From today, Wednesday 1 October, film submissions are officially open for Bif&st 2026 \u2013 the Bari International Film & TV Festival \u2013 scheduled to take place in Bari from 21 to 28 March 2026. The deadline for submitting film projects, with free registration, is 5 February 2026. The festival is produced, organised and run by the Apulia Film Commission Foundation, with the support of the Apulia Region and under the artistic direction and supervision of journalist and film critic Oscar Iarussi. <\/p>\n\n
The Festival\u2019s new three-year artistic and cultural project (2025\u20132027) takes as its starting point \u2018the South, the Sea and the Mediterranean as cultural contexts and landscapes of reference, aiming to express the historical and cultural values specific to Puglia, as well as to use the universal language of culture and cinema to build bridges, relationships and cooperation between peoples and communities\u2019.<\/p>\n\n
In line with these objectives, the programme and structure of Bif&st 2026 will include various competitive and non-competitive sections. The competitive sections include: \u201cMeridiana\u201d, an international competition for Euro-Mediterranean countries; \u201cPer il Cinema Italiano\u201d: a national competition for Italian works (including co-productions). \u201cSar\u00f2 Breve\u201d: Italian and international short films (max 30 minutes), with a prize awarded by the audience. <\/p>\n\n
In the non-competitive sections, the festival will also offer a rich cultural programme, featuring retrospectives, TV series, thematic focuses, previews, restorations, tributes and other special events. There will also be meetings and awards for the leading figures of the Seventh Art. <\/p>\n\n