Welcome to the MILAN SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL (or more commonly known as the HOME of indie filmmakers), where the most engaging and surprising short stories come to life on the big screen!

TRADITION AND INNOVATION: ALL IN ONE PLACE
A REAL FESTIVAL with REAL EVENTS. The Milan Shorts offers a great opportunity to both network and gain visibility through its LIVE SCREENINGS in the historic Cinema Multisala Colosseo (in the very heart of Milan), where you will have the chance to meet artists from all over the world, and where you can show your work and share your ideas!
A podcast corner, interviews, panels, and more like a Networking Space built just for YOU.

YOUR BRIDGE TO REACH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
We give real, concrete opportunities to take the step you've always dreamed of. Each season's winner of the following awards: Best Short Film, Best International Film, Best Italian Short Film and Best Director will have the chance to get a FREE CALL with:
-MATT DIPAOLO (Zero Gravity Managament; Ozark, A Family Man, Beast of No Nation, The Cooler, Flawless)
-SARA ELIZABETH TIMMINS (Life Out Loud Films; Lamb, Wish You Well, Coming Through the Rye)
-TINA RANDOPLH CONTOGENIS (Eris Talent Agency)
-ALEXIA MELOCCHI, one of Los Angeles' top managers (Little Studio Films; HBO, Warner Bros, Rai Cinema, Amazon Studios, Lionsgate)
Don't want to wait? Select the 'MY CALL WITH AN INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL' category at the bottom right, and book a call with one of them!

A BIG COMMUNITY
Beyond the competition, the festival identifies itself above all as an inclusive space, aiming to create a COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS united by a single passion: cinema. Follow us on Instagram (@milanshortsfilmfestival) and be part of that!

IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR WORK
We offer various opportunities tailored just for you:
A) we will email you a FREE SCORECARD of your short film JUST 72 HOURS AFTER YOUR SUBMISSION, notifying you of the selection outcome, because your project and your efforts deserve to be taken into consideration right away!
B) you will have the opportunity to release a VIP INTERVIEW with the hottest indie magazine in Europe, VIEWTIES! Find the category below and reserve your space on the cover!

OPPORTUNITIES OF THE MOMENT
A) Do you want to save money? Enroll your project in all categories? Take advantage of the BEST SHORT + ALL TECHNICAL CATEGORIES discounted opportunity through December 30! For only $30 (a price most festivals usually offer for a single category) you can be in competition in all of them!
B) 40% OFF (in all the categories) for the SEASON III with the code: 40MSFF
C) Low prices for the VIRTUAL INTERVIEW with Cinespazi! Find the category below!

Awards & Prizes

STRUCTURE
Each edition of MSFF is divided into three SEASONS and one ANNUAL EVENT (event dates in CAPITAL LETTERS):

(a) SEASON I
May-June-JULY

b) SEASON II
August-September-OCTOBER

c) SEASON III
November-December-JANUARY

d) ANNUAL EVENT
APRIL (all winners of previous seasons are the finalists for the annual cerimony held in April)

HOW IT WORKS
1. every three months Finalists will be announced several days before the season cerimony. Every winners for each category will be announced the day of the cerimony/event and will receive an AWARD and free publicity on our social media through posters, trailers and backstage photos;
2. for each quarterly event, all the categories will have a shortlist (3 finalists for each category) from which a winner will be chosen;
3. the winning short films (for sure only Best Short, Best International Short, Best Italian Short & Best Director) of each season WILL BE SCREENED in the wonderful and famous CINEMA MULTISALA COLOSSEO (Piazza Cinque Giornate, Milano) with a LIVE AUDIENCE (and an average estimate of 100 people per event). Any expenses (travel, accommodation, etc) are NOT covered by the Milan Shorts Film Festival. The jury reserves the right to screen additionals short films of its choice from the finalists list;
4. the annual winners (who will be announced at event IV) of the MAIN CATEGORIES, SPECIAL CATEGORIES + Best Director, Best Actress and Best Actor will also have the opportunity to release a FREE interview on our website.

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MAIN CATEGORIES
-Best Short Film
-Best International Short Film
-Best Italian Short Film
-Best Animated Short Film
-Best Documentary Short Film

SPECIAL CATEGORIES
-Best Experimental or Video Art Short Film
-Best Student Short Film
-Best Under 5 Minutes Short Film

TECHNICAL CATEGORIES
-Best Director
-Best Actress
-Best Actor
-Best Cinematography
-Best Screenplay
-Best Editing
-Best Sound
-Best Original Score
-Best Set Design
-Best Make-up
-Best First-Time Filmmaker

SCREENWRITING CATEGORIES
-Best Short Script

Rules & Terms

PLEASE READ THE RULES:
- Short films of all genres with a maximum length of 35 minutes are accepted.
- Completion date after January 2021.
- The Festival Committee will inform participants within 72 hours with a free evaluation scorecard.
- The evaluation forms are not necessarily linked to the jury's final decision.
- All non-English-language works must be accompanied by English subtitles.
- The MSFF may use trailers/teasers/posters or BTS for promotional purposes (but not release the complete film in any form or under any circumstances).
- Entry fees are non-refundable.
- All rights to the short film are owned by the author.
- Authors may not withdraw their work after the official selection.
- Students must present a valid identity document.
- Short films that do not correspond to the category will be disqualified.
- All decisions of the jury are final.
- Read the 'HOW IT WORKS' section for more infos.

By submitting your film to MSFF, you authorise the exhibition of your work at the festival and accept full legal responsibility for the intellectual property of the film. The undersigned will indemnify and hold harmless the MSFF from any claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses that may be incurred as a result of any claims regarding copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening and loss or damage to the videos entered.

If you have any questions or concerns, please write us at our e-mail address.

61 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Luigi Bonizzato

    I thank all the staff for the opportunity given to "VIOLATOR" to be able to be selected. Thank you for appreciating my short film.

    April 2024
    Helpful
  • Kenneth Pulgar-Vidal

    It was such an honor to be selected as an official selection for Milan Short! Thanks so much for this amazing opportunity.

    March 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Kenneth! Let's update each other, we wanna see more project from you!

    Hugs,
    MSFF TEAM

  • Cristina Marinelli

    It was a beautiful and unforettable experience ,thank you so much!

    February 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks Cristina! And congrats again for your award!

    Hugs,
    MSFF TEAM

  • Jamie Sage Cotton

    Great festival to be apart of. I only wish I could have been there in person to see the showing of my film Black Sheep.

    February 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Hey Jamie! Thank you so much! Hope to meet you in a near future!

    Hugs,
    MSFF TEAM

  • Courtney Sanello

    What an absolute EPIC gala at the Colosseo Teatro in Milan. As a new comer the MSFF has been a dream team - helping me along the way. Can't wait to join in on the annual festivities. Thank you for recognizing FIRST REFUSAL for Best first time filmmaker.

    February 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Courtneeey! What a beautiful plaeasure to hear these words from our Best first-time Filmmaker! Waiting for you in April!

    Hugs,
    MSFF TEAM