FIORENZO SERRA FILM FESTIVAL 2026 CALL FOR ENTRIES
ARTICLE 1 - OBJECTIVES
The “Fiorenzo Serra” Visual Anthropology Laboratory, an operational structure
of the Società Umanitaria - Cineteca Sarda (hereinafter referred to as the
“Cineteca”) and belonging to the Department of History, Human Sciences and
Education of the University of Sassari (hereinafter referred to as the
“Department”), announces for the year 2026 - as part of the program to enhance
the figure of Fiorenzo Serra - the IX edition of the Competition for ethnographic
film productions named after the director from Sassari.
The term "film production" (hereinafter referred to as "Film") includes any
audiovisual work, documentary produced using analog or digital technologies.
The competition aims to promote the creation of films that contribute to the
understanding of ethnographic and cultural realities through audiovisual media.
It also seeks to scientifically and systematically protect and enhance both
national and international audiovisual productions related to ethnographic,
archaeological, historical, linguistic-cultural, and environmental heritages.
Furthermore, the competition aims to clarify, within the theoretical and
methodological debate of demo-ethno-anthropological disciplines, the crucial
role of Visual Anthropology and to support the creation of audiovisual
documentation concerning the identity and cultural specificities of Sardinia, as
well as various national and international social realities.
ARTICLE 2 - THEME AND DEADLINE
The competition is divided into two sections. The main section, named after
Fiorenzo Serra, is thematic.
The second section is dedicated to Antonio Simon Mossa and is intended for
documentaries that, while not related to the main theme, have special
ethnological value.
Film productions relating to aspects of Sardinian, national and international
ethnographic and historical-cultural realities can participate in the three sections.
LABORATORIO DI ANTROPOLOGIA VISUALE “FIORENZO SERRA”
Dipartimento di Storia, Scienze dell'Uomo e della Formazione - Viale Umberto I 50 - Sassari - info@fiorenzoserrafilmfestival.it
The theme of this nine edition of the competition for the section “Fiorenzo
Serra” is “Popular medicine around the world, cinema and the culture of
healing”.
Popular medicine represents one of humanity's oldest and most widespread
cultural heritages. Through medicinal herbs, therapeutic rituals, spiritual
practices, oral knowledge, and traditional healers, communities around the world
have developed systems of care that illustrate the profound relationship between
body, nature, memory, and culture.
The competition invites filmmakers, visual anthropologists and independent
authors to submit films that explore the many forms of popular medicine and
traditional healing practices. Films that narrate, document, or critically reflect on:
traditional medicines and local therapeutic systems; herbal knowledge and
knowledge related to medicinal plants; healing rituals and spiritual practices;
healers, healers, shamans, midwives, and custodians of traditional knowledge;
relationships between folk medicine and scientific medicine; intergenerational
transmission of healing knowledge; intangible cultural heritage and community
therapeutic practices; contemporary transformations of traditional medicines;
relationship between health, environment, identity and culture.
Only films in which there is a discussion of the above theme can participate in the
main section named after Fiorenzo Serra. The main prizes (see art. 3) will be
awarded to the films that best address the theme of the competition. The jury,
therefore, will be called upon to evaluate the thematic relevance, the
communicative and directorial effectiveness expressed in the narrative and
aesthetic dimension of the film and any other element that it deems appropriate
to consider for the purposes of identifying the winners.
Ento-anthropological films without thematic alleys can participate in the two
sections dedicated to Antonio Simon Mossa and Antonio Bisaccia. The jury
responsible for awarding the prize dedicated to Antonio Simon Mossa will
evaluate the cinematographic quality of the selected films. The jury responsible
for awarding the prize will evaluate the innovative character of the selected films
from a cinematic linguistic point of view.
The deadline for submitting films and the required documentation (see art. 5) is
AUGUST 10, 2026, at 11:59 PM. Only files submitted through online computer
systems will be accepted.
LABORATORIO DI ANTROPOLOGIA VISUALE “FIORENZO SERRA”
Dipartimento di Storia, Scienze dell'Uomo e della Formazione - Viale Umberto I 50 - Sassari - info@fiorenzoserrafilmfestival.it
ARTICLE 3 - AWARDS
The prizes will be distributed as follows:
FIORENZO SERRA MAIN PRIZE:
First place in the feature film category: €2000
First place in the short film category up to 30 minutes: €1000
ANTONIO SIMON MOSSA SPECIAL CATEGORY:
First place in the feature film category: €1000
First place in the short film category up to 30 minutes: €500
SPECIAL CATEGORY ANTONIO BISACCIA:
A special mention called the “Antonio Bisaccia Award” will be awarded to a short
film (up to 30 minutes) in the ASM section, with a prize of €500.
ARTICLE 4 - PARTICIPATION CONDITIONS
1) Participation in the competition is free and open to everyone, regardless of
age and nationality. Each author or group of authors may submit multiple
films, but only one can be awarded a prize.
2) The competition is open to all audiovisual products, whether professional or
non-professional, released or unreleased, shot anywhere in the world, with no
restrictions on the production year, as long as they relate to the theme
specified in art. 2.
3) Films can be produced in any format or medium, but only those with a
resolution equal to or greater than 1080p will be considered. Submission of
films for the competition must be done through online computer systems.
4) If selected for the final phase, it is mandatory to submit the film in DCP format
(Digital Cinema Package).
5) Foreign films must be subtitled strictly in Italian or alternatively in English and
must be accompanied by the corresponding SRT file.
6) Films for which full rights to participate in the competition and for public
screening are not held will not be eligible for entry.
7) Short films are defined as those with a maximum duration of 30 minutes,
including end credits. Feature films are those exceeding 30 minutes,
including end credits.
LABORATORIO DI ANTROPOLOGIA VISUALE “FIORENZO SERRA”
Dipartimento di Storia, Scienze dell'Uomo e della Formazione - Viale Umberto I 52 - Sassari - info@fiorenzoserrafilmfestival.it
8) Advertising spots, purely musical documentaries, and editorial videos of a
promotional or commercial nature, or those that infringe upon human rights
and dignity, are not eligible for participation.
9) The person signing the entry form for the competition assumes full
responsibility for any potential misuse of the film, including the possible
offense of the producing company or other parties due to the content of the
work.
10) Participants are responsible for the costs of sending materials.
11) The organizers will not be responsible for any payments to those who submit
films to the competition, whether personal or on behalf of the production or
distribution company.
12) Participation in the competition implies the complete acceptance of this
regulation.
ARTICLE 5 - PARTICIPATION PROCEDURE
Registration can be completed on the website: www.fiorenzoserrafilmfestival.it
or through the filmfreeway.com and festhome.com platforms by searching for
"Fiorenzo Serra Film Festival". The registration form and the competition notice
are also available on the websites: www.lacinetecasarda.it; www.uniss.it
The digital copy can be sent via computer systems to the e-mail
info@fiorenzoserrafilmfestival.it, in any case the sending must be complete with
all the required materials and the complete documentation in all its parts.
The documentation should include the following:
1. The original signed entry form;
2. The film in digital format with a minimum resolution of 1080p or higher;
3. Subtitle track in Italian or English in SRT format;
4. A trailer or film excerpts for promoting the competition;
5. Film synopsis in Italian and English (maximum 1000 characters) in Word;
6. Biography and filmography of the author or authors in Italian and English
(maximum 1000 characters) in Word or PDF;
7. Technical details of the film, including cast and credits, in Italian and English,
and a list of the musical tracks used in the soundtrack;
8. At least three scene photographs: jpeg, png, tiff o bitmap;
9. One or more photos of the author or authors: jpeg, png, tiff o bitmap;
Furthermore, it is recommended to submit informational material about the film
and its authors (e.g., a press kit). This information will be used for communications
LABORATORIO DI ANTROPOLOGIA VISUALE “FIORENZO SERRA”
Dipartimento di Storia, Scienze dell'Uomo e della Formazione - Viale Umberto I 52 - Sassari - info@fiorenzoserrafilmfestival.it
with the press to promote the competition. For any questions or clarifications,
please contact the festival secretariat at the following address:
info@fiorenzoserrafilmfestival.it.
ARTICLE 6 - RESPONSIBILITY
By signing the entry form, the author declares the following: a) the submitted
work does not violate current laws and regulations or the rights of third parties;
b) they own all the rights necessary for the use of the work and music (with
appropriate documentation); c) they release the organization from any losses,
damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses of any kind that may arise from the
content of their work and its public screening; d) they irrevocably waive any claim
and action against the competition organizers (Società Umanitaria-Cineteca
Sarda and Department of History, Human Sciences at the University of Sassari),
the jury members, and all individuals involved in the competition in any capacity,
and release them from any liability in this regard.
ARTICLE 7 - PRESELECTION AND JURY
The competition consists of three phases.
1st phase: the works received by the deadline will be the subject of a pre-selection
by a commission composed by the promoters of the competition: the Laboratory
“Fiorenzo Serra” and Cineteca. Films received more than seven days after the
competition deadline (see art. 2) and those submitted without the required,
complete and correct documentation (see art. 4 and 5) will not be subject to pre-
selection. The authors of the works will receive communication by email of the
selection in the final phase.
2nd Phase: The films selected for the final stage will be reviewed by a jury
appointed by the competition promoters. Prizes will be awarded based on the
jury's judgment, which will be the sole authority for determining the winners.
3rd Phase: Public event with the screening of the competition films or an
additional selection of the same, concluding with the public award ceremony
(see art. 8).
LABORATORIO DI ANTROPOLOGIA VISUALE “FIORENZO SERRA”
Dipartimento di Storia, Scienze dell'Uomo e della Formazione - Viale Umberto I 50 - Sassari - info@fiorenzoserrafilmfestival.it
The organizing commission of the Fiorenzo Serra Film Festival is solely
responsible (at its sole discretion) for the selection of the films assigned to each
section and for the appointment of the members of the three operating juries.
The jury will consist of members with the following characteristics: experts in
demo-ethno-anthropological disciplines, cinema experts, cultural figures, and at
least one representative appointed by the "Laboratorio di Antropologia Fiorenzo
Serra." The three juries, who will work in complete autonomy of judgement, will
elect a “jury president” from among the internal members of each section.
The competition winners will be informed 15 days before the award ceremony to
allow for the organization and guarantee their presence for prize delivery.
Winners are bound by confidentiality regarding the award, which should only be
made public on the day of the award ceremony. Any premature release of the
information by the winner will result in the cancellation and non-recognition of
the prize amount.
ARTICLE 8 - PUBLIC EVENT
The films selected and evaluated by the jury, as part of the competition, will be
presented to the public in an event which will take place at the end of the
competition phase by 31 December 2026 and which will end with the awarding
of the winners of the three sections. The organizing promoters of the Festival are
solely responsible for all organizational choices regarding the event and every
decision is unquestionable.
ARTICLE 9 - ARBITRATION AND FINAL CLAUSE
Any disputes arising in relation to the matters covered by this regulation will be
submitted to the judgment of an arbitration panel, consisting of three members,
as follows: a) one, as the chairman of the arbitration panel, appointed by mutual
agreement between the director of "Società Umanitaria - Cineteca Sarda" and the
director of the Department; b) one appointed by the contestant; c) one appointed
by mutual agreement between the parties in points a) and b), or in the absence
of agreement, by the President of the Sassari Tribunal. For any issues not covered
in this regulation, the competition organizers reserve the right to make final
decisions. This regulation is drawn up in Italian and English. In case of
interpretative problems, only the Italian version is valid.
LABORATORIO DI ANTROPOLOGIA VISUALE “FIORENZO SERRA”
Dipartimento di Storia, Scienze dell'Uomo e della Formazione - Viale Umberto I 50 - Sassari - info@fiorenzoserrafilmfestival.it
Date:____/______/_____
