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 8th 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 2024 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 2024 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.).

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.

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

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
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Networking
  • Laura C

    A truly great film festival, everyone is amazing, the location is superb and the artists are treated in the most sweet and caring way. And you have a great selection of films! HIGHLY reccomended!

    October 2024
  • Aleksandar Reljic

    It was a great honor to recieve an Audience Award of the History Film Festival and to participate at such a great festival in the beautiful city of Rijeka.

    September 2024
  • Filip Markovinović

    Excellent festival! Great program, incredible hospitality! Hope to come back again someday.

    September 2024
  • PAOLO Muran

    It was a great experience! thanks!

    October 2023
  • 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