THE CALL FOR SUBMISSION FOR THE MDFF 11 IS NOW OPEN!

The Milano Design Film Festival is a cultural platform that, through the language of film, strives to bring the general public closer to the most urgent concepts in design and architecture today. Our annual event showcases films created by designers, as well as films on design and architecture by filmmakers and artists, exploring innovative trends and expanding the understanding of the practice and the research in areas such as consumption, care, social organization, information, and future industries.

The 11th edition of the MDFF will take place in Milan from the 6th to the 10th of March 2024.

Awards & Prizes

MDFF 11 OFFICIAL SELECTION

The MDFF 11 Official Selection presents an international programme featuring the finest and most recent architecture and design-related film productions. Through this open call, designers, independent filmmakers, artists and production and distribution companies are invited to submit their works.

We welcome documentaries, short films, art videos, and feature films that explore themes associated with architecture and design in their broadest aspects and meanings. This includes films by designers intended as prototypes, research projects, or presentations. The shortlisted films will be showcased during the festival from March 6th to March 10th, 2024, an international jury of experts will be responsible for determining the award recipients.

There are no restrictions on duration, content, theme, or genre, but it is essential that submitted works have been completed within the last two years. Italian premieres are highly encouraged.

The 2024 programme will present four distinct awards this year:

AFA – Architecture Feature Film Award (2000€)
AFA – Architecture Short Film Award (1000€)
DFA – Design Feature Film Award (2000€)
DFA – Design Short Film Award (1000€)

An administration fee of € 5 will be charged for each submission (payable in conjunction with the submission process via PayPal).

Please note that it is possible to submit the rough cut, ensuring implementation by the end of January (unpublished works only).

The deadline for film submissions is January 20, 2024.

The shortlisted films will be showcased during the festival from March 6th to March 10th, 2024.

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Sections & Competitions

• AFA – ARCHITECTURE FILM AWARD

The AFA – Architecture Film Award is organised in collaboration with Fondazione dell’Ordine degli Architetti P.P.C of the Province of Milan (FOAM) and it aims at promoting films about architecture and landscape.

The films may be fiction, documentaries, art videos, feature films, or short films. The purpose of the Award is to explore the overlaps between architecture and filmmaking, promoting new ways of experiencing space and places, and encouraging and motivating architects in the use of audio-visual language as a means of communication.

The AFA is divided in two categories:

AFA – Architecture Feature Film Award
Features films - between 55’ and 180’
Prize: € 2,000

AFA – Architecture Short Film Award
Short films - 55’ or less
Prize: € 1,000

• DFA – DESIGN FILM AWARDS

The DFA – Design Film Award is designed to celebrate films exploring the multifaceted world of design. This award seeks to highlight the creative intersections between design and filmmaking.

The films eligible for this award may span various genres, including fiction, documentaries, art videos, feature films, and short films. The primary goal of the Award is to delve into the dynamic connections between design and the cinematic medium, fostering innovative perspectives on how we perceive and interact with design concepts.

The DFA is divided in two categories:

DFA – Design Feature Film Award
Features film - between 55’ and 180’
Prize: € 2,000

DFA – Design Short Film Award
Short film - 55’ or less
Prize: € 1,000

Notification of acceptance to the festival will be promptly communicated to the selected films, while all submitted films will receive notifications by mid-February 2024. It's important to note that the festival, unfortunately, cannot provide reviews or feedback for individual films.

Rules & Terms

In order to participate it is necessary to fill in the form with your data on FilmFreeway.com.

We will accept the submissions only upon the payment of the € 5 admission fee.

Films must be in the original language, with subtitles in English. Subtitles in other languages (Italian preferred) are optional.

Accepting the terms of the call implies consent to a possible film tour at Italian Cultural Institutes abroad, or other venues during the 12 months following the Festival. The conditions for such screenings will be subject to subsequent communications with the authors and/or the production and distribution companies of the selected films.

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Requirements for participation

Participation is open to persons over 18 years of age of any nationality. Works must have been completed in the period 2022-2024, although an Italian premiere is not required, films not previously presented in Italy will be given priority for the competitive section.

The Awards welcome film projects dedicated to architecture and design in their broadest sense, encompassing interior and product design, graphic and data design, urban building and landscape planning. These films may delve into aspects of real or envisioned structures related to architecture and design, as well as incorporate influences from other fields such as art, music, theatre, literature, and technology. Additionally, they may explore intersections with the realms of food, environment, sustainability, pharmaceuticals, mobility and fashion.

The submissions can be made by directors, clients, and producers. Submissions made by individuals other than the directors must include a declaration of consent to participation from the designers. In the case of collective works, a single nominee should be indicated to the secretariat.

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Reasons for exclusion

The following are excluded from participation: actual or alternate members of the jury,
members of the Award secretariat, their spouses and their relatives up to the third degree of kinship, their employees and associates, those with whom they have a continual and well-known association, even if informal, and those who participated in drafting the Award announcement or in organising the event. It is not allowed to submit films screened during the previous editions of MDFF.
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  • Emilio Neri Tremolada

    complimenti alle curatrici per la qualità dei film scelti, e grazie per aver aver premiato il mio corto "Dieci tipidi nero" ci rivediamo alla prossima edizione*****

    March 2024
    Helpful
  • Maurizio Dalla Palma

    Un evento di grande importanza a Milano, e conosciuto nel mondo, presentato quest'anno alla Triennale, con proiezioni al cinema Anteo, punto di riferimento per il cinema di qualità in città, e in altre location che legano gli appuntamenti in sala a vari quartieri. È stato un onore partecipare.

    December 2022
    Helpful
  • Dave Simonds

    The La Claridad team was honored to be included in this amazing festival. We thought we were a good fit and we're glad they did too.

    November 2022
    Helpful