The call for applications for the eighth edition of the Treviso d'autore International Festival for Directors Under 35 is now open.
You have until April 1, 2026, to submit your work for the eighth edition of the Edera Film Festival, taking place in Treviso at the Cinema Edera from July 29 to August 1, 2026. Promoted by the Orizzonti Cultural Association in collaboration with the Cinema Edera, a multiplex cinema that has been operating continuously for 65 years and recently received the prestigious Biglietto d'oro award once again, the festival was founded in 2018 to showcase works by emerging filmmakers committed to narrating reality and its transformations, with a particular focus on penetrating the contradictions of the contemporary world and experimenting with original and innovative forms of language. In keeping with the festival's identity and mission, participation in the Short Films, Documentaries, and Focus Nordest sections is reserved for directors born no earlier than 1991. Exclusively for the Feature Films section, debut works will also be considered, regardless of the age limit. Films produced starting January 1, 2024, may be submitted exclusively using the FilmFreeway online platform. The festival juries, composed of film industry professionals and representatives from the worlds of art, culture, and entertainment, will award a prize for the best film in each of the festival's four categories. An Audience Award will also be given to the work deemed most deserving in each of the competing sections. Three special prizes, each worth €500, will also be awarded: the Astoria "Celebrating Life" Award, for the best film focusing on the themes of inclusion, tolerance, and multiculturalism; the Fondazione Benetton Studi Ricerche "Changing Landscapes" Award, for a work that significantly represents the theme of landscape in its continuous evolution; and the Rotary Club Treviso Terraglio Award, for a young director whose short film on a social issue is deemed particularly relevant and original. The event, which will foster synergies and partnerships with the area's leading businesses and institutions, aims to contribute to the process of promoting, through film, the rich artistic and cultural heritage of the city of Treviso and the Treviso area.
Over the past few years, the festival has presented audiences with an ever-growing number of filmmakers who, title after title, have captivated national and international audiences. The most recent source of pride is undoubtedly Francesco Sossai, a director from Feltre who won the Jury Prize in the 2022 edition with "Altri cannibali" (Other Cannibals). In recent months, his second feature film, "Le città di pianura," has enjoyed encouraging box office results, earning critical acclaim since its debut at the Cannes Film Festival. The Edera Film Festival has also brought success to brothers Damiano and Fabio D'Innocenzo, whose debut film, "La terra dell'abbastanza," won the Audience Award at the first edition. The two directors, named Best New Directors at the Nastri d'Argento Awards, have to date produced two other highly acclaimed feature films: "Bad Tales," Best Film at the 2020 Nastri d'Argento Awards, and "Latin America," in competition at the 2021 Venice Film Festival. They also produced the television series "Dostoevsky," which was once again enthusiastically received by critics and viewers. Among others, Catalan director Carla Simón also distinguished herself, winning the Jury Prize at the first Edera Film Festival for her magnificent debut, "Summer of 1993," which went on to win the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for her second directorial effort, "Alcarràs – The Last Harvest," and most recently participating in the 2025 Cannes Film Festival with "Romería." Organized under the patronage of the Veneto Region and the Municipality of Treviso, the festival is under the artistic direction of director Gloria Aura Bortolini, Cinema Edera operator and President of FICE (Italian Arthouse Cinema Federation) Giuliana Fantoni, and film historian Giuseppe Borrone.
For further information: Raffaele Lazzaroni – press@ederafilmfestival.it
