Arena di Corviale
Free open-air cinema in the Corviale district, as part of the Vivi il Cinema! project and the Estate Romana festival.
About Arena Corviale
An open-air cinema in the heart of Corviale
Every July, the new public square between via di Poggio Verde and via Eugenio Maccagnani, in Rome's 11th Municipality, turns into a large outdoor screen. Arena di Corviale is one of the most beloved summer cinemas in Rome's suburbs: a project by the Fondazione Cinema per Roma that brings quality cinema, free of charge, to a neighborhood long known more for its iconic 'serpentone' building than for its cultural life. Here, the square becomes a nightly meeting place where families, young people, and film buffs gather together as the sun sets.
The Vivi il Cinema! project and the Estate Romana
The Arena di Corviale is not an isolated event: it is part of the Vivi il Cinema! program, an initiative promoted by the City of Rome as part of the Estate Romana, which brings free summer cinema to the city's various districts. Alongside Corviale, the project includes arenas at Parco degli Acquedotti, Santa Maria della Pietà , and Tor Marancia, creating a comprehensive schedule that spans much of July. This is a deliberate cultural policy: rather than concentrating everything in the capital's historic center, the programming is distributed across peripheral municipalities where live entertainment is more rare.
What to expect on screen
The programming at Arena di Corviale is intentionally eclectic and designed for a broad, local audience rather than just industry insiders. Each edition mixes:
- Masterpieces of Italian cinema, with tributes to great masters like Ettore Scola;
- International classics re-released for their theatrical anniversaries;
- Animated films for families and children, which fill the square on weekend evenings;
- Debut works and contemporary Italian cinema, often presented directly by the directors or cast members;
- Special events, such as live broadcasts of literary awards or short film competitions dedicated to young authors.
Screenings usually begin at 9:15 PM, when the Roman summer heat becomes more bearable, and all films are in Italian.
Free admission and accessibility
The hallmark of the festival is that it is completely free: no tickets or reservations are required, and entry is open until seating capacity is reached. The Fondazione Cinema per Roma also ensures the arena's accessibility, with at least one screening made accessible to deaf and visually impaired people through subtitles and audio description available via a dedicated app. This detail speaks volumes about the initiative's spirit: cinema as a common good, not a luxury reserved for those who can afford it.
Corviale, a neighborhood telling its own story
Corviale is one of the most debated sites of 20th-century Italian architecture: the long residential building designed in the 1970s has become a symbol—often misunderstood—of Rome's periphery. In recent years, the district has seen the birth of urban regeneration projects, including the very public square that hosts the arena. Attending a screening here means getting a close-up look at a part of Rome that rarely appears in tourist guides, but which is profoundly alive. For those visiting the Lazio Region in summer, the Arena di Corviale offers an authentic, non-touristy experience: a Roman evening just as the locals live it.
Tips for your evening
It is best to arrive early, especially on evenings dedicated to animation or when a guest is expected, as seating is limited and fills up quickly. The seating is outdoors: a light sweater can be useful on late July nights when the breeze picks up after sunset. There is no shortage of bars and small local cafes nearby for a quick dinner before the show.
Arena Corviale — edition 2026
Fourteen masterpieces under the Roman sky
For its fourth edition, the Arena di Corviale returns from July 8 to 21, 2026, with fourteen consecutive nights of free cinema, produced by the Fondazione Cinema per Roma as part of the Vivi il Cinema! project and the Estate Romana 2026. The program is built around three main themes: a tribute to Tom Hanks for his 70th birthday, a remembrance of the master Ettore Scola, and a series of anniversaries for films that have marked cinema history.
Ample space is given to animation, with three titles that have shaped entire generations, while contemporary Italian cinema is represented by Felicità , the debut work of Micaela Ramazzotti, who will be present in the square to introduce the film and engage with the audience. The opening night combines cinema and literature: after the screening, the big screen will broadcast the final phase of the 80th edition of the Premio Strega live.
An arena for everyone
As per the festival's tradition, admission is completely free until seating capacity is reached, and all screenings are in Italian. One evening is dedicated to accessibility, with subtitles for the deaf and audio description for the blind and visually impaired available via the Earcatch app. The Arena di Corviale is one of the four arenas in the 2026 Vivi il Cinema! program, alongside those at Parco degli Acquedotti, Santa Maria della Pietà , and Tor Marancia.
Programme Arena Corviale 2026
Full program — July 8 to 21, 2026, every night at 9:15 PM
- Wednesday, July 8 — Deconstructing Harry by Woody Allen (1997), followed by the live broadcast of the final phase of the 80th Premio Strega
- Thursday, July 9 — Sully by Clint Eastwood (2016)
- Friday, July 10 — The Lion King by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff (1994)
- Saturday, July 11 — Aladdin by John Musker and Ron Clements (1992)
- Sunday, July 12 — Felicità by Micaela Ramazzotti, debut work presented by the director
- Monday, July 13 — Moulin Rouge! by Baz Luhrmann (2001), on its theatrical anniversary
- Tuesday, July 14 — Cast Away by Robert Zemeckis (2000)
- Wednesday, July 15 — We All Loved Each Other So Much by Ettore Scola (1974)
- Thursday, July 16 — Thelma & Louise by Ridley Scott, on its theatrical anniversary
- Friday, July 17 — The Way We Were by Sidney Pollack, accessible screening with subtitles and audio description via Earcatch app
- Saturday, July 18 — Up by Pete Docter and Bob Peterson (2009)
- Sunday, July 19 — You've Got Mail by Nora Ephron (1998)
- Monday, July 20 — Big by Penny Marshall (1988)
- Tuesday, July 21 — Gilda by Charles Vidor (1946), on its theatrical anniversary
Highlights Arena Corviale 2026
- Opening night, July 8: screening of Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry followed by the live broadcast of the 80th Premio Strega finale on the big screen
- Micaela Ramazzotti in the square on Sunday, July 12, to present her debut film Felicità and meet the audience
- Tribute to Tom Hanks for his 70th birthday, with Cast Away, You've Got Mail, and Big
- Remembrance of Ettore Scola with We All Loved Each Other So Much, Wednesday, July 15
- Three animation nights for families: The Lion King, Aladdin, and Up
- Anniversaries on the big screen: Moulin Rouge!, Thelma & Louise, and Gilda
- Accessible screening on Friday, July 17, with subtitles and audio description
Prices Arena Corviale 2026
Practical information — Arena Corviale
Location
Arena di Corviale, public square between via di Poggio Verde and via Eugenio Maccagnani, 11th Municipality, 00148 Rome (RM), Lazio Region.
How to get there
By bus: The Corviale district is served by ATAC lines connecting Trastevere station and the Magliana terminus; get off at the via di Poggio Verde or via Maccagnani stops.
By train: Roma Trastevere or Roma Termini station, then connect by bus toward Corviale.
By car: Exit the Grande Raccordo Anulare toward via Portuense or via Casetta Mattei; public parking is adjacent to via di Poggio Verde.
Admission and times
Free admission until seating capacity is reached, no reservation required. Screenings start at 9:15 PM. All films are screened in Italian.
Accessibility
The arena is accessible to people with motor disabilities. Some screenings are made accessible to deaf and blind or visually impaired people via subtitles and audio description available through the Earcatch app.
Information
Fondazione Cinema per Roma — phone +39 06 40401900, e-mail [email protected], website www.romacinemafest.it
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Arena Corviale
Arena di Corviale
Piazza tra via di Poggio Verde e via Eugenio Maccagnani, 00148 Roma