Click here for General rules and Preselection Form 2009


Art. 1. The Festival Internazionale del Film di Roma’s main objective is to focus attention on the best in world cinema; making room for its most popular expressions, featuring new explorations in the craft and creating opportunities for events to foster greater understanding of the important personalities and periods in cinema history, both past and present. There is also an emphasis on highlighting world cinematographies of particular interest, plus genres that enhance the technical, artistic and social sides of cinema as a whole.

Art. 2. This mission will be carried out by a fully-autonomous Artistic Director, who will,  in agreement with the Festival President, appoint a Committee of Experts. Its members will be given respective responsibility for the various sections on an annual basis.

Art. 3. The individual sections, each with their own specific function, are:

a) The Selezione Ufficiale, with films both in and out of competition
b) Innovative films, retrospectives and encounters (L’altro cinema)
c) Children’s cinema (Alice nella città), with films also eligible to run in a dedicated competition
d) Special events, tributes and any eventual exhibitions, (handled by the General Director in agreement with the President)

Art. 4. Films competing in the Selezione Ufficiale must be premieres in Italy and elsewhere in the world, barring their country of origin and excluding screenings at any eventual festivals outside Europe. 

Art. 5. A Mercato Internazionale del Film will vigorously encourage exchanges within the world film industry. Under the helm of its own Director, the market will be held in diverse locations and will be planned in close agreement with the main organizations in Italian cinema. There will be additional opportunities for exchanges between producers and directors with the aim of funding new works (the Fabbrica dei progetti).

Art. 6. The Artistic Director and the Director of the Market will be appointed by the Board of Management on the proposal of the President.

Art. 7.  Films competing in the Selezione Ufficiale will be in the running for the following prizes, to be awarded by a seven-member international jury: the Golden Marc’Aurelio Award for Best Film, two Silver Marc’Aurelios for Best Actor and Best Actress, and the Grand Jury Prize, also a silver Marc’Aurelio, the selection criteria for which are to be defined, as are the criteria for two Special Prizes that the jury may also award.

Art. 8. Simultaneously, the same films in the Selezione Ufficiale will be competing for the Golden Marc’Aurelio Audience Award for Best Film, which will be voted for by all festival-goers attending screenings in accordance with technical procedures that will be published separately and are designed to ensure the objectivity of the audience vote under the supervision of a notary. The award carries a cash grant of 40,000 euros, to be split equally between the film’s director and its majority share producer.  A Silver Marc’Aurelio for Best Documentary will be awarded to a film presented in the L’Altro Cinema – Extra Section by a jury of Italian documentary filmmakers.

Art. 9. The films in the “Alice nella città” Section will be in the running for two prizes for best film called the Marc’Aurelio “Alice nella città” Awards; one is voted for by children under 12, and the other by youngsters aged 13 to 17. Each prize carries a cash grant of 10,000 euros, to be split equally between the film’s director and its majority share producer. 

Art. 10. There is also the potential to award further Marc’Aurelio prizes created to honour the careers of illustrious figures in Italian as well as international cinema. 

Art. 11. Other initiatives may be organised to allow the general public and film professionals to come face-to-face with international film personalities as well as to focus on specific aspects of the art of filmmaking, its techniques, its stars and its evolution. (Permanent Activities).