Arena Forte Antenne

A 19th-century fort turned into a cinema

In the Municipio II district of Rome, inside the vast Villa Ada park, lies one of the most fascinating and lesser-known spots in the capital: Forte Antenne, built in the late 19th century as part of Rome's defensive system. Inaccessible for decades, the complex has been gradually restored and now hosts, during the summer season, one of the city's most distinctive open-air film festivals. The entrance at Via del Forte Antenne 12 leads along a tree-lined path to the inner courtyard, where the audience sits outdoors in front of a large 8K LED wall that has replaced the traditional projector screen.

A program that spans the entire summer

The festival runs from late May until late September, with evening screenings usually starting at 9:00 PM. The lineup is far from a simple second-run cinema: alongside seasonal hits, it features thematic retrospectives, cycles dedicated to independent distribution houses, restored classics, and Italian and international auteur films. Many evenings are accompanied by meetings with directors, screenwriters, critics, and journalists, who introduce the film and engage with the audience before the screening.

• Open-air evening screenings on an 8K LED wall
• Retrospectives and thematic cycles dedicated to classics
• Meetings and presentations with guests from the film world
• Musical evenings, DJ sets, and aftershows on special occasions
• Guided tours of the fort's spaces on selected dates

Beyond cinema: music, workshops, and guided tours

Over the years, the project has expanded beyond the screen. The fort hosts concerts, DJ sets, workshops, and family activities, along with a refreshment area that allows visitors to spend the entire evening in this green space. On certain occasions, such as the Felicittà festival dedicated to the capital's heritage, the fort extends its opening hours late into the night with guided tours of the walkways and rooms usually closed to the public, accompanied by aperitifs and live music: one of the few opportunities to discover the military architecture of this corner of the city up close.

A neighborhood cultural hub

Management of the space is entrusted to the cultural association Il Condominio APS, which continues the restoration of the fort in collaboration with Municipio II and Roma Capitale. The result is a model that goes beyond summer entertainment: the festival was born as a social hub for the Trieste, Salario, and Parioli neighborhoods, with a special focus on free access. Admission to the screenings is free, subject to availability, a choice that has made the arena a landmark for the Roman public.

The atmosphere of the evenings

First-time visitors are struck by the contrast: you leave the traffic of the Via Salaria behind and, within minutes, find yourself immersed in greenery, surrounded by the tuff and brick walls of the fort, with the Roman sky overhead. The outdoor seating, the mild temperature of summer evenings, and the silence of the park make the viewing experience different from that of a traditional cinema. It is an experience that combines a curated film program with the discovery of a piece of the city's historical heritage, in a part of the Lazio region—the Province of Rome—where summer arenas are a well-established tradition but rarely hosted in such a unique setting.

When to go

The season covers the entire Roman summer, from late May to the first days of autumn. The months of June and July usually feature the thematic cycles and guest meetings, while August and September continue with a more flexible program. As the calendar is updated progressively, it is advisable to check the scheduled titles on the festival's social media channels before heading out.