‘In Short We Trust’ – The slogan of the 4th Roma Creative Contest – Short Film Festival leaves no questions open what it is about. With a team made up solely of under 30’s and the European Commission as a patron, the festival is one of the hot spots for emerging filmmakers. With a new international section, the European Awards and with the Academy Award winning Director Giuseppe Tornatore as leading Chairman, European filmmakers simply cannot ignore the festival. And let’s not forgetting the prizes with a total value over € 50,000! In our chat, Priscilla Caporro, Jacopo Malatesta and Artistic Director Raffaele Inno give us even more reasons why filmmakers should submit to their festival.
Latest Deadline • 15 July 2014
1. It’s not about the budget
Priscilla Caporro: We are looking for something that can be nice and enjoyable for the audience. We want to give filmmakers an opportunity to show their work. It‘s not important how much money you spend on your film, you can even do a film with no budget. The only thing that is important is personality, technique and a new idea. Everything which is innovative and high-quality is more than welcome.
2. The goal is a feature film
PC: At Roma Creative we have screenings, workshops, panels, parties, exhibitions and this can be a great opportunity for filmmakers to be involved in a project that’s relatively new and getting bigger every year. We have also just announced our partnership with RAI Cinema Channel, one of tematic-channel part of the Italian national TV network. RAI also work in cinema, with film production and distribution.
Jacopo Malatesta: This year we have three sections. One is just for Italian short films, Images Hunters. The other two main sections are for international short films and animations. We are very proud that the winners of previous editions had the opportunity to realise a long film afterwards.
Raffaele Inno: During the festival, RAI Cinema will be here for a few days and their staff will get in contact with the winner of the contest. We are still in conversation about what the winner will get, but it will be something BIG!
3. Films mirror the directors reality
PC: What we noticed is that short films are highly influenced by the environment in which they are developed. For example last year there was a massive presence of the social crisis’ influence and environmental problems. Events and situations from past and present are reflected in the films: filmmakers live in the reality and show and tell what they see.
4. Film festivals connect with the industry
PC: Film festivals are important especially for short films. What we experience in Italy is that there is a problem of distribution. Filmmakers invest a lot of energy doing something that in the end can’t really reach the public. So a festival is an opportunity for them to show their works and to have an opportunity to develop new projects. That‘s the main reason why we believe in the importance of festival like this.
JM: Festivals can also create great relationships. Young directors and established filmmakers can meet at festivals. It creates an environment where you can communicate with other people! You can create other projects together and even start working with us with our association. We want to be a link for all the categories involved in cinema industry.
5. Short filmmakers need more public
PC: Our festival is very professional and very friendly at the same time. We prepare an interview space at the festival, where filmmakers can talk about their film.
JM: All the filmmakers said they haven‘t expect a festival like this. Because they are used, as short filmmaker, to get not very much attention, and usually there isn’t a big audience. In fact our festival exhibits absolute enthusiasm for short films!
PC: To give filmmakers this unique possibility, we try to host all the filmmakers from the invited films. Unfortunately we have to deal with budget limits, we are still working on that, but I am sure that we will sort it out!
6. Online Submissions save the planet
PC: Filmmakers should use online submission – to save the planet, to use less paper!
JM: It definitely makes things a lot easier.
RI: Especially from abroad, it can be kind rather annoying with physical DVDs. Properly it is the best way especially for upcoming film festivals. And reducing paper and less physical transport is always something good.
Working online and working on a platform which is such well organized is the best way for us. We were looking at different submission platforms and the reason why we chose FilmFestivalLife was that you adapt more to our needs especially as it’s extremely easy to access the data and for filmmakers to upload a film. That‘s why we were more enthusiastic about FFL than the others. And then also as the screener is in beautiful HD! What we also like is that FFL has access with its users on social networks like Facebook and Twitter. We are a young festival and we need FFL to spread the word as much as possible.
Raffaele Inno, Artistic Director
Priscilla Caporro, International Relations Coordinator
Jacopo Malatesta, Institutional Relations Coordinator
Roma Creative Contest – Short Film Festival
Sep 14 – 28, 2014
Rome, Italy
Submit to Roma Creative Contest on FilmFestivalLife:
Regular Deadline: 30 June 2014
Late Deadline: 15 July 2014
Read more FOCUS features from FilmFestivalLife:
:: FOCUS • 6 Tips for Documentary Filmmakers from ANTENNA DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL
:: FOCUS • 6 Tips for Independent Filmmakers from LEIDEN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
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