Organised in collaboration with the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, the contest invites authors and filmmakers to explore the connection between wastewater treatment, the environment and marine conservation. The winner will receive a €5,000 prize, and the winning short film will be screened at the Rome Film Fest.
The third edition of “I Mille Volti dell’Acqua” (“The Thousand Faces of Water”) attracted strong participation. The short film contest, organised by Acea in collaboration with the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, was created to promote a culture of water and raise public awareness of the value of water resources and the central role played by wastewater treatment, recovery and reuse processes in protecting the environment and marine ecosystems.
The theme of the 2026 edition is “Dalla depurazione nasce il mare che viviamo” (“The sea we experience begins with wastewater treatment”). Through the language of film, participants will be invited to portray water’s journey, an often invisible yet essential process: from rainfall and everyday use through to its return to the sea, highlighting the connection between human activity, environmental quality and the protection of marine ecosystems.
The initiative is open to directors, authors and filmmakers of any nationality who are aged 18 or over. Participants may submit a short film of any genre – including fiction, documentary, animation, musical or docufilm – with a running time of between 2 and 8 minutes. Entry is free of charge and open to both individuals and legal entities.
Participants may register by 9 August 2026 and submit their entries by 15 September 2026 via the dedicated platform available on the Acea website. The entries will initially be assessed by a panel comprising representatives of Acea and the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, which will select three finalists. The shortlisted films will then be evaluated by a technical jury and a public jury. The assessment criteria include relevance to the theme, attention to the values of equity, diversity and inclusion, the involvement of people under the age of 30 in the cast or crew, and references to innovation and artificial intelligence.
The winner will receive the Premio Speciale Acea (Acea Special Prize), worth €5,000. The three finalist films will also be showcased at a dedicated event during the Rome Film Fest, where the directors and cast members will be hosted at the Acea stand. The winning short film will be screened and the award presented during a special evening dedicated to cinema as part of the festival.
Through “I Mille Volti dell’Acqua”, Acea reaffirms its commitment to promoting environmental sustainability and a culture of water, while showcasing creative talent and the ability of film to raise awareness and encourage public engagement with issues of strategic importance to the country’s future.
To view the full contest rules and enter, visit www.acea.it.
"I Mille Volti dell'Acqua", the third edition of Acea's short film contest, enters its main phase
