From 13 to 25 October 2026, check out the 21st edition of Festa del Cinema, Rome's annual Film Festival at Auditorium Parco della Musica.

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The 21st edition of the Rome Film Festival, produced by the Fondazione Cinema Per Roma, will take place between October 13 and 25 at Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone, with one of the world’s largest red carpets.

Beyond the Auditorium, the Rome Film Fest will occur in multiple locations across the city of Rome, including the Casa del Cinema in , the , Teatro Olimpico ACEA, Cinema Giulio Cesare, Teatro Palladium, , Teatro Ateneo, and even the Terminal 1, where passengers will get the chance to participate in an immersive experience of Italian cinema.

Every year, the Festa del Cinema di Roma chooses one historic image to pay homage to cinematic icons. In 2026, the official image depicts late Italian actress Monica Vitti as photographed by Sergio Strizzi on the set of Michelangelo Antonioni’s L’Eclisse (1962). Vitti, who would have turned 95 this year, is depicted with a stern look amid stiff geometric shapes, typical of the EUR district.

The Festival will dedicate a photo exhibit to Strizzi as well as the premiere of Terrific Sergio, a documentary on the photographer’s life produced by his daughters, Vanessa and Melissa Strizzi.

INSPIRATION

55 countries are participating in the 21st edition of the Festa del Cinema di Roma. The official selection of the Rome Film Festival 2026 consists of the following sections:

Alongside the film program, there will be exhibits, masterclasses, events, and a section dedicated to public discussions.

This year, 18 films will contend in the Progressive Cinema Competition. A jury of cinematographers and professionals of the arts will assign the following awards:

Poste Italiane, main partner of Rome Film Fest, will assign the Poste Italiane Debut Award to one of 14 eligible films from the categories of Freestyle Film and Progressive Cinema.

For the third year, RFF will also assign a Best Documentary Award to one of 14 documentaries from the categories of Special Screenings and Progressive Cinema.

Lastly, the general public gets to select the winner of the Terna Audience Award, named after the festival’s official sponsor, by voting for their favorite film through a QR code.

This year, the Rome Film Festival is honoring Javier Bardem with a Lifetime Achievement Award, bestowed by Academy Award winning director Paolo Sorrentino.

Bardem won an Academy Award for No Country For Old Men (2007) and starred in dozens of films and tv series, with over 80 acting credits under his belt. His newest, El Ser Querido, directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen and critically acclaimed at Cannes Film Festival, will be screened in the category of Best of 2026.

The opening film of Rome Film Festival 2026 will be Il Rumore delle Cose Nuove (The Noise of New Things) directed by Paolo Genovesi, starring Emanuela Fanelli, Edoardo Pesce, Claudia Pandolfi, Lino Musella, Stefano Accorsi, Vittoria Puccini, Claudio Santamaria, Edoardo Vitalone, and Rolando Ravello. The story follows three couples who are brought together by an unexpected event, which will break their inertia and light the spark of something new.

Here are the 18 films competing in the Progressive Cinema Competition:

Dozens of other films and will be screened in the various categories, many of which star world-renowned artists who will be in attendance. Read the full list of screenings here on the Rome Film Festival official website .

Cinema would be nothing without its greatest stakeholder: the audience. The general public is invited to participate in the festival, and tickets sell fast. Pre-sale starts on October 7 at 11am at or you can purchase tickets directly at the box office of Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone. Ticket prices vary between €6 and €30.

21st Rome Film Festival

Main Venue

Auditorium Parco della Musica

Viale Pietro de Coubertin, 30

Other Venues

MAXXI
Via Guido Reni 4/A

Casa Del Cinema
Largo Marcello Mastroianni 1

Cinema Giulio Cesare
Viale Giulio Cesare 229

Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant’Angelo
Lungotevere Castello 50

Teatro Olimpico Acea
Piazza Gentile da Fabriano 17

Teatro Palladium
Piazza Bartolomeo Romano 8

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