From April 13 to 17, 2026, the Genova Blue District will host the Genoa leg of the Pianeta Mare Film Festival, a creative workshop for students under 30 that combines film, art, science, and activism.
It will be a five-day full-immersion artistic residency to create short films about the sea, experimenting with innovative smartphone filming techniques,on a zero-budget and with zero environmental impact, on themes related to the sea, the effects of climate change, and biodiversity. Participants will work in teams alongside film professionals and university professors, under the artistic direction of Valerio Ferrara.
The short films produced will be screened on April 17, 2026, at the Auditorium of the Genova Blue District, during a public event featuring a final discussion and a vote by the audience in attendance, and at the Iren Auditorium in Genoa for an audience of school groups that same morning.
Awards and Opportunities
The winning short film will receive a prize offered by the Genova Blue District consisting of a one-week artist residency in Naples during the Pianeta Mare Film Festival, where the winners will serve as youth jurors for the festival’s international competition.
Special prizes will also be awarded by: the Posidonia Green Festival, which will host a screening of the winning short film during the festival in Bogliasco; BlackWave Surf School, offering a stay at the Surf House in Hossegor, France; and Outdoor Portofino, offering two vouchers for kayaking or snorkeling activities in the Portofino Marine Protected Area.
In addition, the winning short films will be screened as part of the 2026 Pianeta Mare Film Festival in Naples and at other partner national and international events and festivals.
How to Apply
The deadline for submitting applications has been extended to March 31, 2026.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of application and must not have turned 30 by the application deadline.
To apply, simply send your resume (one page only) and a cover letter (maximum 1,000 characters) to: lab@pianetamarefilmfestival.it with the subject line: FILM LAB GENOVA - 2026 SELECTION - first and last name
Call for applications on the Pianeta Mare Film Festival website: pianetamarefilmfestival.it
