Summary
Rome’s Corto Condorello short-film festival will return to Cinema Troisi from December 11–13, 2026, with Nicolas Winding Refn leading the international jury. Directors born on or after January 1, 1992 may submit films of any genre up to 20 minutes through FilmFreeway by November 6. Ten official finalists will compete for jury and audience awards, with both winners offered one-year international distribution on MUBI. A new Pink Condorello award lets participating finalists publish their films on Refn’s byNWR platform for an online vote; the winner remains in its catalog for one year. The festival’s 2024 debut received more than 2,000 entries from 86 countries. This year’s jury also includes Abel Ferrara, screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, and cultural figures from film, fashion and music.
Hana’s perspective
I like that the festival’s prizes are tied to distribution rather than only trophies. For emerging filmmakers, a year on MUBI or byNWR can be more useful than a cash award because the hardest step after completing a short is often reaching an audience beyond one screening. The online vote also gives selected directors another route to visibility, although popularity should not replace curatorial judgment. Animation and AI-assisted shorts are eligible under the open genre rules, so young creators working with new production methods have a credible international outlet. The €10 entry fee is comparatively accessible, but entrants should still weigh platform exposure against rights and exclusivity terms before accepting any distribution offer.
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