presenting pre-festival events and free screenings; NOAM Anteprima, Italy
Festival overview
About NOAM Faenza Film Festival
Physical film festival in presenting pre-festival events and free screenings; NOAM Anteprima, Italy with submission categories including NOAM LAB - SHORT FILMS and NOAM CONCORSO - FEATURE FILMS.
Festival is Italy’s first and only film festival dedicated to independent cinema from North America — including the USA, Canada, and Mexico — and is held annually in the city of Faenza, Emilia-Romagna. The 2026 edition, taking place from November 11 to 15, presents a bold and diverse program.
NOAM 2026 will have a special country focus on Mexico, with particular priority given to films from this country, highlighting the richness and diversity of its contemporary cinema. The short film competitions include NOAM Lab, tailored to schools and youth audiences.
This section is enriched by a special out-of-competition program.
Schedule
Important Dates
Call for Entries Opens
Apr 10, 2026
Final Submission Deadline
Sep 30, 2026
Notification Date
Oct 15, 2026
Festival Starts
Nov 11, 2026
Festival Ends
Nov 15, 2026
Recognition
Awards & Prizes
Best Feature and the Youth Award, recognizing outstanding resonance with audiences under 30; - the Short Film Jury, which selects the
Eligibility
Rules & Eligibility
General Rules+
SUBMISSION RULES - Eligibility Criteria
Production Countries: Films must be produced in or co-produced with Canada, Mexico, the United States, or Caribbean territories. Exceptions may be made for projects by directors originally from those regions, even if produced elsewhere.
Premiere Status: Priority will be given to films that have not yet had an Italian theatrical, festival, or digital premiere at the time of selection.
Production Year: Only films completed after January 1, 2025 will be considered for the 2026 edition.
Language: Films not in English, Spanish, French, or Italian must be submitted with English subtitles. Selected films will be required to provide Italian-subtitled versions for public screenings. SHORT FILM
Duration: Films must have a maximum duration of 30 minutes.
Production Countries: Films must have been produced in Canada, Mexico, the United States, or the Caribbean; films from other countries will only be considered if the director is from the countries already mentioned.
Premiere Status: Priority will be given to films that have not yet had an Italian premiere.
Production Year: Only films produced after January 1 2025 will be considered. - Submission Process
Opening Date
Current Categories, Deadlines & Fees
Category
NOAM LAB - SHORT FILMS
NOAM LAB - SHORT FILMS currently lists a maximum runtime of 30 minutes. Listed fees include USD 10 early-bird, USD 20 regular, and USD 35 late.
Current FeeUSD 10.00Early
RuntimeMaximum runtime: 30 minutes
Category
NOAM CONCORSO - FEATURE FILMS
NOAM CONCORSO - FEATURE FILMS currently lists a maximum runtime of 60 minutes. Listed fees include USD 10 early-bird, USD 20 regular, and USD 35 late.
