The Ermanno Olmi Award is back in Bergamo. Established by the Municipality of Bergamo with the purpose of promoting short films by young Italian and international directors, the award was also created to honour the late filmmaker from Bergamo.
Deadline: October 12th, 2025
Partecipation fee — 5 €
The Ermanno Olmi Award is back in Bergamo. Established by the Municipality of Bergamo with the purpose of promoting short films by young Italian and international directors.
Aiming to support young filmmakers under the age of 30, the award consists of 3 cash prizes (€1,200, €600, and €400) – made available by Bergamo Film Meeting Onlus – and a special mention awarded on a theme chosen by the municipal administration. The winner of the mention will be awarded a cash prize worth € 300 offered by FIC – Federazione Italiana Cineforum.
For this year, the Culture Department has chosen as its theme “Humilty”, with its echoes from the Gospels and Dostoevsky, stands in stark contrast to the social obsession with profit, domination, and widespread selfishness. As the Gospel of Matthew says: «Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek and peaceful, for they will inherit the earth». These words should be read in a secular light, just as Olmi did. Humility carries within it a deep sense of justice and care for others, for the environment, for work. It also means embracing complexity, accepting that we are part of something greater than ourselves. It means not being masters, but seekers of meaning.
The deadline for submissions (fiction, documentary or animation produced in 2024 and 2025), which must not exceed 15 minutes in length, is October 12th, 2025.
The winners’ announcement and award ceremony will be held on Tuesday, December 2nd, 2024, at the Sala dell’Orologio in Piazza della Libertà, Bergamo (or another suitable venue).
The Ermanno Olmi Award is promoted by the Municipality of Bergamo with the support of Bergamo Film Meeting Onlus and in collaboration with FIC – Federazione Italiana Cineforum.
In accord with the Minimum Environmental Criteria – parameters of environmental sustainability for cultural events – signed by the Municipality of Bergamo, the Prize takes part in the European Green Fest project: a commitment to both environment and culture, and a fitting tribute to Ermanno Olmi, who, through his works, was always a keen supporter of environmental preservation.
