Festival Experience

Italy Short Film Days Berlin presents the complete program of its first edition.

30 contemporary Italian short films, international guests, and four evenings dedicated to independent cinema in Berlin’s arthouse theaters. From June 4 to June 7, Berlin will host the first edition of Italy Short Film Days Berlin, four days dedicated to contemporary Italian short cinema and the new voices of independent filmmaking.

The selection includes fiction, documentaries, experimental cinema, animation, and hybrid works from the new Italian short film scene.

Joining the festival throughout its entire duration will also be Valentina Lodovini, the official godmother of the first edition of Italy Short Film Days Berlin. The acclaimed Italian actress will attend the festival screenings, audience talks, and the main events of the program, further strengthening the cultural dialogue between contemporary Italian cinema and Berlin’s international film scene.

Far from the glamour-driven logic of mainstream events, the festival aims to celebrate the cinephile, urban, and independent dimension of contemporary cinema. Among the confirmed guests are Sara Serraiocco and Antonio Bannò, who will attend the festival in Berlin to accompany the screenings of Ciao Varsavia, 1799, diario, and Niente di speciale, and take part in Q&A sessions with the audience.

Also attending the festival will be Giovanni Crozza Signoris, on the occasion of the screening of Un cane miagola un gatto abbaia. Part of the cast of Teresina will also be present to accompany the screening and meet the festival audience.

Confirmed directors attending the festival include: -** Alessandro Capitani** (Bellissima)

  • Alessandro Prato (Un cane miagola un gatto abbaia)
  • Adam Selo (Anime vive)
  • Antonio Romagnoli (Aspis)
  • Diletta Di Nicolantonio (Ciao Varsavia)
  • Federico Papagna (I fantasmi)
  • Giulia Grandinetti (MajonezĂ«)
  • Ludovica Galletta (Fiori cadono)
  • Irene Belluzzi (Teresina)
  • Maddalena Cellerino (Afternoon call)
  • Matteo MemĂ© (Tempi supplementari)
  • Nicola Sorcinelli (La confessione)
  • Paoli De Luca (Marina)

Meetings with filmmakers, guests, and festival participants will take place after the screenings inside the hosting cinemas, creating moments of dialogue and direct exchange with audiences and industry professionals.

Thanks to the support of the festival’s food sponsors, all evenings will include convivial moments for the audience, with focaccia, Sicilian cannoli, and drinks offered inside the cinema venues.

Program June 4 — Opening Night Cinema: Lichtblick Kino

The opening night will feature two screening slots dedicated to six short films.

First screening slot at 7:00 PM, with the evening opening at 6:00 PM for an aperitivo with the Taxidrivers editorial team and attending directors Adam Selo (Anime vive) and Alessandro Capitani (Bellissima).

Short films screening on June 4 (7:00 PM and 9:30 PM):

  • Bellissima by Alessandro Capitani
  • Il primo giorno di Matilde by Rosario Capozzolo
  • Anime vive by Adam Selo
  • Parru pi tia (In your place) by Giuseppe Carleo
  • Randaghi by Enrico and Emanuele Motti
  • Il piantone by Antonio Rezza and Flavia Mastrella

The aperitivo is supported by festival food sponsors** Vino a Berlino**, Trattoria A Muntagnola, and Sicily Addict, who will accompany the festival evenings with prosecco, focaccia, and Sicilian cannoli offered to the audience.

June 5 — Official Screenings at Il Kino Cinema: Il Kino

The second festival evening will feature two screening slots dedicated to eight short films.

The program continues the festival’s exploration of social themes, contemporary identities, stop motion animation, documentaries, and fiction works. After the screenings, informal meetings between audiences, filmmakers, and performers attending the festival will take place inside the cinema bistrot. The presence of Antonio Bannò is confirmed starting from the June 5 evening.

Short films screening on June 5 (6:30 PM and 9:30 PM):

  • A domani by Emanuele Vicorito
  • Playing God by Matteo Burani
  • La Confessione by Nicola Sorcinelli
  • Niente di speciale by Giovanni Conte
  • Aspis by Antonio Romagnoli
  • Fiori cadono by Ludovica Galletta
  • Teresina by Irene Belluzzi
  • Afternoon Call by Maddalena Cellerino

During the June 5 evening, Antonio Bannò will also receive the Special Guest Award for his important contribution to the Italian short film scene and for having participated throughout his career in numerous independent short film productions.

The Special Guest Award is a special recognition assigned by the festival to influential personalities from mainstream cinema who, through their work and support, contribute to the growth, visibility, and internationalization of contemporary Italian short cinema.

At the end of the screenings, the audience will have the opportunity to continue the evening together with directors and festival guests in an informal moment of discussion and exchange.

June 6 — Official Screenings at ACUD Kino Cinema: ACUD Kino Screenings begin at 7:00 PM.

The third day of the festival will present a new selection of eight works, reaffirming the festival’s focus on independent, auteur-driven, and experimental cinema. Once again, audiences will have the opportunity to meet directors, actors, and artistic crew members attending the screenings.

Short films screening on June 6:

  • Plutone by Alessandro Padovani
  • Marcello by Maurizio Lombardi
  • Le Mur du Son by Antonio La Camera
  • Quand tu dors by Fratelli Rosa
  • MajonezĂ« by Giulia Grandinetti
  • Maestrale by Nico Bonomolo
  • Fiji by Andrea La Medica
  • I fantasmi by Federico Papagna

During the June 6 evening,** Sara Serraiocco** will also receive the** Special Guest Award** for her contribution to the world of Italian short films, including her work as a producer.

The Special Guest Award celebrates artists and personalities of contemporary cinema who, through their visibility and creative commitment, support the growth and international circulation of Italian short cinema.

At the end of the screenings, audiences will once again have the opportunity to continue the evening together with directors and festival guests in an informal setting. Thanks to drink sponsor Gin & Tonic Festival and festival food sponsors Sicily Addict and** Trattoria A Muntagnola**, guests will also be invited to enjoy a convivial post-screening moment with gin & tonic, focaccia, and Sicilian cannoli offered inside the cinema venue.

June 7 — Awards Night Cinema: ACUD Kino Screenings begin at 7:00 PM.

The final eight selected short films will accompany the audience toward the closing of the first edition of Italy Short Film Days Berlin, celebrating emerging talent and the cultural value of contemporary short cinema.

Short films screening on June 7: Pinocchio Reborn by Matteo Cirillo **Domenica Sera **by Matteo Tortone Tempi supplementari by Matteo Memè Marina by Paoli De Luca Ciao Varsavia by Diletta Di Nicolantonio Juggernaut by Eugenio Krilov Un cane miagola un gatto abbaia by Alessandro Prato 1799, diario by Fulvio Risuleo

Italy Short Film Days Berlin will take place at Lichtblick Kino, Il KINO, and ACUD Kino, three independent cinemas that are symbolic of Berlin’s cultural life. The decision to work inside independent cinemas reflects a precise cultural vision of the festival: supporting auteur cinema and restoring centrality to the collective theatrical experience by privileging venues capable of maintaining a direct relationship between films, artists, and audiences.

All festival evenings will include** Q&A sessions and post-screening conversations** with directors, actors, and festival guests.

Throughout the festival, audiences will also be able to participate in the Audience Award through a quiz dedicated to the short films screened during the day. Spectators will be invited to answer questions and identify details related to the films they have just watched: those who answer correctly in the shortest amount of time will have the chance to win official Taxi Drivers merchandise, including festival caps and lanyards.

Italy Short Film Days Berlin was created with the aim of building a cultural bridge between Italy and Europe through contemporary short cinema, supporting emerging filmmakers and new forms of independent production.

At the end of the final screening, the official festival winners will be announced in the categories Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress. Directors, performers, and awarded artists will receive the Taxidrivers Award, the official festival recognition dedicated to excellence in contemporary Italian short cinema.

Tickets for individual festival evenings are available at the following link: TICKETS

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