Ventotene returns for a week at the center of the film scene with the XXXI edition of the Ventotene Film Festival, scheduled from 29 September to 4 October 2026 between the Pontine island and Rome. The event, conceived and directed by Loredana Commonara, offers six evenings dedicated to Italian and international cinema, alongside the screenings meetings, awards and moments of deepening.
Among the main events of this edition are the Premio Vento d’Europa in Benedetta Porcaroli and Michele Riondino, the Julia Major Award to director Paola Randi and the video contribution of Mark Ruffalo, who will introduce the screening of All that remains of you by Cherien Dabis.
Il Premio Vento d’Europa a Benedetta Porcaroli e Michele Riondino
On 1 October in Rome, at 18.30 at the headquarters of the Fondazione Lazio Film Commission, Benedetta Porcaroli and Michele Riondino will receive the Premio Vento d’Europa, a recognition dedicated to personalities capable of representing through their work a cinema culture open to European dialogue.
Porcaroli arrives at the festival after the Orizzonti Award for the best female interpretation conquered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival for The Rapture of Arabella di Carolina Cavalli, which will be projected to Ventotene on September 30. The actress will also be the protagonist of the next Film Festival in Rome with 7 anniversaries of Sabrina Iannucci and Cambodia by Valerio Lundini. Riondino, actor and director, has also tied his way to Palazzina LAF, his debut behind the camera, for which in 2024 he received the David of Donatello as the best actor protagonist and the Silver Ribbon for the best debut in the direction. The Ventotene Film Festival will also receive the award for the spring-related route of Damiano Michieletto, in which he plays alongside Tecla Insolia and has obtained an international distribution in over 50 countries.
Paola Randi riceve il Premio Julia Major
On October 1, the Julia Major Award will be awarded to Paola Randi, a recognition dedicated to female personalities who have established themselves in cinema, music and literature. The director and screenwriter received, among other awards, the Silver Ribbon for the best subject for Tito and the aliens and various nominations for David di Donatello.
Mark Ruffalo introduce Tutto quello che resta di te
Among the events of the event there is also All that remains of you, new film by Cherien Dabis, which will be introduced by a video message by Mark Ruffalo. The Oscar candidate actor is the executive producer of the film and will accompany the screening with a contribution made specifically for the festival. The film will close the show on October 4 and is indicated in the program as a Jordanian film nominated for the Oscar 2026 as best foreign film, with Ruffalo and Javier Bardem among the executive producers.
Il panel Genius Loci a Roma
The program also extends to Rome with the Genius Loci panel, or the possibility of an island: local intelligence as a universal film resource, scheduled on September 30 at 18.30 at the headquarters of the Lazio Film Commission Foundation. The meeting, moderated by the film critic Federico Pontiggia, addresses the relationship between cinema, territories and identity. Among others, producer Riccardo Tozzi, director Margherita Spampinato, Silvia Costa, Professor Stefano Albertini, director Paolo Strippoli, location manager Massimiliano Colaiacomo, editor Desideria Rayner, screenwriter Ilaria Macchia and expert film law expert Diana Rulli.
Il programma del Ventotene Film Festival 2026
The six evenings cross Italian and international cinemas, with particular attention to the works presented in the main festivals and films that have obtained nominations and awards. The Open Frontiers Young competition, dedicated to short films made by students on human rights, Europe and active citizenship, and Green Path, is back.
On September 29, the festival proposes The wife of the president of Léa Domenach, with Catherine Deneuve, followed by The eyes of others by Andrea De Sica and the short film Do not disturb by Pietro Cimino. On September 30, they are scheduled The girl who told the films of Lone Scherfig, with Bérénice Bejo and Antonio de la Torre, The Rapture of Arabella of Carolina Cavalli and Fragi-le, made by the students of the Isiss Theodosio Rossi of Priverno.
On October 1st at The Ugly Stepsister in Emilie Blichfeldt, Oscar candidate for the best make-up and hairstyle, Spring by Damiano Michieletto and The teacher, short film by students of the Liceo Emilio Ainis in Messina.
On October 2 will be the turn of Green Border of Agnieszka Holland, awarded with the Special Jury Award at the Venice Exhibition, Short Love Story of Ludovica Rampoldi and Mon amie di Luca Faustinella and Filippo Campana. On October 3, the program proposes The children of Gaza – On the waves of freedom of Loris Lai and The joy of Nicolangelo Gelormini, while the final evening of October 4 will be dedicated to The evil does not exist of Ryūsuke Hamaguchi and All that remains of you of Cherien Dabis.
Le altre sezioni del festival
In addition to the main projections, the Ventotene Film Festival confirms A sea of cinema, dedicated to recent works able to tell the present, and European Registes on stage, selection dedicated to the cinema directed by women and films distinguished in the main international festivals. Among the novelties of 2026 is Cinema and Fantasy, designed for children and families and dedicated to the discovery of the cinematic language.
The XXXI edition therefore takes place between Ventotene and Rome, joining the projections on the island to the appointments of the Fondazione Lazio Film Commission and building a program that puts together cinema, territory, formation and European culture.
L’articolo Ventotene Film Festival from 29 September to 4 October proviene da Dituttounpop.it.
