A thrilling summer finale and fall season are awaiting cinema lovers in Venice and Rome. The “seventh art” is ready to charm and keep the press busy during two of the most popular events of the year.

Venice International Film Festival

When: from 30 August to 9 September 2023

As every year, the splendid setting of Venice Lido is hosting one of the most awaited events in the Venetian cultural panorama. In 2023, the Venice International Film Festival, organized by the Venice Biennale, reaches its 80th edition. In this occasion, don’t miss our special Sun & Beach Experience in Venice Package.

An event that generates great curiosity and anticipation among the public not only for its cultural relevance but also for its glam allure: every year, its red carpet, trodden by some of the most famous Hollywood stars, is in the spotlight of gossip.

The godmother of the 2023 Venice Film Festival will be the Sardinian actress Caterina Murino who will host the opening and closing nights of this year’s edition. Murino is known for interpreting the role of Solange, the new Bond Girl next to Daniel Craig in 2006’s Casino Royale.

The opening film will be Italian: Comandante by Edoardo De Angelis. The movie takes Italy into the unusual territory of war cinema with Pierfrancesco Favino in the role of a submarine commander during the Second World War.

Not only new titles are awaited, but also the Venezia Classici display: from the homage to Gina Lollobrigida to Bellissima by Luchino Visconti with Anna Magnani, including The Exorcist directed by William Friedkin. A journey to discover the best restorations of classic films.

Who will win the coveted Leon d’Oro this year?

Rome Film Fest

When: from 18 to 29 October 2023

Organized for the first time in 2006 as a competition, since 2014 the Rome Film Fest has evolved into a real festival, this year in its 18th edition.

The heart of the event is at the auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone. As for Venice, while the screenings take place in the halls, outside, the red carpet welcomes internationally renowned artists under the curious gazes of the public.

The opening film of this edition will be C’è ancora domani by Paola Cortellesi, who signs her debut as film director with an original black and white dramedy set in the Second World War.

With its rich and varied schedule, the Rome Film Fest offers a wide selection of films ranging from arthouse films to blockbusters, embracing the diversity and creativity of contemporary cinema.

Not only, therefore, a show of lights and cameras, but also a theater of debates and conversations about the direction cinema is taking, its role in society and the challenges it will have to face.

There are also exhibitions, demonstrations and collateral meetings in different areas of Rome. An example is CinemaXXI, the segment of the festival that takes place at the MAXXI museum of contemporary art.