Italy Short Film Days Berlin 2026

Italy Short Film Days Berlin unveils the full programme of its first edition

From June 4 to 7, three independent cinemas across Berlin will host four days dedicated to contemporary Italian short cinema, featuring fiction, documentaries, animation and experimental works.

The festival will showcase 30 selected short films, alongside guest directors, Q&A sessions, audience talks, aperitifs, awards and special guests across the venues of Lichtblick Kino, IL KINO and ACUD Kino.

The official patron of the event will be Valentina Lodovini, who will attend each evening of the festival together with the editorial team of Taxi Drivers Magazine to celebrate 20 years of film criticism and independent cinematic culture.

The festival has also been selected by the Embassy of Italy in Berlin as an official external event of the Italian Week and will be presented during the official Italian Week press conference, scheduled for May 19 at 11:00 AM at the Embassy headquarters.

Four days dedicated to Italian short films

The festival will open on June 4 at Lichtblick Kino with an opening aperitif followed by two screening sessions. The programme includes titles such as Bellissima by Alessandro Capitani, Anime vive by Adam Selo and Il piantone by Antonio Rezza and Flavia Mastrella. Directors Adam Selo and Alessandro Capitani will attend the evening together with guests Giulia Grandinetti and Federico Papagna.

On June 5, IL KINO will host the Official Screenings, featuring two screening slots dedicated to works including Playing God by Matteo Burani, La Confessione by Nicola Sorcinelli, Fiori cadono by Ludovica Galletta and Teresina by Irene Belluzzi. The day will also include a special conversation with Antonio Bannò.

On June 6, the festival will move to ACUD Kino with a programme including Plutone by Alessandro Padovani, Marcello by Maurizio Lombardi, Majonezë by Giulia Grandinetti and I fantasmi by Federico Papagna. The evening will conclude with a vernissage and a networking moment open to the audience.

The festival will close on June 7 with the Awards Night, dedicated to the final award ceremony. Among the films scheduled are Pinocchio Reborn by Matteo Cirillo, Domenica Sera by Matteo Tortone and Ciao Varsavia by Diletta Di Nicolantonio. During the ceremony, the Taxi Drivers Awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress will be presented.

An opportunity for students and cinema enthusiasts

Through meetings with directors, special guests, audience discussions and informal networking moments, Italy Short Film Days Berlin offers a valuable opportunity for students and emerging creatives interested in cinema, visual arts and communication to experience the contemporary Italian short film scene within an international context.