Aquileia Film Festival

The cinema of antiquity under the stars

There is a place in Friuli where archaeology becomes an evening spectacle: it is Piazza Capitolo in Aquileia, at the foot of the majestic Patriarchal Basilica and in the heart of one of the most important archaeological sites in the Mediterranean, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here, every summer, the Aquileia Film Festival, the international archaeological cinema review organized by the Fondazione Aquileia in collaboration with Archeologia Viva and Firenze Archeofilm, is held.

Documentaries, history, and special guests

For several evenings, the screen set up in the square presents the best documentaries dedicated to archaeology and ancient civilizations, often introduced by archaeologists, scholars, and communicators who engage in dialogue with the public. It is a journey that goes from ancient Rome to the great cultures of the past, told through the language of cinema and made even more evocative by the monumental setting of Aquileia.

The Aquileia Award

The heart of the event is the Aquileia Award, given to the best documentary in competition, also thanks to the vote of the audience present. The award is a valuable mosaic created by the renowned Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli in Spilimbergo, a direct tribute to Aquileia's extraordinary mosaic tradition.

An event of international value

Promoted with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, the Municipality of Aquileia, and the Basilica of Aquileia, the festival is a reference event for archaeology and ancient history enthusiasts. The evenings, with free admission, combine scientific dissemination, cinematic quality, and the magic of a square that is itself a monument.