The Rome Independent Cinema Festival showcases new talents, first-time filmmakers and established professionals in the film industry.

Aiming to promote diversity in the film industry and become a connecting platform, the Rome Independent Cinema Festival is open to filmmakers of all backgrounds. We are excited to receive hidden gems of indie cinema and we take pride in boasting thought-provoking programmes.

Inspired by Rome's cinematic history, the RICF aims to celebrate the power of independent cinema with the city's large filmmaking community. Growing year by year, our initiative is to create a unique cinematic experience while bringing like-minded people together.

The Rome Independent Cinema Festival is organised by HFP, a pioneer organisation that runs Film Festivals and other events showcasing and championing ideas of diversity. Through our global series of film Festivals that spread over 13 countries, we open the path to voices with a compelling story to share. Our main mission is to honour independent cinema and establish a network of artists eager to join forces and spread their work across all nations. HFP runs 25 film Festivals worldwide.

Awards & Prizes

The Festival's award-winning films are presented at the end of the screenings and are announced on our official website and social media.

All winners receive our official award certificate.

Rules & Terms

✓ All films must be submitted in English or with English subtitles (if in a different language).

✓ All films must have been made in or after 2025.

✓ Short films must not exceed 45 minutes.

✓ Filmmakers are responsible for sorting out the copyright on their own materials.

✓ By submitting to us, you give us consent and right to screen your film in front of a live audience, and, under special circumstances, online screening.

✓ Nominations: These are all the films that have been nominated for an award in a category. Not all nominated films will be screened.

Official Selection: These are all the nominated films selected for screening, which will be notified via email. If you received a Nomination email, but no Official Selection email, it means your film will not be screened, but is still a contender for an award in its category.

Award Winners: Chosen from the Nominations (which includes the Official Selection).

✓ We may promote clips from your film on social media, based on the press kits you provide us with.

✓ We retain the right to change the date and venue of the festival under special circumstances. All filmmakers will be informed about any changes through email and our online platforms.

✓ We place no restrictions on your work in terms of premiere status or whether your work has been made available online.

✓ We do not accept partial screeners, trailers, or screener links that require access other than password protected links.

✓ Any technical issues with the submitted films are 100% the responsibility of the filmmakers. If, at the time of judging, your video file doesn’t work or doesn’t have English subtitles (if in a language other than English), it will be automatically rejected, without a refund. Please contact the festival team ASAP if there are any issues with the submission process, and a solution will be found.

✓ We cannot provide refunds.

✓ If you have submitted your project in the previous year, please do not resubmit the same project to the current edition.

✓ By submitting to us you agree to our terms and conditions and to receiving marketing newsletters and discounts about film festivals in the form of emails. We will never sell your information to third parties.

✓ We reserve the right to update our terms and conditions.
19 Reviews
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  • nicolas cazalé

    Thank you very much for selecting my film. I am very proud to have been distinguished in your very beautiful festival. It's very important for me to share "A day will come" and I'm glad you like it.
    I wish you all the best,
    Nicolas Cazalé

    November 2022
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  • Doctor.E Production House

    We have been honored to have our film, Do.Solo.Pin, been selected as the winner of the "Best Short Film" in the 2021 Rome Independent Cinema Festival among such high-quality lineup. It has been a true pleasure to have been working with such high-quality film festival and its amazing staff. The past two years have been very difficult for any artistic venue especially for a young and independent film festival, but despite the challenges RICF did a great job with the 2021 in-theatre screenings.
    Thank you RICF! we are looking forward to participating with our future work in your upcoming events.

    December 2021
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  • Fred Perry

    Wow! Just learned that my script, "Bernie," won for best writing. Am truly honored. Thank you so much.

    November 2021
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  • Diego Robaldo

    Very Happy for "Canelones" been selected as Finalist for the international competition, sadly due the pandemic we couldt assist to the event. but we wiil in the future! THANKS !

    December 2020
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  • Mehmet Tığlı

    It’s a great honor to be an award winner at this amazing festival. Sycamore won best foreign film award. Thanx a lot!

    October 2020
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