The Ermanno Olmi Award is back in Bergamo. Established by the Municipality of Bergamo with the purpose of promoting short films by young directors, the award was also created to honour the late filmmaker from Bergamo.
Deadline: October 11th, 2026
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 directors, the international competition was also created to honour the late filmmaker from Bergamo.
Aiming to support young filmmakers under the age of 30, the award consists of 3 cash prizes (€1,200, €600, and €400) 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 Federazione Italiana Cineforum ETS.
For this year, the Culture Department has chosen as its theme “Living in the World”: the relationship between people and the places they inhabit. Ermanno Olmi always explored how landscapes shape human identity. How can the connection between individuals and territories/places be portrayed, between memory and urban and rural transformation? What does it mean today to feel part of a place?
The deadline for submissions (fiction, documentary or animation produced in 2025 and 2026), which must not exceed 15 minutes in length, is October 11th, 2026. (Info and registration: premioolmi.it/). Each filmmaker can submit a single entry and the submission of an individual and a collective entry at the same time is not allowed.
The winners’ announcement and award ceremony will be held on Tuesday, December 1st, 2026, at Bergamo at spazio CULT! Sala dell’Orologio di Piazza della Libertà.
The Ermanno Olmi Award is promoted by the Municipality of Bergamo in collaboration with Federazione Italiana Cineforum ETS. Technical partner of the Italian Cineforum Federation ETS: Bergamo Film Meeting ETS.
In linea con i Criteri Minimi Ambientali, parametri di sostenibilità per le manifestazioni culturali accolti dal Comune di Bergamo, il Premio è inserito nel progetto europeo Green Friendly Event: un impegno civile per coniugare ambiente e cultura, e un doveroso omaggio a Ermanno Olmi, la cui cinematografia è sempre stata attenta alle tematiche ambientali.
