Original Sound Track Festival (1)

Festival start: 17 February 2027      Festival end: 20 November 2027

DAILY SCHEDULE & SCREENING MECHANISM

Each day (from Wednesday to Saturday) follows a dynamic schedule that alternates between in-depth cinema discussions, live entertainment, and business networking sessions:

10:30 AM – Opening & Welcome:
Giulia Sara Salemi takes the stage to introduce the day’s program, welcome special guests, and explain the voting process to both the live and social media audiences.

Filmmakers & Composers Showcase:
Prior to each screening, Giulia welcomes the director, composer, and producer of the competing work onto the stage to explore the stylistic choices behind the soundtrack.

Screening Sessions:
Based on the official selections from the call for entries, the daily program features:

Up to 2 feature films per day, or

Up to 4 short films (30 minutes each) per day.

Live Interlude Performances:
Between screening blocks, the program features brief live performances by emerging young singers, dancers, and acoustic musical acts to maintain a vibrant poolside atmosphere.

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM | B2B Networking Hour & Main Stage Wrap-Up:
While the screenings conclude on stage alongside panels with content creators, private B2B meetings kick off at the business tables between sponsors, producers, and investors. The main stage closes promptly at 4:30 PM.

4:30 PM – 6:30 PM | Media Hub, Radio Broadcast & Business Tables:
Artistic delegations move to the two radio booths and the podcast lounge for interviews, while B2B matchmaking sessions continue in the Executive Lounge, accompanied by a sunset aperitif.

6. VOTING SYSTEM: QUALITY JURY & "OST INSTAGRAM" AWARD

6.1 The Professional Technical Jury
A qualified panel of 3 professionals from the audiovisual and music industries evaluates the competing works:

A Film Editor: To evaluate visual pacing and the synchronization between picture cuts and the musical score.

A Record Label Executive (A&R / Sync Manager): To analyze harmonic originality, recording quality, and the track's commercial release potential.

A Film Composer / Musician: To judge orchestration, the dramatic function of sound, and its emotional impact on the narrative.

Each evening, the Jury casts its votes; on Friday night, the semi-finalist titles advancing to the final verdict are announced.

6.2 The "OST Instagram" Special Award (Online Audience Vote)

For each semi-finalist work selected by the Jury, the centerpiece scene featuring the standout musical score is extracted (a video clip of up to 2 minutes of footage).

The clips are published simultaneously on the official OST Festival Instagram page on Friday evening.

The online community has until Saturday to watch, listen, and vote for their favorite scene. The winner of the OST Instagram Award is announced and honored on stage during the final Gala.

THE AWARDS: OFFICIAL PRIZES
The festival's awards are exclusively dedicated and presented to the musicians, composers and sound designers of the finalist works competing in the festival:

1. Best Soundtrack Award – Feature Film Section: Awarded to the best original soundtrack that successfully serves as a central narrative framework for a competing film.

2. Best Soundtrack Award – Short Film Section: Recognising the finest acoustic and emotional expression in short-form productions.

3. Best Sound Design Award: Awarded for excellence in the creation of the acoustic environment, sound effects, use of silence and sound mixing.

4. Polbert Cinema Award for Cinematic Excellence: A special recognition bestowed by the Festival Presidency upon an outstanding figure in the fields of cinema and music for film.

5. Special "OST Instagram" Award (Online Audience Vote): Awarded directly by the online community to the most-voted signature scene / soundtrack among the three finalist film projects.


-----------------------------


IL PALMARÈS: I PREMI UFFICIALI

I riconoscimenti del festival sono dedicati ed erogati esclusivamente ai musicisti, ai compositori e ai sound designer delle opere finaliste in gara:

1. Premio Miglior Soundtrack - Sezione Lungometraggi: Alla migliore colonna sonora originale capace di farsi architettura narrativa portante per un film in concorso.

2. Premio Miglior Soundtrack - Sezione Cortometraggi: Per la miglior sintesi acustica ed emotiva nei formati brevi.

3. Premio Miglior Sound Design: Per la miglior cura dell'ambiente acustico, degli effetti sonori, della gestione dei silenzi e del missaggio.

4. Premio Eccellenza Cinematografica Polbert Cinema: Riconoscimento speciale conferito dalla Presidenza a una figura d'eccellenza del cinema e della musica per immagini.

5. Premio Speciale "OST Instagram" (Voto del Pubblico Web): Assegnato direttamente dalla community online alla scena madre / traccia sonora più votata tra i 3 progetti filmici finalisti.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, SUBMISSION MATERIALS & CATEGORIES

Eligible Entrants: The call for entries is open to independent or established directors, film production companies, and distribution companies, both Italian and international.

Eligible Works: Short films and feature films of any genre (Fiction, Animation, Thriller, Sci-Fi, Comedy, Drama, etc.).

Maximum Running Time: Submitted films must not exceed a maximum duration of 1 hour (60 minutes).

Mandatory Submission Materials:

Full-length film (high-definition digital format).

Film trailer (maximum duration of 60 seconds).

Official film poster (high resolution for print and digital channels).

Technical spec sheet and complete credits for the composer and soundtrack.

Music & Audio Requirements: Soundtracks or musical compositions featured in the film must be original and duly registered with SIAE (or equivalent international copyright organizations).

Exclusions: Works of a pornographic or erotic nature, or those promoting political, religious, racial, or gender-based hatred, or any form of violence and discrimination, are strictly ineligible.

4. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES & DEADLINES

Free Entry: Registration and participation in the call for entries are completely free of charge.

Submissions Open: Monday, November 16, 2026, at 4:00 PM.

Final Deadline: Thursday, February 4, 2027, by 8:00 PM.

Submission Method: The film, together with the trailer (max. 60 sec.), poster, and music credits, must be sent via WeTransfer to the official email address: ostsanremo@polbertcinema.com

5. DAILY SELECTION, SOCIAL MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENTS & GRAND FINALE

All screenings and stage activities take place daily from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM poolside at the Restaurant Méditerranée in Sanremo. The selection of the 3 finalist film projects will take place day by day according to the following official schedule:

Wednesday, February 17 (Day 1 – Screenings):

Screening of 1 or more selected film projects.

???? Results Announcement: The work(s) advancing from Wednesday's round will be officially announced on the morning of Thursday, February 18, on the festival's official social media channels.

Thursday, February 18 (Day 2 – Screenings):

Screening of 1 or more selected film projects.

???? Results Announcement: The work(s) advancing from Thursday's round will be officially announced on the morning of Friday, February 19, on the festival's official social media channels.

Friday, February 19 (Day 3 – Screenings & Announcement of the 3 Finalists):

Screening of 1 or more selected film projects.

???? 3 Finalists Announcement & Online Vote: By early afternoon on Friday, February 19, the 3 finalist film projects advancing to Saturday's closing day will be officially announced. At the same time, clips (max. 2 minutes) of the centerpiece scenes from the 3 finalists will be uploaded to the official Instagram page to kick off voting for the OST Instagram Award.

Saturday, February 20 (Day 4 – Grand Finale & Award Ceremony):

10:00 AM – 2:30 PM: Official full-length screening of the 3 finalist film projects.

2:30 PM – 4:30 PM: Grand Gala and Official Award Ceremony, featuring the presentation of the Polbert Cinema Statuettes.

6. PRIZE AWARD CONDITION (MANDATORY ATTENDANCE)

⚠️ PRIZE COLLECTION CLAUSE: For the official assignment and conferral of any prize stipulated in the call for entries, the physical presence of at least one representative of the production or work (the composer/musician, director, producer, or an officially authorized delegate) is strictly required during the Grand Award Ceremony on Saturday, February 20, 2027.
In the event of absence when called to the stage, the prize will be strictly FORFEITED and will not be awarded.