Social World Film Festival (15)

Festival start: 22 June 2025      Festival end: 29 June 2025

“Social World Film Festival” is the most emotional festival in the world with events, movies, previews, innovative activities, jury of young people and professionals, workshops, competitions, presentations and thousands of visitors.

The fifteenth edition of the International Social Cinema Festival “Social World Film Festival” will take place from 22 to 29 June 2025 in Vico Equense (Sorrento Coast - Italy) between activities in presence and innovative streaming modes aimed as always to ensure the interaction, direct and in connection, of the authors with the audience of the event.
The winners of the competitive selections are awarded during the Gala Night scheduled for the fifteenth edition in Vico Equense (Sorrento Coast - Italy).

Participating to the International Festival of Social Cinema “Social World Film Festival” offers some specially selected works the exclusive possibility to be presented in events organized worldwide thats in the last ten years, we have involved 28 cities in 40 events on five continents including Los Angeles, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Wien, Washington DC, Seoul, Busan, Berlin, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Paris, Istanbul, San Francisco, Tokyo, Sydney, Marseilles, Palma, Tunis, Hong Kong, Jakarta.

Cash Prizes: 4,000€

All the prizes are awarded at the unquestionable and unappealable judgment of the relevant juries.

a) All the selections. All the short films belonging to both competitive and non-competitive sections of the “Social World Film Festival”, including the section Market, have the possibility to win the “Prize Rai Cinema Channel” with a value of € 3.000,00 awarded by a special jury Rai Cinema to the short film which is suitable to the distributed-on web channel and which consists of a contract for the purchase of the rights for broadcasting the short film on the web and TV, by Rai Cinema, benefiting of the visibility ensured by www.raicinemachannel.it and its partner websites.

The Prize Rai Cinema Channel is provided only if explicitly authorised with a specific form sent to all the participants.

b) International Competition. The “Jury of Quality – Feature Films”, is made of exponents of national and international cinema world and judges the feature films, awarding the “Golden Spike Award for the Best Feature Film”. The “Jury of Critics” is made of exponents from national newspapers, television and radio; this jury evaluates the documentary category and awards the “Golden Spike Award for Best Documentary”. The “Jury of Quality - Short Films” is made of exponents of national and international cinema world, evaluates the works in competition in the short film category and awards the “Golden Spike Award for the Best Short Film”. The “Youth Jury” is made of youngsters coming from all regions of Italy and judges the feature films category, awarding the “Golden Spike Award for the Best Director”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Actor”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Actress” and the “Golden Spike Award for Best Screenplay”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Editing” and the “Golden Spike Award for Best Soundtrack”. The “Teenage Jury” is made of teenagers from Vico Equense and adjacent municipalities, judging the works belonging to the category of short films and awarding the “Golden Spike Award for the Best Director”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Actor”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Actress”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Screenplay”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Editing” and the “Golden Spike Award for Best Soundtrack”.
Any additional cash prizes, services and/or goods will be communicated to the participants before the beginning of the festival.

c) Focus, looking to the south. The “Jury of Quality – Features Films and Short Films” is made of exponents of national and international cinema world and/or journalists, judges the feature films and the short films, awarding the “Golden Spike Award for the Best Feature Film / Short Film”. The “Focus Jury” is made of film-loving citizens and students from cinema schools and evaluates the works in competition into the categories of feature films and short films, awarding the “Prizes for the Best Feature Film of Focus Selection” and “Best Short Film of Focus Selection”.
Any additional cash prizes, services and/or goods will be communicated to the participants before the beginning of the festival.

d) Smile, social with a smile. The “Jury of Students”, made of students from upper secondary schools of the Campania Region, evaluates the works in competition and awarding the “Prize for the Best Short Film of the Smile Selection”.

Any additional cash prizes, services and/or goods will be communicated to the participants before the beginning of the festival.

e) Screen-play. The screenplays of feature films, documentaries and short films sent have the possibility to win the “Prize Paradise Pictures” conferred by a special jury. The Prize consists in the production of a cinematic work based on screenplay winning. The winner receives a prize of €1.000 in a purchase contract for screenplay rights.
The Paradise Pictures Prize is awarded exclusively if the winning work exceeds 60/100 points awarded by the jury.

Any other prizes and/or recognitions will be communicated before the beginning of the festival.

INTRODUCTION

“Social World Film Festival” is the most emotional festival in the world with events, movies, previews, innovative activities, jury of young people and professionals, workshops, competitions, presentations and thousands of visitors.

The fifteenth edition of the International Social Cinema Festival “Social World Film Festival” will take place from 22 to 29 June 2025 in Vico Equense (Sorrento Coast - Italy) between activities in presence and innovative streaming modes aimed as always to ensure the interaction, direct and in connection, of the authors with the audience of the event.

The winners of the competitive selections are awarded during the Gala Night scheduled for the fifteenth edition in Vico Equense (Sorrento Coast - Italy).

Participating to the International Festival of Social Cinema “Social World Film Festival” offers some specially selected works the exclusive possibility to be presented in events organized worldwide thats in the last ten years, we have involved 28 cities in 40 events on five continents including Los Angeles, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Wien, Washington DC, Seoul, Busan, Berlin, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Paris, Istanbul, San Francisco, Tokyo, Sydney, Marseilles, Palma, Tunis, Hong Kong, Jakarta.

1. ORGANIZATION

The film competition of the International Social Cinema Festival “Social World Film Festival” is managed annually by the Italian Film Factory AP on behalf of the Municipality of Vico Equense, with the support of the President of the Republic of Italy, of the Medals awarded by the Italian Senate and Chamber of Deputies, Under the high patronage of the European Parliament and thanks to the collaboration of Rai Cinema Channel, Paradise Pictures, Cinema Editions, and University of Cinema.

2. PLACE AND TIME

The fifteenth edition of the International Social Cinema Festival “Social World Film Festival” will take place from 22 to 29 June 2025 in Vico Equense (Sorrento Coast - Italy) between activities in presence and innovative streaming modes aimed as always to ensure the interaction, direct and in connection, of the authors with the audience of the event.

The dates may vary; the definitive and complete information of the fifteenth edition of the International Social Film Festival is made known during the international press conference held in May during the Cannes Film Festival or elsewhere, details and period of time communicated in advance.

3. PURPOSES
The International Social Cinema Festival “Social World Film Festival” is a cinematographic contest, a moment of cultural and social aggregation, social criticism, reflection and an opportunity of formative life experience.

The main goal of the contest is to create an international communication, a comparison for the needs of society as well as a spot where criticism, development and promotion take place.

“Social World Film Festival” is the first and only contest completely dedicated to the social cinema in all its interpretations.

“Social World Film Festival” believes in the power of social cinema by spreading films, documentaries and short films which features social topics, in order to push the audience to reflect upon these themes.

4. SELECTIONS

The International Social Cinema Festival “Social World Film Festival” is made of 12 sections called “Sections”.

1) Big Screen. Non-competitive section of feature films, short films and documentaries dealing with important social issues and prestigious productions which has been presented and awarded in international festivals or have received a special acknowledgement by the public or the critic.

2) International Competition. Competitive section divided into three categories (feature films, short films and documentaries) of works dealing with social issues which are presented in preview (absolute / international / national and/or regional) or invited by the Artistic Direction. The categories will be awarded by juries made of personalities from the world of cinema or of social issues, together with representatives of the public and of youngsters participating to the activities of the festival.

3) Focus, looking to the south. Competitive selection divided into two categories (feature films / documentaries and short films) of works dealing with social issues realised for 70% at least in the regions of the South of Italy (Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily) or directed by a director born in these regions. The categories will be awarded by juries made of personalities from the world of cinema or journalists, together with representatives of the public and of youngsters participating to the activities of the festival.

4) Smile, social with a smile. Competitive section of short films dealing with social issues, but with a humorous attitude. The jury for this selection will be made of students, as it has been for past editions in which more than 20,000 students joined the project.
Screenings and related activities will take place during the academic year 2025/2026.

5) School, cinema at school. Non-competitive section dedicated to short films dealing with social issues, realised by cinema students or students coming from all other kind of schools.

The screenings and the activities related to this section take place during the academic year 2025/2026.

6) The night of cinema. Non-competitive section to give space and visibility to short films and documentaries dealing with social issues which are not able to find a distribution in theatres, television or traditional festival circuit.

Screenings take place in unconventional locations and/or times.

7) The city of the short film. Competitive section which intends to give space and visibility to short films dealing with social issues realised by young Italian directors under 40.

The selected films are published on the Rai Cinema Channel website and/or of a partner of the kermesse.

8) New languages. Non-competitive section of cinema, television and web films of any genres and duration such as experimental video, 3D/4D cinema, vertically with 9:16 aspect ratio, made with any type of mobile phone, TV series and web series, commercials, music video and works created with new techniques and languages.

9) Screen-play. Competitive section of original and unpublished screenplays for feature films, short films and documentaries. A special jury made of personalities from the world of cinema attributes the expected prize.

10) Vision VR. Non-competitive section of international short films and documentaries shot in virtual reality.

11) Out of Competition. Non-competitive section including feature films, short films and documentaries dealing with social issues and not belonging to other sections, but still relevant for the “Social World Film Festival”.

12) Market. Autonomous section at the festival, non-competitive section, aimed at giving visibility in a special space dedicated to dissemination and commercialisation of cinema works. The screenings can be booked on-demand area of the “European Market of Young Independent Cinema”, according to a specific regulation, which takes place on some days of “Social World Film Festival”.

All the works in competition and out of competition of the fifteenth edition of the International Social Cinema Festival "Social World Film Festival" are presented both in presence at Vico Equense and on-demand on the dedicated portal protect www.socialfestival.com/live (subject to any restrictions by local, national and/or international authorities).

5. REQUISITES
The Selections of the International Social Cinema Festival “Social World Film Festival” is open to all the cinema, television and web works which deal with one or more topics of great social issues.

The works should have been realised in Italian and possibility subtitled in English or be made in English or be made in any other language, but in this case necessarily with English subtitles.

The same director/author can present up to five different works at the fifteenth edition of the International Social Cinema Festival "Social World Film Festival".

The same production and/or distribution company has no limits for the number of works presented at the fifteenth edition of the International Social Cinema Festival "Social World Film Festival".

6. SELECTION AND PARTICIPATION

After examining all the works presented within and in compliance with the terms established into these Regulations, the Artistic Direction of Social World Film Festival will select in its sole discretion the finalists of each section, which are going to be projected during the events at the fifteenth edition of the International Social Cinema Festival “Social World Film Festival” or made available online on its portal or website.

Each work selected will be included, with a specific notification, into the programme of the festival, without further acceptance, and it will not be able to retire it. In case the production (or the holder of the rights to the work) requires the retirement from the festival program, an indemnity of € 1.000,00 must be paid to the organisation of the festival by way of compensation.

No fee will be paid for the screening of the works included in the selections of the "Social World Film Festival".

All shipping costs (including customs costs and other expenses) are the responsibility of the participant (included the return), unless otherwise agreed with the Artistic Direction.

The director or producer/distributor and the protagonists of the selected works, in this case those who are candidates for a given prize, will be invited to intervene for a debate with the jurors, spectators and journalists present at the end of each screening or via connection streaming or video interview/recorded intervention.

The order, the calendar and the opening hours will be decided unquestionably by the Artistic Direction of the "Social World Film Festival".

In case of registration of the films by a distribution company, if one or more representative films are selected, the distribution company must communicate the direct contacts (even just email) of the author/director/producer and/or candidate artists to one or more awards. The festival Organization will communicate directly with the authors/producers/artists always making the distribution company aware (in copy).

Due to the historical and architectural peculiarity of the locations hosting the festival, it is not always possible to screening the selected works in DCP. For this reason, files, Blu-ray Discs or DVDs, beyond the DCP format for cinemas that provide the possibility, will be required by the authors or the distributions of the selected works, which must be free of any overwritten or dithered. If the screening copies are not received, the DVDs sent for selection or the files downloaded by Vimeo or other platforms will be used. Any special cases will be assessed at the sole discretion of the Artistic Direction of the "Social World Film Festival".

7. DELIVERY DATES

The electronic form of subscription at the “Social World Film Festival” exclusively through online platforms with periodic intermediate deadlines and final deadline of 30th April 2025.

The list of the finalists will be published on the website www.socialfestival.com after the press conference to launch the “Social World Film Festival” held in Naples and Rome in the period June/July 2025 or elsewhere, modality and period previously communicated.

8. JURIES AND AWARDS

All the prizes are awarded at the unquestionable and unappealable judgment of the relevant juries.

a) All the selections. All the short films belonging to both competitive and non-competitive sections of the “Social World Film Festival”, including the section Market, have the possibility to win the “Prize Rai Cinema Channel” with a value of € 1.000,00 awarded by a special jury Rai Cinema to the short film which is suitable to the distributed-on web channel and which consists of a contract for the purchase of the rights for broadcasting the short film on the web and TV, by Rai Cinema, benefiting of the visibility ensured by www.raicinemachannel.it and its partner websites.

The Prize Rai Cinema Channel is provided only if explicitly authorised with a specific form sent to all the participants.

b) International Competition. The “Jury of Quality – Feature Films”, is made of exponents of national and international cinema world and judges the feature films, awarding the “Golden Spike Award for the Best Feature Film”. The “Jury of Critics” is made of exponents from national newspapers, television and radio; this jury evaluates the documentary category and awards the “Golden Spike Award for Best Documentary”. The “Jury of Quality - Short Films” is made of exponents of national and international cinema world, evaluates the works in competition in the short film category and awards the “Golden Spike Award for the Best Short Film”. The “Youth Jury” is made of youngsters coming from all regions of Italy and judges the feature films category, awarding the “Golden Spike Award for the Best Director”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Actor”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Actress” and the “Golden Spike Award for Best Screenplay”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Editing” and the “Golden Spike Award for Best Soundtrack”. The “Teenage Jury” is made of teenagers from Vico Equense and adjacent municipalities, judging the works belonging to the category of short films and awarding the “Golden Spike Award for the Best Director”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Actor”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Actress”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Screenplay”, the “Golden Spike Award for Best Editing” and the “Golden Spike Award for Best Soundtrack”.
Any additional cash prizes, services and/or goods will be communicated to the participants before the beginning of the festival.

c) Focus, looking to the south. The “Jury of Quality – Features Films and Short Films” is made of exponents of national and international cinema world and/or journalists, judges the feature films and the short films, awarding the “Golden Spike Award for the Best Feature Film / Short Film”. The “Focus Jury” is made of film-loving citizens and students from cinema schools and evaluates the works in competition into the categories of feature films and short films, awarding the “Prizes for the Best Feature Film of Focus Selection” and “Best Short Film of Focus Selection”.
Any additional cash prizes, services and/or goods will be communicated to the participants before the beginning of the festival.

d) Smile, social with a smile. The “Jury of Students”, made of students from upper secondary schools of the Campania Region, evaluates the works in competition and awarding the “Prize for the Best Short Film of the Smile Selection”.

Any additional cash prizes, services and/or goods will be communicated to the participants before the beginning of the festival.

e) Screen-play. The screenplays of feature films, documentaries and short films sent have the possibility to win the “Prize Paradise Pictures” conferred by a special jury. The Prize consists in the production of a cinematic work based on screenplay winning. The winner receives a prize of €1.000 in a purchase contract for screenplay rights.
The Paradise Pictures Prize is awarded exclusively if the winning work exceeds 60/100 points awarded by the jury.

Any other prizes and/or recognitions will be communicated before the beginning of the festival.

9. HOSPITALITY

For each work selected at the official awards of the “International Competition” of “Social World Film Festival” will be hosted (board and lodging, based on the programme, one double room for each work) in one of the wonderful accommodations in Vico Equense (Sorrento Coast – Italy) for the director or the producer/distributor and possibly the candidates to one of the official awards of the selected work.

Participants coming from Italy will be hosted for one night, those coming from Europe for two nights and those coming from the rest of the world for three nights.

The dates will depend on the day and time of the projection.

No other kind of hospitality will be provided to other selections at the “Social World Film Festival” and if it is not possible to host the participants as a result of measures by local, regional, national and/or international authorities or at the disposal of the festival Organization for the protection health public and viewers.

Any special cases will be considered in the sole discretion of the Artistic Direction of “Social World Film Festival”.

10. RIGHTS
For cinema, television and web films
By participating to “Social World Film Festival”, the participant grants a non-exclusive and free of charge licence to the Italian Film Factory APS of projecting the work to the public integrally both in presence and online (on a secure site, upon registration and for a limited number of days not exceeding the duration of the Festival) during “Social World Film Festival”, during all the other events related to the festival and during other events (national and/or international) organized by the Italian Film Factory APS or in collaboration with the Italian Film Factory APS, without receiving any compensation. By participating to “Social World Film Festival”, the participant grants to Italian Film Factory APS the right to add subtitles to the work or to use parts or extracts from the work to promote “Social World Film Festival”, events related to it and other events (national and/or international) organized by or in collaboration with Italian Film Factory APS, without receiving any compensation. Moreover, by participating to “Social World Film Festival”, the participant grants non-exclusive licence to Italian Film Factory APS the rights to publish promotional material related to the work (by way of example but not limited to plot, cast list, photos, trailers) on its website www.socialfestival.com and on other websites, magazines, DVDs realised in collaboration with Italian Film Factory APS, without receiving any compensation.

The Italian Film Factory APS will evaluate the work (if explicitly authorised with a specific form sent to all the participants) to be included into the selection for the “Prize Rai Cinema Channel”, the “Home Video Award” and in different formats (digital terrestrial television, satellite, web tv, websites, social networks, etc.) and/or in DVD without receiving any compensation for the authors and the holders of the rights (except from the money prize of the Prize Rai Cinema Channel). In any case, the author will always be mentioned. Since the 1st January 2023, the participant will have the possibility to request explicitly in writing to the Organization of the Festival to be removed from the festival schedule.

For screenplays

By submitting the screenplay through the online platform, the participant attests, under his own responsibility, that the screenplay meets the requirements of this Regulation, which he has read and accepts in all its parts, guarantees and manlaeves all the organizers any claim and/or dispute advanced by anyone in any way and for any cause and/or reason connected with this Regulation and, in any case, to the script presented, including with respect to rights, restrictions, etc.

The participants irrevocably renounce to any claims and actions, requests or reprisals against organizers and Paradise Pictures srl, the jury and any person who has, in any event, participated in the organization and management of the screenplay contest, raising them from now on with all responsibility.

By sending the script, each participant undertakes to do not give up any law regarding the script sent until the winner is proclaimed.

The participant acknowledges that the submitted material has been carried out in compliance with all applicable legislation, for any applicable title, whether it is of primary and/or secondary rank and/or contained in Self-regulatory Codes and/or in resolutions/measures of the sectoral authorities (by way of example but not exhaustive: copyright and related rights legislation, trademark and/or patents law, legal regulation, rules on correct and legitimate exercise of chronicle rights and/or information and/or criticism/satire, privacy law, image protection law and/or honor/reputation/reputation, TV Code and Minor).

The author will always be mentioned.

11. DECLARATIONS

The participant to “Social World Film Festival” declares and guarantees as follows:

1) to hold the legitimate, full and exclusive title of the work and not to have performed any acts which may have limited the exercise or the unfettered enjoyment of this right;

2) to have obtained full consent from all holders of privacy rights, including copyrights and related rights, image rights and all licences and releases necessary to the work and background music;

3) that the entire work is not defamatory against a person or any other entity and that it does not contain obscene and/or violent material;

4) to waive from now on any compensation due as copyright and/or any other rights related to the rights around the work and related promotional materials and that nothing is due from the Italian Film Factory APS as regards projection and diffusion of the work, in compliance with what declared by the participant (except as provided and explicitly stated for the Rai Cinema Channel Award, Home Video Award, Paradise Pictures Award);

5) not to have performed any act which could limit the enjoyment of the licensed rights under the agreement of these regulations by Italian Film Factory APS;

6) to commit, in the event of a win of one of the official prizes of “Social World Film Festival”, to mention the acknowledgement on the front pages of press publications and/or headline and credits, etc. and in promotional communication in all its forms.

The participant commits to hold harmless and indemnify the Italian Film Factory APS at any moment, from any possible harassment and/or disturbance by third parties pretending and/or presuming to hold any rights on the work, as well as from any responsibility, charge, expense (including legal fees) and detrimental consequence deriving at any moment from the total or partial non-truthfulness of the above declarations and guarantees.

12. PRIVACY

We inform that personal data will be treated in compliance with Legislative Decree n°196/2003 and e UE Regulation n°2016/679 (GDPR).

The proprietor of the treatment of personal data is the President of the Italian Film Factory APS (presidente@socialfestival.com).
Full information is available at www.socialfestival.com/privacy

13. RESPONSIBILITIES

At the time of the registration, participants declare to exonerate the organisation (Italian Film Factory APS), all the organizers and collaborators from any direct and indirect, objective and subjective responsibilities, for what may happen to themselves or to the cast of the work, to properties of themselves and of their cast and to properties of third parties relating to the event “Social World Film Festival”.

14. DISCLAIMER

At the time of the registration, participants declare they are aware of the fact that during “Social World Film Festival” photographic and journalistic services, radio commercials and TV clips, video recordings, then authorizing the execution of these services, which may also include their person/image or the person/image of their cast, without requesting any compensation.

15. PUBLICITY

The Organisation will publish these regulations on the official website www.socialfestival.com and to promote it by whatever means considered as necessary.

16. GENERAL RULES

These regulations are written in Italian. In case of difficulties of interpretation of any translation of said regulations, the Italian version applies.

Participation in “Social World Film Festival” implies full and unconditional acceptance of this regulation.

The Organisation while guaranteeing the greatest care and custody of the works, will not be liable for any thefts, loss or any damages to artworks, download errors and projection with incorrect formats or loss of media that were immediately before, during or after the festival.

Any costs incurred for selection and/or participation in the "Social World Film Festival", included participation fee, are not refundable in any way.

Due to force majeure, technical-logistical problems or to make improvements or in case of unforeseen exceptions, the Organisation can modify these regulations at any time, including time and dates, providing information on the official website www.socialfestival.com.

Any disputes arising between participants and organizers must be devolved to the unappealable decision of an arbitration panel made of three amicable compositors, who will judge “ex bono et aequo” without any formal procedure, without prejudice of the parties’ rights within 60 days since appointment. Their determination will have effects of an agreement directly reached by the parties. The arbiters are appointed by each of the parties and the third by the first two or, in the absence of an agreement, by the Court of Nola, which will also appoint the arbiter for one of the parties should they not provide for this.

CONTACTS

Mostra internazionale del Cinema Sociale
Social World Film Festival
Tel: +39 06/42037305
Fax: +39 06/62202731
E-mail: segreteria@socialfestival.com
Website: www.socialfestival.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/socialfestival
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Twitter: www.twitter.com/socialfestival
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