We are pleased to announce the 31th edition of the MEDFILM festival, which will take place from the 6th to the 16th of November 2025. Rome’s longest-running festival and the first italian one dedicated to Mediterranean and Middle eastern cinematography, this year MedFilm Festival will take place live and online.
Eleven days centred on the diffusion and the promotion of Mediterranean and Middle eastern cinema, but not only. To enrich a program traditionally focused on covering present instances, the 30th edition will showcase a number of professional meetings, university masterclasses, encounters with young talents and great masters of cinema, literature presentations, and conferences on today’s most burning issues.
Established in 1995 on occasion of the 100th Anniversary of Cinema and the Barcelona Declaration, the festival will continue to research and promote high quality works. Particularly, in light of the war events that continue to happen in the heart of Europe and in the heart of the Mediterranean, MEDFILM tries to maintain its course, MEDFILM is trying to keep its course, confirming itself as a welcoming place that listens, reflects and opens up a cultural and productive dialogue between Italy and the countries of the Euro-Mediterranean area.
MedFilm Festival has the Honor of the Endorsement of the President of the Italian Republic, the Patronage of the Presidents of the European Commission and Parliament, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the support of Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Foreign Affairs, Justice, the Lazio Region and the Municipality of Rome. It is recognized and supported by the Diplomatic Offices in Italy of over 40 countries, and it is credited as a Festival of National Interest by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and as Historical Event by the Municipality of Rome. It has also been recognized as a Festival of Cultural Interest by the Mediterranean Forum (9th Inter-Mediterranean Meeting of Algiers, 11-10 July 1997) and the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.
The awards are assigned by the International Juries appointed for each of the competitive sections. Jury decisions are unquestionable and incontrovertible.
The Official section of the Festival is exclusively dedicated to fictional films and documentaries coming from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. They must have been realised after January 1st, 2024 and have a minimum length of 40 minutes.
The Jury of the official competition assigns the following prizes and awards:
- Eros and Psyche Award for the best film (2000,00 Euro)
- Jury Special Award (1000,00 Euro)
- Artistic Expression Award
Thanks to the collaboration with Cineclub Internazionale Distribuzione, a best arthouse distribution in Italy, we are committed to release in the cinema, the most awarded film of the edition.
SHORT FILM COMPETITION: Methexis Award
Competition open to short films coming from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries, released after January 1st, 2024 and with a maximum length of 30 minutes.
The International Jury, made up of a selected group of graduating film students from euro-mediterranean cinema schools and a group of prisoners of an Italian Penalty Institute, assigns the following prizes and awards:
- Methexis Award (1000,00 Euro)
- Cervantes Award Rome
Special Award
VALENTINA PEDICINI AWARD - Best First and Second Film
Award assigned to the best first or second film (long or medium feature film) selected out of all sections of the festival: Official Competition, Out of Competition and The Pearls: the New Italian Cinema.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Award dedicated to a protagonist of international cinema.
KOINÉ AWARD
The Koiné Award is assigned to a representative of the world of culture, politics or entrepreneurship, whom distinguished his/herself in the contribution of mutual exchange, knowledge and respect among people and cultures, giving value to the common points and shared languages between Euro-Mediterranean cultures.
WWF AWARD
WWF Italia will assign the WWF Award (1000,00 euro) to the best film on environmental issues.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD
Amnesty International Italia will assign the Human Rights Award to the best film on human rights.
CERVANTES AWARD ROME
The Award is an expression of the collaboration between the Instituto Cervantes of Rome and MedFilm festival, and it is assigned to the most innovative film of the Short Film Competition – Methexis Award.
ECUMENICAL PRIZE - INSTITUT FRANCAIS - CENTRE SAINT LOUIS
The Award is an expression of the collaboration between the Institut Français - Centre Saint Louis and MedFilm festival in occasion of the Jubilee and it is assigned to the Best Film which express universal values as pain, hope, justice and the search of meaning in life.
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Marianna Turturo
November 2022