Roma Creative Contest 2025: Three Days of Short Films, Creativity, and Dialogue in the Heart of Rome

From December 19 to 21, 2025, Rome will host the fourteenth edition of the Roma Creative Contest, the International Short Film Festival conceived and produced by Image Hunters. Three intense days dedicated to short cinema, creativity, and professional exchange will turn the Trastevere district into a living workshop of stories, images, and ideas.

Created to foster dialogue between emerging talents and established professionals from the Italian and international film industries, the Roma Creative Contest has become a key reference point for short films and new audiovisual languages. Once again, the festival confirms its mission: giving space to fresh voices and original visions, where each short film becomes a window onto the world and a catalyst for reflection.

Three Venues, One Festival

The festival will take place across three emblematic venues in Trastevere. Spazio Scena, hosting events on Friday, December 19, and Saturday, December 20, will be the starting point of the festival, welcoming the first screenings and several professional meetings in an intimate and creative setting.

On Saturday, December 20, the festival will also move to WeGil, a space entirely dedicated to training, professional development, and discussion. The closing day, Sunday, December 21, will take place at Cinema Troisi, where the awards ceremony will bring the festival to a close in a celebratory atmosphere.

Jury and Awards

The films in competition will be evaluated by a jury composed of prominent figures from the Italian film industry: Ludovico di Martino (director and screenwriter), Carlo Rinaldi (director of photography), Giancarlo Commare (actor), Giulia Perrulli (actress), and Dimitri Scarlato (composer).

Awards will be presented in the following categories: Best Italian Short Film, Best International Short Film, Best Animated Short Film, Best Documentary Short Film, and Best Music Video. In addition, the festival’s main partner, Leone Film Group, will present a special award to the best short film.

Audience engagement plays a key role as well: during the opening day, viewers will be invited to vote for their favorite work, awarding the Audience Award.

The entire festival will be hosted by actor and screenwriter Francesco Marioni alongside presenter and radio speaker Martina Martorano, who will guide audiences through screenings, talks, and discussions.

The Program: Screenings, Training, and Professional Exchange

The festival will open on Friday, December 19, at Spazio Scena starting at 3:00 PM with a talk by Simone Gandolfo, Head of the Production Office at Titanus. The afternoon will continue with screenings of the films in competition, divided into Italian, International, Animation, Documentary, and Music Video sections. These screenings represent the core of the festival, offering audiences the chance to discover premieres from filmmakers around the world.

Saturday, December 20, will be devoted to education and professional growth. From 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at WeGil, the festival will host the Screenplay Contest, aimed at emerging writers who will develop a five-minute short film script based on a prompt provided on the same day by screenwriter and director Tiziana Martini. The winning project will receive full audio and video post-production, curated by Image Hunters.

The morning program will also include Casting Training sessions for actors, led by casting director Giulia Appolloni and agent Sonia Toutaev, as well as an open-access roundtable with directors of Italian film festivals, focused on the evolution of the short film sector.

In the afternoon, starting at 3:00 PM, Spazio Scena will host screenings of animated shorts in competition and out-of-competition works. The day will conclude with the presentation of the documentary Finis Terrae, written and directed by Marta Rumi.

Awards Ceremony

The festival will conclude on Sunday, December 21, at Cinema Troisi with the awards ceremony. The jury will be present in the theater to present the prizes, meet the filmmakers in competition, and engage in conversation with the audience. It will be a closing moment that celebrates creativity, talent, and the expressive power of short cinema.

Admission and Additional Information

Admission to all festival events is free. Screenings and activities will take place at Spazio Scena on December 19 and 20, at WeGil on December 20, and at Cinema Troisi on December 21.

The Roma Creative Contest is sponsored by Leone Film Group and Lotus Production, and takes place in partnership with D-Vision, Wildcat, Wacom, Campo Magnetico, Anica Academy Alumni, Dumatt, Enoteca La Vite, Marte Live, and SSML San Domenico.

For further information, inquiries can be directed to [email protected].
Press office: Sara Finocchiaro – [email protected].

A Space Where Stories Come to Life

The Roma Creative Contest is more than a festival. It is a meeting point where stories take shape, where short films become tools for exploration, and where emerging voices find an audience. Through screenings, workshops, and conversations, the festival continues to highlight new talent while reaffirming Rome’s role as a vibrant hub for contemporary short cinema.

For three days, Trastevere becomes a place where ideas circulate freely and images speak loudly—proof that even the shortest films can open vast creative horizons.