Lakes Noir International Film Festival. (2)

Festival start: 07 October 2026      Festival end: 30 August 2027

Identity and Location

Lakes Noir Film Festival (The Festival of the Lakes)
Lakes Noir Film Festival is a Competitive International Film Festival entirely dedicated to the genres of Thriller, Noir, and Crime (including Italian Giallo, Poliziottesco, and Spy Stories), with a strong emphasis on prestige and artistic quality.

Identity and Atmosphere: "Lakes Noir" in Luino
The event takes place in the stunning setting of Luino, overlooking the shores of Lake Maggiore. This exceptional location creates a unique atmosphere of contrast: the natural elegance of the lake and its historic vistas merge with the darkness and mystery of the stories on screen, offering filmmakers and the audience an open-air set of rare beauty.

Production and Media Coverage

Organization and Network

The Festival is organized and promoted by 7Laghi Cinema in collaboration with SG Academy. This synergy connects the festival world directly with active film production, creating a professional environment where passion for the genre meets the real-world film industry.

Trailer Promotion and Visibility

Thanks to the partnership with the LTV network, the Festival offers an extraordinary promotional showcase. For every selected work, the relative trailer will be promoted across the platform's channels, which boast over 460,000 monthly users. This activity ensures directors viral distribution of their promotional material and high-level journalistic coverage within the international circuit.

Structure and Exclusive Selection

The Program

The Festival spans four intense days, from September 21th to 26th, 2027, alternating screenings, debates with Noir experts, and sessions dedicated to the narrative techniques of the genre, culminating in the final Gala evening.

Selection: Quality over Quantity

Lakes Noir has consciously chosen the path of excellence. We are not a mass-market festival, and we do not seek a high volume of entries; our search is focused on pure talent and the most powerful cinematic visions.

To ensure maximum prestige for every work and total attention from the jury, we have set a rigorous limit: only 12 films in total will reach the final stage. Being selected for Lakes Noir means becoming part of an extremely restricted circle of international cinematic excellence.

AWARDS

The official award of the festival is the "Golden Swan", which will be presented in the following categories:

Best Noir Feature Film: To the film that best reinterprets the genre with originality and technical excellence.

Best Short Film: To the short work capable of condensing tension and mystery.

Best Crime Documentary: To the best narrative of true events or archival investigations.

Special Critics' Mention: For the work that stands out for its linguistic experimentation.

Winners will receive the physical trophy and the official Digital Laurel to be included in the film's promotional materials.

Lakes Noir International Film Festival - Rules & Terms

Eligible Genres: The festival is exclusively dedicated to Noir, Thriller, Crime, Giallo, Mystery, and Spy Story genres. Works belonging to other genres will not be considered.

Production Date: Only works completed after January 1st, 2025, are eligible for submission.

language and subtitles: Entries are welcome in any language.

Pre-selection phase: If the original language is not Italian, the film must have subtitles in either Italian or english.

Final Selection (Public Screenings): For all films selected as finalists, Italian subtitles are mandatory.

The cost and responsibility for translation and synchronization of subtitles lie solely with the participant/producer.

Projection Formats: Finalists must provide a high-resolution screening copy. Accepted formats:

DCP (Digital Cinema Package) – Highly recommended.

Apple ProRes 422 HQ or H.264/H.265 (High Bitrate).
All files must be sent via a secure download link (e.g., WeTransfer, MyAirBridge) within 15 days of the selection notification.

Runtime:

Feature Films: Minimum 60 minutes.

Short Films: Maximum 30 minutes.

Copyright: The participant declares to be the rightful owner of the film's rights and to possess all necessary clearances (music, images, talent). The Festival is not responsible for any copyright infringements.

Selection: The decision of the Selection Committee and the Jury is final and binding. Finalists will be notified by August 31st, 2027.

Promotional Use: By submitting a film, the author authorizes Lakes Noir and LTV to use trailers, excerpts (max 2 minutes), and photographic material for promotional, press, and television/social media communication purposes.

Entry Fees:

Feature Films: €20.00

Short Films: €10.00

Shipping costs for any physical materials or hard drives are the responsibility of the participant.

Acceptance: Submission to the festival implies full acceptance of these regulations.

"Lakes Noir doesn't just look for films; it looks for atmospheres. We reward originality that dares to venture into the darkness."