Bergamo, settembre 2025
THE FESTIVAL
The Chiaroscuro International Film Festival is a short film competition with a public screening event in September 2025 in Bergamo.
We firmly believe that film festivals continue to provide an ideal setting for the cultural and communal celebration of cinema. Our mission is to support the global film industry by showcasing outstanding films worldwide, encouraging networking opportunities between authors and producers/distributors, all within the captivating frame offered by the city of Bergamo.
OUR GOAL
We are looking for films that are able to take us around the world we're living in, through the eyes of authors of any gender, nationality, age and ethnicity, whatever their budget is. We're committed to showcase different genres and approaches to filmmaking, from fiction films to documentary and animation. We pay special attention to the authors of the future: young directors that are capable of shooting films that address social issues, especially related to the labour market: discovering and promoting independent filmmakers is at the very center of our efforts!
THE VENUE
Chiaroscuro will take place at the Spazio Polaresco, a dynamic cultural hub that hosts events, performances and music. It stands as an inclusive space open to all, situated in Bergamo: a significant cinematic center and the Italian Capital of Culture in 2023. Spazio Polaresco encapsulates the spirit of our festival.
THE NAME
The festival's name pays homage to Bergamo and one of its most illustrious citizens, Caravaggio, the master of the chiaroscuro technique. Renowned for his adept use of strong contrasts between light and dark that influence the entire composition, Caravaggio is hailed as a pioneer of modern cinematography. The interplay of light and dark, black and white, symbolizes the very origins of cinema.