History Film Festival is an international festival of historical documentary films organized by ISTRA FILM. The Festival is taking place in Rijeka, Croatia.

History Film Festival aims at offering viewers and film experts an insight into contemporary film and TV production of historical documentary films, at the same time providing a place where film professionals can meet and share their creative ideas for future projects.

For our following 7th edition we are looking for documentary films which tell history as a compelling story, no matter if it is a biographical doc, rockumentary, animated or short film. The films we are screening tell amazing stories of famous or less known people, events and ideas that shaped the world we live in. In 2023 we will especially focus on recent history and themes that are still relevant today worldwide.

From its first year (September 2017) History Film Festival cherishes and extends its collaboration with documentary filmmakers from all over the world. All of the films we showcase at History Film Festival tell history in exciting, often unusual, sometimes very intimate and visually attractive ways, but they also shed revelatory light upon the present which is exactly one of the aims of History Film Festival. These films show all the talent and passion of documentarists who always seem to find innovative and creative techniques of shaping history into exciting story. Furthermore, we believe that documentary filmmaking based on the archives and research is essential for the understanding of the past and the present, especially as an answer to the era of fake news.

In 2023 we plan to showcase documentaries which confirm how history can be extremely exciting and promote diversity, tolerance, intercultural dialogue and reconciliation as a way of exceeding the past and building a better future.

Festival programme consists of a competition programme, and special thematic programmes (master classes, panels, exhibitions, etc.).

Awards & Prizes

Official awards of History Film Festival are:
• Grand Prix
• Best Independent Production Documentary
• Best TV Production Documentary
• Best Director
• Best Screenplay
• Best Cinematography
• Best Film Editing
• Best Composer
• Audience Award

Official awards consist of a statue.

Rules & Terms

Before submitting, please read the full Festival rules:
http://historyfilmfestival.com/festival-rules/

Documentary films of all running times, regardless of their year of production, whose main topic is history – historical events and characters, can be entered.
The films for the competition programme can be submitted by directors, independent and TV producers, distributors and national film bodies entitled and authorized for representation and submission of films.

If submitting screening links from Vimeo or Youtube, please ensure that they can be acessible to History Film Festival staff until the conclusion of the event.

If your film is selected, the following materials in digital form will also be required:
- a brief synopsis of the film in English;
- at least 3 photographs from the film (of the quality suitable for press – 300 dpi);
- the director's filmography and biography in English and one photo;
- promotional material (trailer, press packages, posters, etc.)
- English transcript/dialogue list or external English subtitles

For public projections at History Film Festival, secure download of a high-quality projection copy will be requested, unless already provided through the submission platform. The projection format is 1920x1080 resolution, h.264 encoded, preferably above 10Mbit.
All non-English films must be submitted with English subtitles.
Physical copies can be accepted in special circumstances.
Please note that History Film Festival cannot accept DCP at this time.

Submission fees are not refundable.

Questions concerning regulations and/or submission forms should be addressed to:
HISTORY FILM FESTIVAL
Brdo 7a
HR - 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Phone: +385 92 1331310
e-mail: info@historyfilmfestival.com
Web: www.historyfilmfestival.com
12 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Mirta Puhlovski

    Great festival, organization and great people attending it. We had the best time there and had a lot of activities organized so we could spent time and talk to other filmmakers.

    November 2022
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  • Olivier Bourgeois

    If it was possible to put more stars, I would have put many more.
    HFF, without hesitation, it is the best festival in which I had the chance to participate : first of all, the place of projection of the film corresponds perfectly to the theme of the Festival, the Art-Kino is a setting which highlights all the selected films, the programming is of a very high standard and allows you to discover brilliant films that come from all over the world, a perfect, generous and warm organization, the possibility of exchanging and sharing with the many directors and authors who attend the Festival, a jury of super friendly professionals...In short, everything that makes a great international film festival.
    A big thank you to Tiha and all her team.

    September 2022
    Helpful
  • Alberto Pascual

    Nice organitation, powerfull festival, proud t be there with our movie ESTOS MUROS

    September 2022
    Helpful
  • Iara Lee

    Cultures of Resistance Films is delighted to be part of the History Film Festival. Thank you for showing 'STALKING CHERNOBYL: exploration after apocalypse" for sharing the stories at the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone with this emerging sub cluture, and for raising awareness on the devastating effects of nuclear energy.
    Looking forward to submitting more of our work at the next edition :)

    September 2020
    Helpful
    Hff torpedo
    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much, Iara. We are looking forward to more of your amazing docs and preferably hosting you in Rijeka next year. Fingers crossed ;)

  • Uri Borreda

    Thank you History film festival for your hospitality, and a great competition among very good films.

    November 2019
    Helpful
    Hff torpedo
    Response from festival:

    Dear Uri,

    Thank you so much for your kindness and friendship. We are looking forward to watching more amazing films from you and having you back with us in Rijeka soon.