Since its foundation in 1979, the Efebo d’Oro Film Festival has explored the connections
between cinema and narrative. It has also increasingly opened itself to the new forms of
audiovisual language, in order to raise awareness and highlight the works of new talented directors and to explore how different art forms can influence each other and share practices. 
The Festival is organized by the “Centro di Ricerca per la Narrativa e il Cinema” (Research
Centre for Narrative and Cinema), and has been supported so far by the Sicily Region
(Department for Tourism, Sport and Cultural Activities – Sicilia Film Commission), the City of Palermo (Department for Culture), the Italian Ministry of Culture, the main Foreign Cultural Institutes operating in Italy (Goethe-Institut, Instituto Cervantes, Istitut Français, Austrian Cultural Forum) and some cultural associations and private sponsors.

Awards & Prizes

1: “Efebo d’Oro” (Golden Efebo) for the best feature film based on a literary work
(internationally), awarded by an International Jury which will assign a prize of 1000€ (one
thousand euros) to the best feature of this first International Competitive section;
2: “Efebo Prospettive” (Efebo Perspectives), for the best first or second feature film
(internationally) of any genre (and therefore exempt from the constraint to be based on any literary works),  awarded by a dedicated Jury of film professionals and connaisseurs,
which will assign a prize of 1000€ (one thousand euros) to the best feature of this second International Competitive section;
3: “Efebo d’Oro for Lifetime Achievement”;
4: “Efebo Nuovi Linguaggi” (Efebo for New Languages);
5: Special "Efebo  Award for Film Crafts”, to a prominent figure in the field of Italian film
crafts;
6: Special "Efebo Award for a Film Essay”, for the best essay on film published in Italy as a book.
Efebo d’Oro Film Festival may award other special prizes at its sole discretion, also in
cooperation with Non-Profit Organisations and cultural associations.

Rules & Terms

Article #1 – Organising Body.

The “Centro di Ricerca per la Narrativa e il Cinema” (Research Centre for Narrative and
Cinema) organises the 48th edition of the “Efebo d’Oro Film Festival, International Award
for Cinema and Narrative”, to be held in Palermo (Italy) from the 07th to the 15th of
November 2026.
More information can be found on the Festival’s website ( www.efebodoro.it ), as well as
through other social channels, such as Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/efebodoro) and Instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/efebo_doro).
Article #2 – Objectives.
The Festival intends to promote the cinematic art, through screenings of films, talks with
the authors, and masterclasses: thus promoting the participation of schools, universities, and audiences of different ages and kinds. The festival also intends to raise the visibility of cinematic and audiovisual works penalized by the film market and by the commercial distribution, with a particular reference to young authors, first and second films, and works characterized by innovative language and stylistic peculiarity. These being its goals, the Festival establishes cooperation projects and partnerships with other festivals and/or cultural institutions and initiatives.

Article #3 – Competitive sections.
The festival is divided into two competitive sections:
a) EFEBO D'ORO, for films based on literary works;
b) EFEBO PROSPETTIVE, dedicated to debut and second films, of any genre, and
therefore absolutely exempt from the constraint to be based on literary works. 
As for a) EFEBO D’ORO, films of any genre can apply (both fiction and documentary
feature films), as long as they are based on literary works. They can be Italian premieres
or they may have already been distributed in Italy, but NOT yet screened in Sicily, and
produced not earlier than 2024. The selection committee will choose a maximum number of 8 films that will be screened in competition during the festival.
As for b) EFEBO PROSPETTIVE, debut and second films (both fiction and documentary
feature films: as previously said, exempt from the constraint to be based on literary works), including those already distributed in Italy, can apply as long as they have NOT been produced earlier than 2024 and NOT yet screened in Sicily. The selection committee will choose a maximum number of 10 films that will be screened in competition during the
festival.
Application deadline is 30 September 2026.

Article #4 – Subscription

A 25€ (twenty euros) fee is applicable to submitted films for both competitive sections until the 20th of July, 25€ (twenty five euros) for films submitted from the 21th of July to the 31th of August, 40€ (thirty euros) for films submitted from the 1st of September to the 30th of September.
Application for the festival must be made through the official entry form, which can be filled online via FilmFreeway.

Article #5 – Awards.

An International Jury will award the best film of the EFEBO D'ORO section with the Golden Efebo and a prize of 1000€ (one thousand euros). 
Another dedicated Jury of film experts and connaisseurs will award the best film in the
EFEBO PROSPETTIVE (debut and second feature films) section and a prize of 1000€
(one thousand euros).
The two Juries will be free to assign further special prizes.

Article #6 – Admission to the Competition.

Admission to the competition is unquestionably decided by the Selection Committee,
appointed by the Artistic Director.
The list of the films admitted to the competition of both sections will be published between
the second and the third week of October 2026.

Article #7 – Invitation.

The Festival’s Artistic Direction may invite films deemed suitable to participate in both the
Competitive Sections, at its sole discretion, even if they have not been submitted through
the present Call for Entries.

Article #8 – Awards Ceremony.

The Award ceremony of both the Festival’s competitive sections (EFEBO D’ORO and
EFEBO PROSPETTIVE) will take place in Palermo (Italy) between the 14 and 15 of
november 2026

Article #9 – Entry Form.

To participate in the Festival, it is necessary to fill out the entry form and to send a copy of the film in original language; for all non-Italian films, we request the submission of a copy sub-titled in Italian or in English, via link by 30 September 2026 (latest deadline). To be admitted, it is necessary to fill out the on-line form.

Article #10 – Statement

The author/s or producer/s of the admitted film is/are fully responsible for the content of the
works they have sent, and declare of having fulfilled any obligations towards third parties
arising from the use of copyright materials, hereby providing express authorisation to the
Efebo d’Oro Film Festival to the use of those works.

Article #11 – Catalogue

All information, biographies, filmographies and photographs concerning the selected films
can be used by the Efebo d’Oro Film Festival for the Festival’s Catalogue. For this
purpose, the participants authorise the Efebo d’Oro Film Festival to use film clips, shooting
and film pics, biographies and filmographies of the authors for the festival’s catalogue and
for the communication needs connected to the festival itself, on the Festival website and
the relevant social channels, and on information media. The Efebo d’Oro Film Festival
reserves the right to use short clips (not longer than 30’’) of the presented works to
promote the festival on TV channels or the Internet.

Article #12 – Materials

Admission forms shall be presented with a summary of the film, biography and filmography
of the director, not less than three HD photos taken from the work which is being
submitted, and at least one photo of the director/s. These materials may be sent in Italian or English via email to the following address: films@efebodoro.it

Article #13 – Format of films to be screened

The Festival Director reserves the right to accept the following projection formats:
DCP, High-Quality Files (H264, Pro Res), Blu-Ray.
The Festival’s General Organization Office shall agree on timing and modes of delivery
with the person in charge for the shipment of the screening copy. All copies shall be in
original language with subtitles in Italian (best option) or in English. It is requested a
dialogue list with time-code (in English or French) synchronised with the on-screen
dialogue. The screening copies of the invited films, shipped by the owners of the films,
must be received in Palermo by the Festival on or before 31 October 2026.
The screening copies of the selected films coming from non-EU countries must be sent via express courier with the wording “No commercial value. For cultural purposes only”.
Production companies of the screened films will also send a digital copy of the trailer.

Article 14 – Shipping of the Prints

The Organisation of the Efebo d’Oro Film Festival will not take responsibility for damages
or loss that the works may incur during transport or delivery.

Article 15 – Eligibility

It is the responsibility of the producers, distributors or other subjects who present the film,
to be legitimately authorised to ask admission of the film to the Efebo d’Oro Film Festival.

Article 16 – Film Screening

By participating in the competition through the submission of the film via this Call for
Entries and the relevant entry form, the participant implicitly authorizes the Festival’s
organisation to screen the film during the Festival.

Article 17 – General Rules

a) Filmmakers and/or producers are responsible for the content of their works and by
entering the competition they automatically acknowledge that they have fulfilled any
obligations towards third parties, including royalties and copyright.
b) The selected films, whose availability has already been confirmed by the right holders,
cannot be later withdrawn from the festival for any reason. Should the filmmaker or the
producers decide to withdraw a selected film already included in the festival schedule, they will be required to pay the sum of € 1,000€ (one thousand euros) as a compensation for the damages.
c) The application to the Efebo d’Oro Film Festival implies the unconditional acceptance of every part of the present regulations.
d) The Direction of the Efebo d’Oro Film Festival can take decisions on issues which are
not listed above. In case of any controversy, the place of jurisdiction is the Court of
Palermo.