Porretta film festival Cinematographer/dp Submissions
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age to submit.
Porretta film festival Cinematographer/dp Submissions
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age to submit.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO SUBMIT YOUR SCENE - SCENES DUE BY 10/9/2026:
FOCUS ON YOUR BEST SCENE! ONE LUCKY AND TALENTED CINEMATOGRAPHER/DP OF MEMPHIS SHELBY COUNTY WILL WIN A TRIP TO HAVE THEIR work SCREENED AT THE PRESTIGIOUS PORRETTA FILM FESTIVAL DECEMBER 5 - 12, 2026.
THIS YEAR FOR THE 2026 FILM FESTIVAL, THE MEMPHIS & SHELBY COUNTY FILM AND TELEVISION COMMISSION/FOUNDATION AND THE PORRETTA FILM FESTIVAL HAVE PARTNERED once again! MEMPHIS SHELBY COUNTY FILMMAKERS ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT A SCENE depicting continuous action in one location OR a sequence of related scenes in multiple locations. in no case can the total running time exceed seven (7) MINUTES. your scene(s) can be from a NARRATIVE FEATURE FILM, A SHORT FILM, or a documentary. FOR THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL, THE WINNING work, SELECTED BY A DIVERSE PANEL OF MEMPHIS INDEPENDENT JUDGES, WILL SCREEN ON MEMPHIS DAY AT THE FeSTIVAL-SATURDAY DECEMBER 12TH.
- YOUR SCENE CAN BE NO LONGER THAN 7 MINUTES.
- THE FILM MUST HAVE BEEN SHOT AND COMPLETED between JULY 1, 2024 and july 1, 2026.
- SPECIAL CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO SUBMITTED SCENES FROM FILMS SUPPORTED BY THE MEMPHIS & SHELBY COUNTY FILM AND TELEVISION COMMISSION FOUNDATION WITH A SCREEN CREDIT (OR SPECIAL THANKS)
- THE SCENE HAS TO HAVE BEEN SHOT IN SHELBY COUNTY.
- The submitting CINEMATOGRAPHER/Dp must be a legal resident of shelby county.
- YOU MUst be at least 18 years old to submit.
YOUR FILM MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THE END OF THE BUSINESS DAY OCTOBER 9TH.
SEND A LINK TO YOUR submission TO HELLO@FILMMEMPHIS.ORG ALONG WITH A COPY OF YOUR CURRENT TN DRIVER'S LICENSE OR STATE-ISSUED ID. Please put “porretta film festival 2026” in the subject line of your email.
about the festival: BORDERING TUSCANY AND IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE APENNINE MOUNTAINS, IN EMILIA ROMAGNA, IN THE DISTRICT OF BOLOGNA, THE PORRETTA FILM FESTIVAL DATES TO THE 1960S AND 1970S, WHEN IT WAS KNOWN FOR ITS AVANT-GARDE FILMS. REBORN IN 2002, THE FESTIVAL TODAY DRAWS ON THE SPIRIT OF THE PAST, AND THE MOMENTOUSNESS OF THE PRESENT, SHOWCASING ITALIAN CINEMA TO THE WORLD.
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR Made-in-Memphis Film Supporters J.W. & Kathy gibson and Richard & Deborah Dismukes.
ACCOMMODATIONS AT THE BEAUTIFUL HOTEL HELVETIA COURTESY OF THE PORRETTA FILM FESTIVAL.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO: HELLO@FILMMEMPHIS.ORG
CUltural exchanges
take a look at the commission’s cultural exchanges
and partnerships
CUltural exchanges
take a look at the commission’s cultural exchanges
and partnerships
MEMPHIS FILMS – BOTH CLASSIC AND NEW INDIES – TO SCREEN IN ITALY!
Memphis partnering as Sister Cities with Porretta Terme in northern Italy is - according to Memphis/Shelby County Film Commissioner Linn Sitler- “a dream come true!”
The latest victory to come from the collaboration is the appearance of “Memphis Day” in the line-up of The Porretta Film Festival (Festival del Cinema di Porretta) December 6-13, 2025. Both Craig Brewer’s 20-year-old groundbreaking feature, Hustle & Flow and Teresa Dickerson’s Hoop Street will be screened in one of the most interesting double-features European audiences have ever seen!
Collaborating with The Memphis & Shelby County Film and Television Commission, The Porretta Film Festival created The Film Exchange in which films made in the region of Emilia-Romagna and films made in Shelby County would be exchanged and shown to local audiences.
This year, The Film Exchange offered a feature competition in which the winner would receive a trip to The Porretta Film Festival and the opportunity to screen their film. The Porretta Film Festival and Brewer are sponsoring the trip.
A jury of film professors, a producer – even an author of books on cinema – selected Hoop Street from four other features by Shelby County filmmakers. According to Luca Elmi, President, The Porretta Film Festival, "In one year, The Film Exchange has grown from our screening only short films from Memphis in 2024 to screening a feature-length film at our 2025 Festival. We are very excited to show off films from our Sister City to our international audience of film lovers.”
According to Brewer, “I’m honored on the 20th Anniversary of Hustle & Flow to know that it will be shown at Memphis’ Sister City’s prestigious film festival-Festival del Cinema di Porretta Terme. What an opportunity to showcase side-by-side my early example of Memphis independent film and an example of local independent film today, Hoop Street!”
Directed by well-known Memphis filmmaker, Princeton James, Hoop Street is a co-production of Dickerson’s company, Isaiah 54 Films, Princeton James Productions, and Gravity Productions.
A small Memphis Delegation will accompany Dickerson and James when she leaves for Porretta Terme in December. The Festival, taking place December 6-13, announced today that “Memphis Day” will occur the closing day of the Festival – December 13th. What a double feature!
