Overview
The Torino Film Festival (TFF) is a competitive international festival held annually in Turin. The 44th edition runs November 24 to December 2, 2026, for nine days, with the opening ceremony at Teatro Regio. The festival is directed by Giulio Base, now in his third edition. The 44th edition will be dedicated to Marilyn Monroe, with a retrospective program built around her work.
The 43rd edition (November 21 to 29, 2025) awarded Antonio Banderas, Spike Lee, Vanessa Redgrave, and Juliette Binoche with the Stella della Mole career award. Binoche attended to present her directorial debut. The festival's position in late November, after Venice and ahead of awards season, allows it to program films that major festivals overlooked.
TFF operates three competitive sections: International Feature Films, International Documentaries, and International Short Films. The festival also programs out-of-competition sections and Zibaldone, a section for sidebar and special screenings. The festival accepts submissions via FilmFreeway.
Submission Details
TFF accepts submissions through FilmFreeway. The call for entries for the 44th edition opened March 6, 2026, and closes September 6, 2026.
Submission fees (until July 31, 2026):
- Short films: EUR 15
- Documentaries: EUR 20
- Feature films: EUR 30
Submission fees (August 1 to September 6, 2026):
- Fees increase after July 31. Specific late rates are published on the FilmFreeway page.
- Fees are non-refundable if a film is not selected
Eligibility requirements:
International Feature Films Competition:
- Feature-length films and documentaries completed after September 1, 2025
- Italian premiere required (World and International premieres preferred)
- Films already screened in Italy in any format are excluded
International Documentaries Competition:
- Italian and international documentaries completed after September 1, 2025
- Minimum length: 52 minutes
- Films already screened in Italy are excluded
International Short Films Competition:
- Italian and international short films completed after September 1, 2025
- Maximum length: 30 minutes (including credits)
- No style or genre limitations
- International and/or European premiere required
- Maximum two films per author
Out-of-Competition and Zibaldone:
- Feature-length films and documentaries completed after September 1, 2025
- Films already screened in Italy are excluded
Submission process:
- Complete the online registration form via FilmFreeway
- Pay the submission fee during registration
- Send a streaming link following the procedures indicated on the entry form by September 6, 2026
- Selected films must deliver prints to Turin by November 6, 2026
Foreign films screen in their original version with Italian subtitles. Non-English-speaking films require English subtitles for selection review. Each film may be screened up to 4 times during the festival.
Key Sections
- International Feature Films Competition - feature-length films and documentaries competing for the Best Film prize (EUR 18,000)
- International Documentaries Competition - documentaries 52 minutes or longer competing for Best Documentary (EUR 10,000)
- International Short Films Competition - short films up to 30 minutes competing for Best Short (EUR 2,000)
- Out-of-Competition - feature films and documentaries screened outside competition
- Zibaldone - sidebar and special screening section
- Retrospectives - the 44th edition features a Marilyn Monroe retrospective
- Stella della Mole Award - career achievement award presented to a major international film figure
What Filmmakers Should Know
For Feature Filmmakers
The feature competition requires Italian premiere status, with a strong preference for World and International premieres. If your film has already screened at another Italian festival or in Italian theatrical release, it is ineligible. The EUR 18,000 Best Film prize is among the larger competitive prizes at Italian festivals. The jury also awards Best Screenplay, Best Actress, and Best Actor, providing recognition across craft categories.
For Documentary Filmmakers
The documentary competition requires a minimum runtime of 52 minutes and Italian premiere status. The EUR 10,000 Best Documentary prize is a meaningful amount for a documentary filmmaker. The festival's November slot places it after the major autumn documentary festivals (IDFA, CPH:DOX), meaning films that premiered at those festivals can still submit to Turin if they have not screened in Italy.
For Short Filmmakers
The short film competition requires International or European premiere status and a maximum runtime of 30 minutes. The EUR 2,000 Best Short prize and the limitation of two films per author make this a selective but accessible competition. The short film jury awards Best Film and a Special Jury Award.
For Italian Filmmakers
TFF provides an important platform for Italian cinema in northern Italy, alongside Venice and Rome. The Italian premiere requirement means the festival is often the first Italian screening for international films. Italian filmmakers benefit from the festival's industry connections and media presence in Turin, and from the RAI Cinema Channel collateral award, which involves acquisition of web and free-to-air TV rights for Italy.
Stella della Mole Award
The Stella della Mole is TFF's career achievement award. Recent recipients include Antonio Banderas (2025), Spike Lee (2025), Vanessa Redgrave (2025), and Juliette Binoche (2025). The award brings major international figures to Turin for the festival, creating networking and masterclass opportunities for attending filmmakers.
Major Awards
International Feature Films Competition
- Best Film Award: EUR 18,000
- Special Jury Award: EUR 7,000
- Best Screenplay Award
- Best Actress Award
- Best Actor Award
International Documentaries Competition
- Best Film Award: EUR 10,000
- Special Jury Award
International Short Films Competition
- Best Film Award: EUR 2,000
- Special Jury Award
Collateral Awards
- RAI Cinema Channel Award: acquisition of web and free-to-air TV rights for Italy, assigned by a jury
- Stella della Mole: career achievement award
Festival History
The Torino Film Festival was founded in 1982. The festival emerged during a period when Turin's industrial identity was shifting: the city was the headquarters of Fiat, and its cultural institutions were expanding beyond manufacturing into cinema, contemporary art, and literature. The festival's programming philosophy from its early years embraced the intersection of art cinema and genre, programming horror, science fiction, and thriller films alongside formally radical work. This approach reflected the Italian cinema tradition's engagement with genre filmmaking, from the Spaghetti Western through giallo horror to the poliziesco crime film.
The festival has operated continuously for over four decades. The 43rd edition (2025) honored four major international figures with the Stella della Mole: Antonio Banderas, Spike Lee, Vanessa Redgrave, and Juliette Binoche. The 44th edition (2026) will be dedicated to Marilyn Monroe, with a retrospective program built around her filmography. The festival is currently directed by Giulio Base, who has held the position since the 42nd edition.
The opening ceremony for the 44th edition is confirmed at Teatro Regio, one of Turin's principal opera houses, maintaining the festival's connection to the city's cultural institutions.
Past Winners
Recent Best Film winners show TFF's commitment to international independent cinema:
- 2025 (43rd edition): The Garden of Earthly Delights (dir. Morgan Knibbe) - Best Film, EUR 20,000. The film follows a teenager in Manila's slums who dreams of becoming a gangster. Seeds (dir. Brittany Shyne) won Best Documentary (EUR 10,000). What Have You Done, Zarina? (dir. Camila Sagyntkan) won Best Short (EUR 3,000).
- 2010 (28th edition): Winter's Bone (dir. Debra Granik) - Best Film and Best Actress for Jennifer Lawrence. The film went on to earn 4 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. Lawrence's performance launched her career, leading to an Oscar win for Silver Linings Playbook.
- 2008 (26th edition): Tony Manero (dir. Pablo Larrain) - Best Film and Best Actor for Alfredo Castro. Chile selected the film as its Oscar contender for Best Foreign Language Film. Larrain later directed Jackie (2016) and El Conde (2023), both Oscar-nominated.
- 2007 (25th edition): Garage (dir. Lenny Abrahamson, Ireland) - Best Film. Abrahamson later directed Room (2015), which won Brie Larson the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
- Winter's Bone (2010 Best Film) became one of TFF's most successful alumni. After winning at Torino, it earned 4 Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Actress for Jennifer Lawrence. The film was distributed by Roadside Attractions in the US and grossed over $6 million domestically on a $2 million budget.
- Tony Manero (2008 Best Film) was Chile's Oscar submission and established Pablo Larrain as a major international director. The film was distributed by Magnet Releasing in the US. Larrain went on to direct Oscar-nominated films including No (2012), Jackie (2016), and El Conde (2023).
- La bocca del lupo (2009 Best Film, dir. Pietro Marcello) won both Best Film and the FIPRESCI prize. BIM Distribuzione released the film in Italy. Marcello later directed Martin Eden (2019), which competed at the Venice Film Festival.
- Manodopera / No Dogs or Italians Allowed (2022, dir. Alain Ughetto) was the closing film of the 40th Torino Film Festival. It won the European Film Award for Best Animated Film in 2022 and the Jury Prize at Annecy. Lucky Red distributed the film in Italy.
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
The Italian premiere requirement applies to all competitive sections. If your film has screened anywhere in Italy in any format, it is ineligible. Plan your Italian festival calendar so Turin is your first Italian stop.
The festival's late November slot is strategic. It falls after IDFA (November) and CPH:DOX (March), meaning documentaries that premiered at those festivals can still submit if they have not screened in Italy. This gives TFF access to strong documentary titles that might otherwise be unavailable.
The short film competition requires International or European premiere status, which is stricter than the feature competition's Italian premiere requirement. If your short has screened at multiple international festivals, it may not qualify.
TFF embraces genre cinema alongside art cinema. The festival's programming philosophy has historically included horror, science fiction, and thriller films. If your film sits at the intersection of genre and art house, Turin is a natural fit.
Submit via FilmFreeway. The early deadline (July 31) offers lower fees. The final deadline is September 6, 2026. Selected films must deliver prints to Turin by November 6.
Industry Reputation Notes
TFF occupies a distinct position among Italian festivals. Compared to the Venice Film Festival (September), Turin is non-FIAPF and has a smaller budget, but it offers open submissions and a more accessible competition. Venice programs by invitation only. Turin accepts submissions via FilmFreeway, making it reachable for independent filmmakers without sales agent representation.
Compared to the BFI London Film Festival (October), Turin shares a similar late-autumn slot and focus on international independent cinema. London has larger industry attendance and is a key awards season platform. Turin has stronger genre programming and a more intimate festival setting. The EUR 18,000 Best Film prize at Turin is competitive with similar-sized European festivals.
The TorinoFilmLab (TFL) runs alongside the festival and has become a significant industry event in its own right. TFL awards production grants worth EUR 50,000 each to feature film projects, making the festival week an important destination for producers seeking development funding.
Watch
See Also
For festival circuit planning and premiere strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. To calculate the financial return of festival submissions, see the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator. For Italian cinema and European film markets, see International Film Markets. For the Venice Film Festival, see Venice Film Festival. For Alice nella Citta in Rome, another major Italian festival, see Alice nella Citta.
