Milan Machinima Festival 2027: Global Call for Game-Engine Cinema and Experimental Video
Global call for machinima
The tenth Milan Machinima Festival (MMF 2027) invites international artists and experimental filmmakers to submit videos created with videogames, real-time engines, virtual worlds, mods and game assets. The curators seek machinima exploring current realities such as political systems, ecology, memory, labour, surveillance, AI and the aesthetics of simulation. Experimental documentary, ambient image-making, critical essays, hybrid narratives and other formally daring work are welcome.
Eligible dates and formats
Submitted work must have been produced between January 1 and December 30, 2026, and must substantially use game technologies. Footage made solely with conventional CGI software, without videogame technology, is not eligible. Any duration is accepted. The preferred delivery is MP4; AVI, MOV or QuickTime ProRes 422 are also permitted, with 5.1-channel audio preferred and stereo accepted. Multiple distinct works may be submitted, but variants of one work are not regarded as separate entries.
Submission and screening rights
Apply via the official FilmFreeway submission portal with the video file, an artist statement and detailed asset list—including any game modifications—and a biography of no more than 500 words. The entrant is responsible for clearing third-party copyright as required. If selected, the festival requests screening exclusivity during the event, including refraining from hosting the work on the artist's site or video platforms for that period. An international jury awards a Critics’ Choice Award with a modest honorarium, not guaranteed cash for all entrants.
Deadline, fee and date discrepancies
The deadline is December 30, 2026 and the notification date is February 19, 2027. The organizer's call lists a non-refundable entry fee of US$15/€15, while the current FilmFreeway interface lists its own euro price: check the amount at checkout. There is also a calendar inconsistency: the main call says March 21–28, 2027, while FilmFreeway shows March 14–21, 2027. Verify actual screening dates and travel or accommodation arrangements directly before booking.
Official Milan Machinima Festival 2027 call
This article provides a summary. To avoid misunderstandings, please be sure to check the official page for full details.
Information verified: 2026-10-11
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