Festa di Cinema del reale e dell’irreale is a documentary film festival dedicated to the most free, experimental, and inventive cinema produced in Italy and around the world. For twenty-three editions, Cinema del reale has presented narratives of reality to a wide audience, establishing itself as one of the most original and innovative film events thanks to its ability to connect audiovisual languages with music and performing arts, education and collective practices, building a cultural community rooted in places and territories.
It’s a festival that inhabits space and time to foster lasting relationships between people, places, and communities, promoting an idea of nomadic and proximity-based cinema, created in public and unconventional spaces, open to crossovers and the blending of genres.
Festa di Cinema del reale e dell’irreale is organized by Big Sur, OfficinaVisioni and Cinema del reale, and is funded by the Apulia Region.
DATE AND DURATION
The XXIII edition of the Festa di Cinema del Reale e dell’Irreale will take place at Castello Volante in Corigliano d’Otranto (Lecce) from Wednesday, July 15 to Saturday, July 18, 2026.
FESTIVAL SECTIONS
The official program of the Festa includes two competitive sections:
CORTIIIIIII
selection of 10 short films with a maximum duration of 20 minutes;
CINEMA90
selection of approximately 20 audiovisual works with a maximum duration of 90 seconds.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Film selection is carried out at the sole and unquestionable discretion of the Festival.
Films of any nationality and language are eligible.
For the CORTIIIIIII section, eligible works must have been produced no earlier than January 2025, have a maximum duration of 20 minutes, and may include documentary cinema and experimental works (animation, music videos, video art, etc.).
For the CINEMA90 section, eligible works must have been produced no earlier than January 2021, have a maximum duration of 90 seconds, with no restrictions on style or genre.
FILM SUBMISSION
Submitting a film to the competition requires payment of a registration fee of €5, valid for all categories. Only works with completed payment will be considered for selection.
Applications must be submitted exclusively through the online procedure at the following links:
OPEN CALL CORTIIIIIII OPEN CALL CINEMA90
PAYMENT
Payment can be made via PayPal or, alternatively, by bank transfer to the following IBAN: IT04M0303216001010000001972. At the end of the online submission process, applicants will be required to upload proof of payment. The fee is non-refundable if the film is not selected.
FILE SUBMISSION
For pre-selection, works must be submitted via a link, indicating the URL and any password in the online form.
Film links must remain active until June 30, 2026 and, at the pre-selection stage, must be provided in their original version with English subtitles.
Additional materials will be requested only if the film is selected.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE
Submissions must be received by 11:59 PM on May 20, 2026.
Applications received after this deadline will not be considered.
INVITED FILMS
Only for invited works, the staff will request full documentation, to be submitted within 5 days of the selection notice, including:
– downloadable file of the film valid until the end of the festival (accepted formats: ProRes and MP4 HQ);
– full list of dialogues in English in .srt format with timecode and, preferably, their Italian translation;
– film trailer (if available);
– any additional promotional materials (digital brochure and press kit, poster, etc.).
The Festival reserves the right to create trailers from the original material submitted, to be used exclusively for promotional purposes on the Festival’s online channels, within Festival venues, and for other promotional uses. In compliance with international regulations, only these materials will be provided to television networks.
JURIES
Two juries will evaluate the competition sections:
– EXPERT JURY: composed of 5 professionals from the world of cinema and visual arts appointed by the Festival Directorate. This jury will evaluate the CORTI DEL REALE section.
– DAMS JURY: composed of students enrolled in the DAMS faculty of the University of Salento. This jury will evaluate the CINEMA90 section.
AWARDS
CORTIIIIIII section:
€1200 – First Prize
€800 – Second Prize
CINEMA90 section:
€600 – First Prize
€400 – Second Prize
Additional awards and special mentions may be granted.
PROGRAM
The inclusion of a film in any section of the Festa must remain strictly confidential until the official program is published in print and online (on the website cinemadelreale.it), under penalty of exclusion.
Accepting the invitation implies the commitment to make the film available for up to three public screenings. Once the official invitation has been accepted, the film cannot be withdrawn under any circumstances.
Screening schedules and times are at the sole discretion of the Festival Directorate. All invited films must provide a version with English subtitles for screening, and preferably an Italian translation as well.
ACCEPTANCE OF REGULATIONS
Submitting and participating in the selection implies full acceptance of these regulations and of the decisions of the Directorate regarding the presentation and programming of the works.
Completion of the submission form and acceptance of these Regulations shall be considered proof of the applicant’s full acceptance of the rules and participation in the Festival. The Italian version of the Regulations is the only legally binding text in case of disputes.
For any questions or further information, please write to: cinemadelrealestaff@gmail.com