Vertical Movie Festival (9)

Festival Start: 30 September 2026      Festival Ende: 02 Oktober 2026

Vertical Movie Festival 2026 – 9th Edition

Vertical Movie Festival is an international film festival dedicated exclusively to vertical cinema (9:16), created to celebrate innovation, experimentation, and new audiovisual languages.

The festival invites filmmakers from all over the world to submit short films created specifically in vertical format.

Main Award

The Overall Winner will receive a professional digital cinema camera:
Canon EOS C50
(value: €3,800)
offered by Canon, Technical Sponsor of the festival.

Festival Dates & Venue

Rome, Italy – Casa del Cinema
September 30 – October 2, 2026

Competition Sections

* Vertical Green
* Vertical Voices
* Vertical AI
* Vertical Open

Technical Requirements

* Maximum duration: 10 minutes (credits excluded)
* Format: Vertical 9:16
* Accepted resolutions:
* 1080 × 1920 (Full HD)
* 2160 × 3840 (4K)
* or higher
* Accepted formats: MP4 / MOV
* Codec: H.264 / H.265

Films may be shot with any device, including smartphones, cameras, or professional cinema cameras.

Submission Deadline

August 31, 2026

Student Entries

Free submission for film students
(valid student ID may be required)


New for 2026

Vertical Talent – Powered by Canon
A special out-of-competition section for filmmakers residing in Italy, dedicated to the development of new vertical film projects.

* Best Director
* Best Screenplay
* Best Cinematography
* Best Editing
* Best Original Score
* Best Story
* Best Vertical AI Film
* Best Vertical Green Film
* Best Vertical Voices Film
* Best Vertical Open Film

Best VerticalMovie Festival Film (Main Award)

The overall winner will receive a Canon EOS C50 (value €3,800) offered by Canon.

Special awards and honorable mentions may also be given.

Vertical Talent – Powered by Canon

(Special Out-of-Competition Section)

This section is reserved for authors residing in Italy, regardless of nationality.

Among the submitted projects, 25 authors will be selected to attend an exclusive online masterclass focused on the language of vertical video and the professional use of the Canon EOS C50, led by a Director of Photography (DOP) or industry professionals.

Among them, 5 projects will advance to the production phase.

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Vertical Talent deadlines

* Opening of submissions: April 26, 2026
* Project submission deadline: July 5, 2026

Production Phase

* Production period: from July 10 to September 10, 2026
* Blackout period: from August 7 to August 16, 2026 (included)
* Final short film delivery: by September 30, 2026

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Participation Conditions

The 5 selected authors will receive, on a free loan agreement basis, a:

Canon EOS C50
(including lens and battery)

Conditions:

* Equipment usage period: up to 3 days
* Shooting location: exclusively within Italian territory
* Production schedule: defined in agreement with the festival organization
* The equipment will be provided free of charge, with no costs for participants, under a loan-for-use agreement

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Note

The completed films will automatically enter competition in future editions of the Vertical Movie Festival.

As this is an out-of-competition section, no prizes will be awarded.

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Official Competition Sections

The official festival sections are:

* Vertical Green
* Vertical Voices
* Vertical AI
* Vertical Open

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Submission Fees & deadlines

Early Bird

April 26 – June 15, 2026

* Standard Fee: €10
* Students: Free submission

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Regular deadline

June 16 – August 10, 2026

* Standard Fee: €15
* Students: Free submission

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Final deadline

August 11 – August 31, 2026

* Standard Fee: €20
* Students: Free submission

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Student Eligibility Conditions

* Free submission is reserved for students currently enrolled in film schools, universities, academies, or training institutions
* Proof of student status may be required
* Each student may submit one film free of charge
* Student benefits cannot be combined with other discounts
* The festival organization reserves the right to verify all declared eligibility requirements


Competition Sections

The Vertical Movie Festival accepts vertical films (9:16) in the following categories:

Vertical Green

Films focused on environment, sustainability, and renewable energy.


Vertical Voices

Stories exploring inclusion, civil rights, and diversity.


Vertical AI

Films created with the support of artificial intelligence.


Vertical Open

Open theme category.

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Technical Requirements

* Maximum duration: 10 minutes (end credits excluded)
* Format: Vertical 9:16 (or equivalent)
* Accepted resolutions:
* 1080 × 1920 (Full HD)
* 2160 × 3840 (4K / Ultra HD)
* or higher
* Video formats: MP4 / MOV
* Codec: H.264 / H.265

Films may be shot using any recording device, including smartphones, cameras, camcorders, or digital cinema cameras.