World Food Forum Youth Film Festival

World Food Forum | Film Festival - Terms and Conditions

The Terms and Conditions for the competition are as follows:

Background

The World Food Forum (WFF), launched in 2021 and hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is a global platform shaping agrifood systems for a sustainable future and accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through youth action, science, innovation and investment, the WFF drives local, regional and global partnerships to build sustainable, resilient and inclusive agrifood systems for all.

The WFF’s Global Youth Action Initiative (Youth Initiative), created by the FAO Youth Committee and managed by FAO’s Office of Youth and Women (OYW), harnesses the passion and power of youth to transform agrifood systems, serving as a library for youth engagement and empowerment, knowledge-sharing and innovation.

This Short Film Competition (the “Competition”) is part of the Youth Culture Programme of the WFF: we are looking for young – or young-at-heart – filmmakers to tell the world stories that will inspire change and become an essential part in spreading the message to transform our agrifood systems.

T&Cs for the competition were: Part I Prizes

The authors of the six winning films will receive a cash prize, and their films will also be featured during the World Food Forum flagship event in Rome in October 2026, allowing the artists to promote their work, gain visibility, and facilitate networking with other attending independent filmmakers and participants.

The five winners will be judged based on the following categories:

Best focus on Food Heritage – USD 500

Best focus on Food Innovation – USD 500

Best Focus on Women in Agrifood Systems – USD 500

Best focus on Oceans – USD 500

Best focus on Climate – USD 500

Best focus on Health, Wellbeing and Nutrition – USD 500

T&Cs for the competition were: Eligibility

The Competition is open only to individuals or a group of individuals (“Entrants”) who are between the ages of 18 and 35 at the time of entering the call for submissions.

FAO employees and their immediate family members or persons living in the same households of such employees, whether or not related, are not eligible to enter the Competition. WFF will determine eligibility at its sole discretion.

Partners or relatives of partner staff of the institutions involved in the launch of the Competition, and relations of the judging committee are not eligible to compete.

Entrants can only submit original works for which they are the sole creator and copyright holder. The term “original works” refers to new films produced for the Competition as well as films produced between 2022-2026, provided that the Entrant

has full rights to the film. In case of a group of authors, the names and ages of all authors must be listed and will be considered as a single Entrant in the copyright rules described below, as well as for the prize for finalists and winners. Entrants can submit up to 1 short film (between 5 and 40 minutes long) that tells a story related to agrifood systems (either under the fiction category or documentary category).

Films submitted must be a final, edited product; sound-mixed, color-graded and optimized for online streaming. Rough cuts are not accepted. Films shot with smartphones are accepted.

Language:
Non-English language films must have embedded English subtitles.

T&Cs for the competition were: Part II - General Terms and Conditions

WFF reserves the right to cancel, modify, suspend or delay the Competition in the event of unforeseen circumstances beyond their reasonable control. WFF reserves the right to change, amend, delete or add to these Terms and Conditions at any time.

WFF and their officials and agents shall not be responsible or liable for any claims, demands, losses, and liability of any kind or nature arising out of or in connection with your participation in this Competition or your acceptance or use of the prizes awarded.

By entering your film in the Competition, you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless WFF, FAO, and its partners against all suits, proceedings, claims, demands, losses, and liability of any kind or nature brought by any third party against WFF, including, but not limited to, all litigation costs and expenses, attorney’s fees, settlement payments, and damages, based on, arising from, or relating to the WFF’s use of the film.

T&Cs for the competition were: 1. Copyright and Permissions

By submitting works to the WFF, you confirm that for each work submitted:

You alone are the author of your work, and it is your original work.

You are the sole copyright holder.

You have not licensed any rights in the work that conflict with the usage rights required by WFF.

You have the permission of any persons in the work to be portrayed as shown in the film.

It does not include trademarks, contract rights, or any other intellectual property rights of any other third person or entity.

T&Cs for the competition were: 2. Unacceptable Content

The WFF reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any entry:

That is disrespectful of the impartiality and independence of the United Nations.

That contains nudity, threatening, false, misleading, abusive, harassing, libelous, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, scandalous, inflammatory, pornographic, or profane content.

That contains any material that could constitute or encourage conduct which would be considered a criminal offense.
T&Cs for the competition were: 3. Your Copyright and Moral Rights

The WFF respects your rights and does not claim ownership or copyright for works you submit to this Competition; you retain full ownership and copyright to each entry.

T&Cs for the competition were: 4. Use of Works

By participating in this Competition, you agree that any work you submit may be used free of charge by WFF and its partners for non-commercial marketing and promotional purposes.

The winning film will be given the opportunity to be included in the WFF impact screening toolkit.

T&Cs for the competition were: 5. Process and Selection Criteria

Submissions will be accepted from Wednesday, 1 April 2026 until 23:59 (CEST) on Tuesday, 14 July 2026. Entries received after the deadline will not be considered.

The WFF reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any incomplete entry, not relevant to the theme, or does not comply with any of the Terms and Conditions and the WFF’s values and guiding principles, even after the entry is submitted.

T&Cs for the competition were: 6. Acceptance

By submitting entries, the Entrant confirms that the Terms and Conditions for this Competition, as set out above, have been read, understood, and agreed to by the Entrant.