Overtime Sport Film Festival (16)

Фестиваль начинается: 07 Октябрь 2026      Фестиваль заканчивается: 11 Октябрь 2026

The Pindaro Cultural Association is organizing the OVERTIME FESTIVAL, which will take place from October 7 to 11, 2026, in Macerata (Italy).

The festival’s main objective is to promote sports, athletic participation, and sports ethics through all forms of art, craftsmanship, and media.

In this context, the Pindaro Cultural Association is organizing the 2026 OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL, an international competition for short films, feature films, and social documentaries, with the goal of promoting, disseminating, and raising the profile of emerging cinema. The event also aims to create a gathering in Italy where directors, videographers, industry professionals, and ordinary film and sports enthusiasts can exchange ideas and bring their diverse experiences together.

Awards:

- Best Short Film;
- Best Director;
- Best Screenplay;
- Best Actor / Actress;
- Best Social Documentary;
- Best Film.

CALL FOR ENTRIES

ART. 1 - OPENING OF THE 2026 CALL FOR ENTRIES

Submissions for the OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL are open from April 6, 2026, to September 10, 2026.

Participation in the Festival is free and open to all Italian and foreign filmmakers, whether as individuals or as part of an organization.

Films that have previously been screened or awarded prizes at other festivals are not excluded.

ART. 2 – SECTIONS OF THE 2026 FESTIVAL

The OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL features two sections:

- Short Film Section
- Feature Film Section, including fiction feature films and social documentaries.

To enter the short film section, submit a short film with a maximum runtime of 30 minutes (including opening and closing credits) related to the theme of sports and sports ethics, no later than midnight on September 10, 2026.

To enter the feature films and social documentaries section, submit a film (no maximum duration limit) related to the theme of sports and sports ethics, no later than midnight on September 10, 2026. During the awards ceremony on October 10, 2026, awards will be presented for: Best Short Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor/Actress, Best Social Documentary, and Best Film.

ART. 3 - DATES, VENUES, AND SCREENING TIMES

Screenings of the best short films, feature films, and documentaries—selected at the sole discretion of the OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL jury—are scheduled to take place during the week of the OVERTIME FESTIVAL, from Wednesday, October 7, 2026, to Sunday, October 11, 2026, at the Mozzi Borgetti Library, the Antichi Forni Gallery in Macerata, schools, and other public and private venues in the historic center of Macerata.

If the Organizing Committee deems it appropriate, it may schedule screenings of the short films and documentaries prior to the festival dates, in agreement with the filmmakers.

The dates, venues, and screening times may be changed by the OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL Organizing Committee without prior notice, provided that those concerned are notified.

ART. 4 - SELECTION

The OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL selection process is open to all creators of short films in the genres of fiction, documentary, animation, and video art, with a particular focus on short films with a strong narrative impact that reference sports in its broadest sense (sports practice, references to sports disciplines, athletic feats, references to sports figures or venues, sports equipment, etc.).

Another important aspect will be the ethical dimension and the value of sports in society.

The theme of the 2026 edition of the OVERTIME FESTIVAL will focus on “DESIRE in and of sports,” which will certainly be an important—though not decisive—factor in the selection of the finalist films.

The presence of sports and/or sports ethics, even if only fleeting, must nevertheless serve to advance the narrative; otherwise, the entry will be excluded from the competition.
All submitted works are added to the archive of the Pindaro Cultural Association.

Films that meet the following conditions may be submitted to the Festival:

- produced after January 1, 2020;

- submitted on a USB flash drive, DVD/PAL, or Blu-ray/PAL (or in MP4 digital format if sent via email);

- maximum runtime of 30 minutes (including opening and closing credits) for short films;

- no maximum runtime limit for feature films and social documentaries;

- minimum resolution of 720x576;

- optimal resolution: HD.

Entries may be submitted in any language, including dialects. However, if a film is not shot in Italian but in a dialect, it must be accompanied by Italian subtitles.

For entries in a foreign language other than English, English subtitles are required. Each filmmaker (or the rights holder of the work) is responsible for providing these subtitles.

Each author may submit more than one short film, feature film, or social documentary.

Each production or distribution company may submit multiple works.

Submitted materials will not be returned, even if the entry is excluded from the competition.

A committee appointed by the contest organizers will, at its sole discretion, select the works that will compete for the prizes.

If the film is selected for the competition, the Organizing Committee will notify the author (or the rights holder of the work).

Upon accepting the official invitation from OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL, the author (or the rights holder of the work) agrees not to withdraw the film from the competition.

ART. 5 - AUTHOR’S RESPONSIBILITY

The author and/or the rights holder of the work is responsible for the content of the submitted work and declares that they have settled all copyright matters with third parties. They also grant explicit authorization for the use of the work.

The author and/or the rights holder of the work also assumes responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided, which, in the event of selection, will be used in the promotional and communication materials of the OVERTIME FESTIVAL.

ART. 6 - PARTICIPATION AND SUBMISSION PROCEDURES

Participation in the OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL is free of charge and implies acceptance of these submission guidelines. Each entrant may submit multiple films, whether short films,feature films, or social documentaries.

Works that have already been submitted to or awarded prizes in other film competitions are eligible for this competition, provided they are relevant to the assigned theme.

Each entry must be submitted digitally via email to pindaroeventi@gmail.com and film@overtimefestival.it or in
two copies, on DVD, Blu-Ray, or a USB flash drive.

All emails and submitted media must clearly indicate the following:

- title of the film;
- the director’s first and last name;
- duration, country, and year of production;
- the category in which the entry is competing;
- cell phone number and email address.

In addition, a hard copy of the following documents must be attached to the email or included with the DVDs:

- OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL registration and entry form;

- a synopsis (a brief summary of the film, no more than 10–15 lines);

- information about the music used in the film (title/track/composer/artist);

We recommend including the following additional information in the attached documentation:

the director’s resume, the screenplay, some stills from the film or behind-the-scenes photos, the resumes of the lead actors, the opening and closing credits, and all informational material regarding the production of the work, a trailer for the film (on a separate DVD), and a poster for the short film /feature film/documentary.

The email or envelope must contain:

- digital files or 2 DVD copies of each entry or 2 USB drives;

- an entry form (one for each film submitted) clearly filled out in all fields and duly signed in original form wherever required (if the film was made by a minor, the signature of
a parent is also required);

- authorization for the processing of personal data, in accordance with Legislative Decree 196/03;

- any additional informational material must be sent no later than midnight on September 10, 2026, via email to pindaroeventi@gmail.com and film@overtimefestival.it or by regular, priority, or certified mail to the following address:

Pindaro Cultural Association
OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL 2026 International Competition
c/o Michele Spagnuolo
Piazza della Libertà No. 23
62100 Macerata (MC)
The postmark serves as proof of the date of mailing.

For customs purposes, shipments from abroad must bear the following notation on the outer packaging: “NO COMMERCIAL VALUE – FOR CULTURAL PURPOSES ONLY.”

Shipping costs are the responsibility of the participants. Packages requiring payment upon delivery will be refused.

By submitting the work, the sender declares that they hold all rights to use the work, without exception, that its content does not violate applicable laws, and that the work does not contain defamatory material. In any case, the sender releases the organization from any liability for the content of the film screened in public.

By entering the competition, participants authorize the non-profit cultural association “Pindaro” to process their personal data, including electronically, and to use and publish the information provided for all purposes related to the objectives of the competition and associated events.

For the 2026 edition, partnerships will be in place with several online platforms, https://festhome.com/festival/overtime for submitting entries to the competition: this serves as an alternative to mailing DVDs.

Registration through the platform may, in some cases, be subject to a fee (any such fee is not to be considered attributable to the OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL organization).

ART. 7 EXCLUSION

Industrial films, commercials, or films containing advertising messages are excluded from the festival.

Works containing offensive, racist, or highly violent content, or content that defames personal or collective dignity, will not be considered.

All films that do not comply with the requirements expressly set forth in Article 4 above will be excluded.

ART. 8 - AWARDS

Films selected for the closing night are eligible for the following awards (no cash prizes):

- Best Short Film;
- Best Director;
- Best Screenplay;
- Best Actor/Actress;
- Best Social Documentary;
- Best Film.

The above awards are granted by the Jury during the awards ceremony, at its sole discretion.

During the awards ceremony, if possible—subject to the length of the films and logistical considerations—the selected finalist films will be screened. Unless expressly prohibited by the filmmakers (or those who hold the rights) at the time of registration for the OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL, the selected films may be published on the official websites www.overtimefestival.it and www.pindaroeventi.it of the Associazione Culturale Pindaro and on other video-sharing platforms (Facebook, Vimeo, YouTube, etc.).

Selected authors are required to attend the awards ceremony and personally accept any awards. The Organization will cover the finalists’ lodging expenses. If selected authors fail to attend the awards ceremony, the Organization reserves the right to present certificates and awards.

ART. 9 - JURY

An internal committee will conduct an initial pre-selection among the submitted works and will, at its sole discretion,
assess their eligibility for participation in the contest.

The judging committee reserves the right to select the videos to be screened during the final evenings, confirming participation and promptly notifying participants of the time and location of the public screenings via email.

The policy of the Pindaro Cultural Association remains, first and foremost, to provide visibility to as many of the submitted works as possible, provided they are received by the competition deadline.

ART. 10 – INFORMATION ON THIS CALL FOR ENTRIES

For information or further clarification regarding this call for entries, please contact the organizing secretariat:

Pindaro Cultural Association
c/o Michele Spagnuolo
Piazza della Libertà No. 23
62100 Macerata (MC)
tel. +39 339 6 935 965

email pindaroeventi@gmail.com and film@overtimefestival.it
Website www.overtimefestival.it
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/overtimefestival
Instagram overtime_festival

ART. 11 - JURISDICTIONAL COMPETENCE

The OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL Organizing Committee reserves the right to make changes to these selection guidelines.

Participation in the competition implies acceptance of these selection guidelines.

Pursuant to Law 196/2003, we hereby inform you that participants’ personal data will be used solely for the purposes of the competition. For any other matters not covered in this call for entries, the applicable laws shall prevail.

The OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL Organizing Committee assumes no responsibility in the event of incorrect or non-receipt of the registration documents, whether due to transmission by any means or for any reason.

While the competition organizers are strictly committed to the care and safekeeping of the submitted works, they assume no responsibility for any postal delays, theft, damage, or loss that the works may suffer before, during, or after the event.

The OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL Organizing Committee reserves the right to interrupt, cancel, or postpone the event, or to amend these Selection Guidelines at any time, based on the needs of the event’s management. No damages of any kind will be awarded to participants as a result of the aforementioned circumstances.

The Court of Macerata shall have jurisdiction over any legal disputes.

ART. 12 – GENERAL PROVISIONS

Copies of the DVDs of the short films and social documentaries submitted will not be returned but will become part of the print and multimedia archive of the Pindaro Cultural Association, which was founded for educational and cultural purposes and operates on a nonprofit basis.

Removal from this archive must be requested in writing via certified mail or email.

The sole winners are kindly asked to include the OVERTIME FILM FESTIVAL logo and the type of award won in copies of the film produced after the award ceremony. A copy of the film’s DVD bearing this information must be sent to the same address as the contest.

By submitting screenplays, extended synopses, storyboards, and behind-the-scenes material for the submitted works, you automatically authorize their publication—without any compensation or other forms of remuneration, and strictly for educational and cultural purposes—on the festival organizer’s website and social media platforms or on related websites and web pages.

All rights to the short films, feature films, and social documentaries will always remain the property of the Author and the rights holders.