Presented by Palace, the 2025 ST. ALi Italian Film Festival’s annual Spring escape to Italy is one step closer with the announcement of the full programme. From 17 September for four weeks, a bellissimo selection of box office hits and award-winning films will dazzle screens in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Ballarat, Byron Bay and Ballina. Returning as Festival Ambassador is the multi-talented Italian-born chef, TV presenter and host Silvia Colloca, who will be opening the festival in Sydney and for the first time in Brisbane.

The festival opens with Paolo Genovese’s record-breaking hit SOMEBODY TO LOVE (FolleMente), a romantic comedy with an all-star cast including Edoardo Leo, Pilar Fogliati and Vittoria Puccini. Following the global success of Perfect Strangers (IFF 16), writer/director Genovese’s latest film reveals the innermost thoughts and uncertainties of a modern Italian couple on their awkward first date.

Following its World Premiere at the Opening Night of the 2025 Venice International Film Festival later this month, Oscar winner Paolo Sorrentino’s latest film LA GRAZIA is this year’s Festival Centrepiece. The highly anticipated drama stars Toni Servillo, Anna Ferzetti and Massimo Venturiello.

This year, the festival showcases migrant stories from two different sides of the globe with SIGNORINELLA: LITTLE MISS (from the team behind LYGON ST – Si Parla Italiano) and NAPOLI – NEW YORK. Celebrating the tenacity and spirit of Italian women who helped shape the Italian-Australian community, SIGNORINELLA: LITTLE MISS, narrated by Greta Scacchi, profiles their incredible life stories. NAPOLI – NEW YORK, from Academy Award-winner Gabriele Salvatores, is based on an original screenplay by Frederico Fellini and Tullio Pinelli. Featuring festival favourite Pierfrancesco Favino and a stellar cast, it is a compelling and hopeful account of the migrant experience, the search for identity and pursuit of a better life that follows two Neapolitan children as they journey from Naples to New York in 1949.

Closing the festival and celebrating its 25th anniversary this year is the Australian coming-of-age classic LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI starring Pia Miranda, Greta Scacchi and Kick Gurry. Audiences new and old can delight in the stunning 4K restoration of the much-loved film whose themes still resonate over two and half decades later.

The Festival Special Presentation is the critically acclaimed, 2024 Venice Film Festival Grand Jury prize winner THE MOUNTAIN BRIDE – VERMIGLIO (Vermiglio). Maura Delpero’s atmospheric, visually breathtaking film portrays a family caught between tradition and modernity in the final year of WWII.

From acclaimed filmmaker Ferzan Özpetek comes the stunning, female led drama DIAMONDS (Diamanti). An ode to the beautiful craftsmanship of film costume designers and seamstresses, Luisa Ranieri and Jasmine Trinca star as sisters running a couture costume design house in 1970s Rome.

Elio Germano delivers standout performances in dramas SICILIAN LETTERS (Iddu) and THE GREAT AMBITION (Berlinguer. La grande ambizione). Toni Servillo joins Germano in a story of dangerous liaisons set in early 2000s Sicily in SICILIAN LETTERS, during Cosa Nostra boss Matteo Messina Denaro’s three decades as a fugitive from Italian justice. In the meticulous biopic THE GREAT AMBITION Germano transforms into Enrico Berlinguer, the former leader of the Italian Communist Party between 1973 and 1978. His performance won him Best Actor at the David di Donatello Awards.

A box office sensation in Italy, moving drama THE BOY WITH PINK TROUSERS (Il ragazzo dai pantaloni rosa) features rising star Samuele Carrino in a powerful performance. Exploring the real story behind Italy’s first publicised case of online bullying, the film garnered much attention in Italy and sparked important discussions about the issue.

From acclaimed writer/director Mario Martone comes FUORI, an elegant biopic drama that follows a decisive event in the life of renowned Italian feminist writer Goliarda Sapienza. A brilliant Valeria Golino stars as Sapienza in an inspiring story of friendship, female solidarity and freedom in the early 1980s. And in thoughtful drama MY PLACE IS HERE (Il mio posto è qui), set during the aftermath of WWII in a rural village in southern Italy, a single mother befriends the local wedding planner and begins to understand her rights as a woman. The film stars Ludovica Martino and Marco Leonardi (Cinema Paradiso) and is based on the eponymous novel by Daniela Porto.

The common thread of family focused stories is at the heart of several films in this year’s lineup including THE LIFE APART (La vita accanto), an enthralling and music-imbued drama set in beautiful Italian art city Vicenza that follows a wealthy family whose daughter must contend with profound rejection due to her appearance; in VITTORIA, a hairdresser from Naples with three loving sons and a devoted husband risks everything to pursue her dream of having a daughter, in a deeply moving drama based on true events; Ivano de Matteo’s compelling drama MY DAUGHTER (Una Figlia) stars Stefano Accorsi as a widowed father whose 16-year-old commits a serious crime, testing his ability to forgive; personal tale THE TIME IT TAKES (Il tempo che ci vuole) from filmmaker Francesca Comencini pays homage to her father Luigi Comencini and their connection with cinema; the debut feature from director and writer Sara Fgaier, WEIGHTLESS (Sulla terra leggeri) delivers a sensitive drama about the power of memory, love and how to fi

Hotly anticipated Italian comedies include popular comic duo Ficarra & Picone and festival favourite Toni Servillo in THE ILLUSION (L’Abbaglio), a fun re-imagining of Giuseppe Garibaldi’s 1860 campaign that unified Italy; the adventures of the Rovelli family continue in WHEN MUM IS AWAY…WITH THE IN-LAWS (10 Giorni con I suoi) with a trip to Puglia in the hit comedy directed by Alessandro Genovesi and starring Fabio De Luigi and Valentina Lodovini; and set in 1980s-1990s Italy, DIVA FUTURA is an entertaining reimagining of Riccardo Schicchi’s agency Diva Futura that revolutionised mass culture by turning free love into porn, making stars of Ilona Staller (Cicciolina), Moana Pozzi and others in an intoxicating story of private and widespread desire.

The story of fashion icon Gianni Versace, from his youth in Reggio Calabria in the 1960s to his rise in the world of fashion design is explored in GIANNI VERSACE – EMPEROR OF DREAMS (Gianni Versace: L’Imperatore dei sogni). The witty biopic from director Mimmo Calopresti intertwines fiction and documentary, reconstructing the world, life and creativity of the famous designer. In HOLD TIGHT, MISSY! ISABELLA DUCROT UNLIMITED (Tenga Duro Signorina! Isabella Ducrot Unlimited) 90-year-old artist Isabella Ducrot is followed for two years as her incredible story of her rise as an artist unfurls. Ducrot is sought after by leading galleries the world over after devoting herself to art at the age of 55.

In historical drama BATTLEGROUND (Campo di Battaglia) a powerful story of courage and compassion emerges when two military doctors, who work at a clinic in Northern Italy in the final year of WWI, must face the devastating Spanish flu as it strikes the city. Inspired by true events that remain powerfully resonant 20 years on, dramatic thriller THE NEGOTIATOR (Il Nibbio) stars Claudio Santamaria as Nicola Calipari, deputy director of operations of the Italian secret service who sacrificed his life to save journalist Giuliana Sgrena.

In special encore screenings, gripping historical drama THE TASTERS (Le assaggiatrici), from multi award- winning writer/director Silvio Soldini and adapted from Rosella Postorino’s bestselling novel At The Wolf’s Table, is inspired by the incredible true story of Margot Wölk, a woman who was conscripted to be one of Hitler’s food tasters.

For an unforgettable plunge into the dark heart of cinema, the festival retrospective this year focuses on Italy’s Giallo cinema. Born from Italy’s yellow jacketed crime paperbacks, this selection of classic thrillers are not for the faint of heart! Showcasing a stunning new 4K restoration of DEEP RED (Profondo Rosso), widely regarded as one of Dario Argento’s greatest films and a cornerstone of Italian horror cinema, it blends mystery, artistry, and psychological terror in unforgettable fashion.

Also included is A LIZARD IN A WOMAN’S SKIN (Una lucertola con la pelle di donna) Lucio Fulci’s surreal giallo that blends psychedelic visuals and an Ennio Morricone score to create a truly unique experience; BLOOD & BLACK LACE (Sei donne per l’assassino) a founding classic of the genre that follows a masked killer stalking fashion models and said to have pioneered the modern slasher aesthetic; Pupi Avati’s THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS (La casa dalle finestre che ridono) renowned for its slow-burn suspense and shocking finale; and the hypnotic ALL THE COLOURS OF THE DARK (Tutti i colori del buio) which follows a traumatised woman who is drawn into the occult, starring Edwige Fenech and featuring a Bruno Nicolai score.

Festival tickets are now on sale.

The 2025 ST. ALi Italian Film Festival presented by Palace screens in the following locations:
Canberra 17 September – 15 October
Adelaide 17 September – 14 October
Sydney 18 September – 15 October
Melbourne 19 September – 16 October
Ballarat 20 September – 16 October
Brisbane 24 September – 22 October
Byron Bay and Ballina 25 September – 15 October
Perth 25 September – 22 October
www.italianfilmfestival.com.au

The 18th Lavazza Italian Film Festival (LIFF) screens at Palace Barracks and Centro cinemas in Brisbane from 20 September – 8 October, showcasing a huge program of Italian cinema. LIFF is thrilled to have Milan-born Italian/Australian actor Greta Scacchi on board as this year’s Festival Ambassador. For the first time, the festival is also honoured to introduce the Bulgari Critics’ Choice Award; a new prize to celebrate Italian contemporary cinema with an exceptional partner emblematic of Italian excellence – Bulgari.

Program highlights include the Opening Night Gala featuring Italian Golden Globes award-winning comedy LET YOURSELF GO! (LASCIATI ANDARE). This year’s Centrepiece is the David di Donatello Award-winning INDIVISIBLE (INDIVISIBILI), the story of conjoined twin sisters who are gifted with beautiful voices. The festival closes with LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (LA VITA È BELLA), an effervescent, uplifting, comedic and tragic film by Italy’s king of slapstick Roberto Benigni.

Click here to view our extended coverage and other movie highlights from the festival.

18th Lavazza Italian Film Festival
Sydney: Sept 12- Oct 8, Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Chauvel Cinemas
Melbourne: Sept 14 to Oct 8, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Kino Cinemas, The Astor Theatre
Canberra: Sept 14 to Oct 8, Palace Electric Cinemas
Brisbane: Sept 20 to Oct 8, Palace Barracks and Palace Centro
Adelaide: Sept 13 to Oct 1, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas
Perth: Sept 21 to Oct 11, Cinema Paradiso, Luna on SX
Hobart: Oct 19 – 25, The State Cinema
www.italianfilmfestival.com.au

Competition will be drawn 19 September 2017, winners will be notified by mail.

The festival will kick off with the award winning box office smash hit, GOD WILLING(SE DIO VUOLE), a laugh out loud comedy starring the gorgeous Alessandro Gassman, Marco Giallini and Laura Morante which tells the story of an atheist surgeon with a God-complex, a charismatic priest, a dysfunctional family and an announcement that takes everyone by surprise!

The 36 day festival will close with a new restoration of the Academy Award nominated THE CONFORMIST (IL CONFORMISTA), which will see the return to the big screen of acclaimed director Bernardo Bertolucci’s visually intoxicating art deco style adaptation of Alberto Moravia’s novel about an upper-class follower of Mussolini.

Taking out the Best Actor award at the Italian Golden Globes for Luca Zingaretti, the gripping crime thriller PEREZ depicts an urban wasteland, hiding the underbelly of organised crime through the filtered lens of the justice systems. Also delving into the criminal world is BLACK SOULS (ANIME NERE), an elegant, seething and expertly-directed, award-winning thriller by Francesco Munzi which is a timeless and powerful tale about the challenges of breaking cycles of crime and violence.

Winner of multiple Best New Director awards is Francesca Archibugi’s AN ITALIAN NAME (IL NOME DEL FIGLIO). Featuring an all-star cast of Alessandro Gassmann, Valeria Golino, Luigi Lo Cascio, Rocco Papaleo, Micaela Ramazzotti, the film presents an engrossing warning against buried resentment, and a plea not to forget hopes and dreams of the past.

This year will see a string of Italian comedies light up the screen with highlight titles including LATIN LOVER, a charming and amusing new offering from acclaimed writer/director Cristina Comenciniwhich tells the story of the life and secrets of the great Italian star Saverio Crispo, a “Latin Lover” played seductively by Francesco Scianna. Winner of the Best Comedy at the Italian Golden Globes in 2015, THE LEGENDARY GIULIA (NOI E LA GIULIA) by Roman actor/director Edoardo Leo brings a fantastic cast together to tell the story of three down-on-their-luck men who meet by chance and decide to combine forces and risk everything to start a Bed and Breakfast. Warm-hearted, comedic gem DO YOU SEE ME? (SCUSATE SE ESISTO!) stars Paola Cortellesi and Raoul Bova and delivers laugh-out-loud moments to celebrate the importance of individual value and being true to oneself. Finally, MIA MADRE is the lively and brilliantly absurd comic clash from veteran director Nanni Moretti featuring John Turturro and an award winning performance from Margherita Buy as an unhinged filmmaker dealing with a personal crisis.

Other films set to deliver laughs are UNIQUE BROTHERS (FRATELLI UNICI), a delightful comedy about family and second chances starring handsome duo Raoul Bova as a man suffering memory loss, and Luke Argentero as his irresponsible younger brother; A FAIRYTALE WEDDING (UN MATRIMONIO DA FAVOLA), a whirlwind of comedic misunderstandings arise when four high school friends reconnect years later at a lavish wedding; PIZZA AND DATES (PITZA E DATTERI), shot entirely within the canals of Venice this playful comedy focuses on cultural exchanges and integration as a community of Muslims search for a new location for their mosque; SOAP OPERA, in which the kooky tenants of an apartment block experience a sudden and shocking situation when they let their private lives, past secrets and crazy passions intervene; and SO FAR SO GOOD (FINO A QUI TUTTO BENE), a touching comedy that that brings together five fantastic young actors who playuniversity graduates facing important life choices.

Films that will add further excitement into the mix delving into experimental, fantasy and documentary cinema include ITALY IN A DAY (UN GIORNO DA ITALIANI), Oscar-winning director Gabriele Salvatores experiment portrays Italy though the eyes of Italians exposing the hopes and fears through a collage of 632 videos sent from all over Italy in a touching mosaic of life in Italy; director Matteo Garrone’s English language debut TALES OF TALES (IL RACCOTO DEI RACCONTI), featuring an all star cast of Salma Hayek, Toby Jones, Vincent Cassel, John C.Riley, Shirley Henderson and Hayley Carmichael. Not for the faint hearted, the film delves into the depths of the human psyches in a delicious dream-like visual feast brimming with imagination and mischief; and Italy’s industrial miracles of the twentieth century are explored in Davide Ferrario’sinsightful documentary THE DEVIL’S SOUP (LA ZUPPA DEL DEMONIO), through an impressive range of 100 years of archival footage.

Romantic tales are sure to delight at this year’s festival, with a selection including WONDROUS BOCCACCIO (MARAVIGLIOSO BOCCACCIO) where love triumphs over death in veteran filmmakers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani’s reinterpretation of Giovanni Boccaccio’s classic The Decameron; WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SURPRISE (MA CHE BELLASORPRESA), a classic romantic comedy of errors from the master Alessandro Genovese, about a jilted hopeless romantic who is surprised when he is given a second chance for love; and A WOMAN AS A FRIEND (UNA DONNA PER AMICA), an hilarious romcom from Giovanni Veronesi, the director of box office sensation MANUAL OF LOVE, starring French model/actress Laetitia Casta and Fabio De Luigi.

Coming-of-age is explored in CHLORINE (CLORO) the assured debut feature from director Lamberto Sanfelice; SHORT SKIN, a surprising pleasure and profound drama that perfectly interweavesfamily drama and cheeky comedy; and ITALO, a charming tale for all ages that depicts the life-altering friendship between an extraordinarydog and a lonely child.

Other titles that form part of this year’s festival line up include the powerful GREENERY WILL BLOOM AGAIN (TORNERANNO I PRATI), made with devastating simplicity and painful realism, auteur Ermanno Olmi demonstrates he is among Italy’s most masterful and humanistic directors as he evokes the terrors of war in a short but stunningly effective hypnotising film capturing a single snowy night on World War I’s Italian front; PARTLY CLOUDY WITH SUNNY SPELLS (TEMPO INSTABILE CON PROBABILI SCHIARITE), a warm-hearted comedy with a conscience about generation clashes, new horizons and an oil discovery in a small town starring Luca Zungaretti, John Turturro and Pasquale Petrolo; and MAFIA & RED TOMATOES (LA NOSTRA TERRA), based on the real-life work of the Libera association, this recent box-office hit tackles the issue of mafia power over communities with redemptive joy and a smile; and the already announced Australian Premiere of the Venice multi award winning THE DINNER (I NOSTRI RAGAZZI), which follows the moral struggle facing two wealthy brothers and their wives in this gripping adaptation on the Dutch best-seller by Herman Koch.

You can also delve into a couple of fascinating biopics this year – ORIANA (L’ORIANA) from Italian Golden Globe-winning director Marco Turco, about the life of Italian journalist and writer OrianaFallaci who gave up everything in pursuit of her career; and LEOPARDI (IL GIOVANE FAVOLOSO), an applauded and engrossing historical drama about the talent and struggle of Italy’s greatest 19th-century poet Giacomo Leopardi, a radical thinker and philosopher who produced inspiring works and intelligent prose that have influenced countless others, played by Elio Germano (Best Actor, Cannes Film Festival 2010).

Dramatic features include MONTEDORO: after the death of her adoptive parents, an American women journeys to Montedoro, a remote Italian town in southern Italy, hoping to discover her true origins in this haunting and poetic film; ANOTHER SOUTH (UNA STORIA SBAGLIATA): in this brave drama starring Isabella Ragonese (La Nostra Vita) director Gianluca Maria Tavarellitransports us to the Iraqi combat zone following a young Sicilian women through a complex tapestry of flashbacks as she searches for answers; and LAND OF SAINTS (LA TERRA DEI SANTI) offerspowerful insight into the often unacknowledged females participating in the male-dominated tug-of-war between mafia rings and the law.

And if you’re seeking the ultimate Italian espresso, whilst indulging in some ‘cinema Italiano’, look no further than Lavazza, whom the Festival is once again honoured to have as the naming rights partner. Lavazza is proudly served at all Palace Cinemas so attendees year-round can enjoy the premium taste of Barista coffee.

Lavazza Italian Film Festival 2015
Brisbane: Thur 1 October – Sun 18 October Palace Barracks & Palace Centro
Sydney: Tue 15 September – Sun 11 Oct Palace Verona, Palace Norton Street & Chauvel Cinema
Melbourne: Wed 16 September – Sun 11 October Palace Cinema Como, The Astor Theatre, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, The Kino Cinemas
Adelaide: Thu 17 September – Wed 07 October Palace Nova Eastend
Canberra: Tue 22 September – Sun 11 October Palace Electric
Perth: Thu 24 September – Wed 14 October Cinema Paradiso& Luna on SX
Byron Bay: Fri 18 September – Sun 26 September Palace Byron Bay
Hobart: Thu 15 September – Thu 21 October State Cinema
www.italianfilmfestival.com.au