category, films must not exceed 25 minutes in length, including credits. We accept short films from all over the world. 

If participating in the Feature Film category, films must be at least 60 minutes long. We accept movies from all over the world.

If participating in the Documentary Film category, films must be at least 40 minutes long. We accept movies from all over the world.

If participating in the TV Series Concept category, concepts must be no longer than 15 pages. Concepts must contain logline, plot synopsis, episode synopsis and character profiles. Only PDF files are accepted. We accept concepts from all over the world, written in english or Italian.

If participating in the Italian TV series category, TV series must be at least 180 minutes long. We accept TV series of at least 2 episodes from Italy.

If participating in the Short Film Screenplay category, screenplays must be no longer than 15 pages. Only PDF files are accepted. We accept screenplays from all over the world, written in english or Italian.

Any genre is accepted. Any work that has been shown online is also accepted. 

The Editorial Board of the Fabrique du Cinema awards reserves the exclusive and unconditional right, at its sole and absolute discretion, to select and invite short films, feature films, documentaries and television series to participate in the Festival, irrespective of the standard submission process.
 
 
4. SCREENPLAYS
Only screenplays that meet the following requirements may be chosen for the special award:
The screenplays must be no longer than 15 pages and must be written in standard American screenplay format, with progressive numbering of scenes and pages.
The screenplays can be written in english or Italian.
The only accepted format is PDF.
By submitting the screenplay to this contest, the submitter is declaring they are the only owner of the rights of the submitted screenplay.
Any genre is accepted.
Screenwriters may submit no more than 5 screenplays.
 

5. CONCEPTS
Only concepts that meet the following requirements may be chosen for the special award:
The concept must be no longer than 15 pages.
The concept can be written in english or Italian.
Concepts must contain logline, plot synopsis, episode synopsis and character profiles.
The only accepted format is PDF.
By submitting the concept to this contest, the submitter is declaring they are the only owner of the rights of the submitted concept.
Any genre is accepted.
Screenwriters may be submit no more than 2 concepts.
 

6. SELECTION
Once a film has been selected, it cannot be withdrawn from the Festival programme during the event. Notification of selection will take place by 1 December 2026.


7. JURY
The Editorial Board of the Fabrique du Cinema awards designates the members of the Jury. In keeping with tradition, the Jury President for the Best International Feature Film is selected from the previous year’s winner in that category. Beginning with this edition, the President will be non-Italian, ensuring that the evaluation remains fair, impartial and informed by an international perspective.

No member of the Jury shall have participated, nor be currently participating, in any capacity whatsoever, in the development, financing, production, post-production, distribution, or promotion of any project in competition, nor have any direct or indirect financial or professional interest therein. Any such involvement shall constitute a conflict of interest and shall render the individual ineligible to serve on the Jury.

Decisions will be reached by an absolute majority of votes. 


8. FILMS AND SCRIPTS IN COMPETITION

8a. FEATURE FILMS in COMPETITION
Only 2 feature film per director will be accepted.

The Jury for the Feature Films in Competition shall be required to confer the following awards:
Best International Feature Film;
Best Italian Innovative Feature Film;
Best Italian Feature Film Debut;
Best Italian Actress;
Best Italian Actor;
Best Italian Soundtrack.

8b. SHORT FILMS in COMPETITION
Only 2 short film per director will be accepted.
The Jury for the Short Films in Competition shall be required to confer the following awards:
Best International Short Film;
Best Italian Short Film;
Best AI Short Film.

The Best International Short Film and the Best Italian Short Film will receive a cash prize of €400.
In addition, the Best Italian Short Film winner will gain the unique opportunity to showcase their work to a global audience through distribution on Amazon Prime Video, in collaboration with Direct Digital. 
8c. DOCUMENTARIES in COMPETITION
Only 2 documentary per director will be accepted.
The Jury for the Documentary Films in Competition shall be required to confer the following awards:
Best International Documentary.
 
8d. TV SERIES CONCEPTS in COMPETITION
Only 2 concept per director will be accepted.
The TV series concept awarding categories are:
Best TV Series Concept 
 
8e. SHORT FILM SCREENPLAYS in COMPETITION
Only 5 screenplays per director will be accepted.
The Jury for the Short Film Screenplays in Competition shall be required to confer the following awards:
Best Short Film Screenplay 

8f. ITALIAN TV SERIES in COMPETITION
The Jury for the Italian TV Series in Competition shall be required to confer the following awards:
Best Italian TV Series

9. FILM REGISTRATION AND deadline
Registrations are open from 4th March 2026 until 1st November 2026 via Film Freeway. A submission fee is requested during the registration process. If a film is not selected, the submission fee cannot be refunded.

First deadline: 15th April 2026
Submission fee: 10€

Second deadline: 31st May 2026
Submission fee: 12€

Third deadline: 31st July 2026
Submission fee: 15€

Fourth deadline: 15th September 2026
Submission fee: 17€

Final deadline: 1 November 2026
Submission fee: 20€ euros

These deadlines are subject to change at discretion of the Fabrique du Cinéma awards Team.

10. DOCUMENTATION
Exclusively for the films invited to the Festival: the Programming Office will send a request for complete documentation and provide a list of required material.

 
11. language AND subtitleS
The program and screening times will be established by the Organizers. Foreign films will be screened in their original version with english subtitles. For non english or Italian speaking films, the producers are invited – when possible – to provide an english subtitled print.



12. LEGAL ISSUES
The present rules and regulations have been drawn up in Italian and english. In case of dispute, the Italian version will be final. Application for entry to the Festival constitutes unconditional agreement to all the rules and regulations herein. The Festival Organizers reserve the right to make decisions on matters not specified herein. Any legal disputes shall fall under the jurisdiction of the Roma Courts.

These rules apply to all sections of the Official Selection.

Updated on: 3rd March 2026