Arene Decoloniali
A week of cinema, art, and decolonial thought at the Parco della Torre di Tor Marancia
About Arene Decoloniali
A decolonial festival in the heart of Municipio VIII
Arene Decoloniali is the film and cultural festival promoted by the Un Ponte Per association, which every September transforms the Parco della Torre di Tor Marancia, in Rome's Municipio VIII, into a space for debate and political imagination. Established in 2025 as part of the Roma Creativa 365 call by Roma Capitale, the festival weaves together auteur cinema, literature, photography, and activism to question the colonial past and its legacies in the Italian and European present.
The format is that of a classic summer arena: open-air screen, chairs under the trees, and evening screenings preceded each day by a public debate. The repertoire is far from conventional, favoring authors from the Global South and diasporic communities, works rarely distributed in Italy, and perspectives that mainstream discourse tends to marginalize.
Feminisms, memory, and resistance
The 2026 edition is entirely dedicated to feminisms born and raised in colonial, post-colonial, and diasporic contexts. The selection spans distant geographies—from South America to South-East Asia, from Africa to Vietnam—to tell stories of women's struggles, the persistence of colonialism, migration, plural identities, and practices of cultural resistance. Each day features a guiding theme that directs both the afternoon debate and the evening screenings.
- Auteur cinema and documentaries from the Global South
- Round tables with scholars, activists, writers, and organizations
- Collective exhibition and artistic interventions
- Gaming space dedicated to the restitution of cultural heritage looted during colonization
- Traditional Ethiopian cuisine, craft beer, and an on-site bookstore
The Arene Decoloniali Award
To recognize the contribution of cinematography to the decolonial movement, Un Ponte Per has established the Arene Decoloniali Award, assigned to one of the films in the program based on the judgment of experts and the public. The award consists of a work of art created specifically for the festival, a choice that underscores the interdisciplinary vocation of the event.
A project rooted in the neighborhood
The Parco della Torre di Tor Marancia is not just any setting: it is a neighborhood green area, a stone's throw from Garbatella and Via Cristoforo Colombo, frequented daily by families and residents. The festival chose this location precisely to bring themes often confined to academic circles into an open public space, where participation requires neither a ticket nor prior knowledge. Collaboration with Municipio VIII, Zètema Progetto Cultura, and local associations strengthens this local connection.
Accessibility and inclusion
One of the most carefully curated elements of the festival is accessibility. All films are subtitled in Italian and screenings are introduced in sign language; the festival area is also accessible to people with mobility disabilities. Admission is always free and no booking is required, lowering every barrier to entry. The presence of the Griot bookstore, a refreshment point with Ethiopian cuisine, and a small social area completes an experience designed to keep the audience engaged beyond the individual screening.
Why it's worth visiting
In a city that multiplies outdoor cinemas during summer and early autumn, Arene Decoloniali stands out for the coherence of its cultural project and the quality of a program rarely found elsewhere in the Lazio region. It is a free, open-air festival with international guests and a daily rhythm that allows you to follow the entire week or choose the evening that best suits your interests. For those visiting Rome in September, it is also an opportunity to discover an authentic neighborhood, far from the tourist circuits of the historic center.
Arene Decoloniali — edition 2026
Arene Decoloniali 2026 — feminisms
The second edition of the Un Ponte Per festival takes place from September 7 to 13, 2026, at the Parco della Torre di Tor Marancia in Rome's Municipio VIII. The common thread is feminisms of the Global South: each day is introduced by a debate and continues with evening screenings, for a total of twenty works including feature films, documentaries, and short films. Throughout the week, the collective exhibition «2026: Looks Beyond Borders» is on display, while a gaming space addresses the issue of the restitution of cultural heritage looted during colonization. Admission is free and no booking is required.
Programme Arene Decoloniali 2026
Monday, September 7 — Feminisms and decoloniality
- 6:00 PM — Round table with Rachele Borghi, Rahma Nur, Maria Coletti, Daniela Ricci, Micaela Veronesi, Yodit Estifanos, and the Tezeta Association
- 9:00 PM — Short film «Fragments for Venus» (Alice Diop, 2025, 21')
- 9:30 PM — «Surname Viet Given Name Nam» (Trinh T. Minh-ha, 1989, 108')
Tuesday, September 8 — From colonialism to the present: cinema and transformation
- 6:00 PM — Meeting with director Pocas Pascoal
- 9:00 PM — Short film «Time to Change» (Pocas Pascoal, 2024, 7')
- 9:15 PM — «Por Aqui Tudo Bem» (Pocas Pascoal, 2011, 94'), followed by a conversation with the director
Wednesday, September 9 — Women in anti-colonial resistance
- 6:00 PM — Debate with Nadia Pizzuti, Isabella Peretti, Bridget Kwazimaa Ohabuche, and Ubah Cristina Ali Farah
- 9:00 PM — Short film «Fuori/Outside» (Kym Ragusa, 1997, 12')
- 9:15 PM — «Finding Sally» (Tamara Mariam Dawit, 2020, 78')
Thursday, September 10 — Memories in motion
- 6:00 PM — Presentation of «NN – Non Noto» (Tezetà Abraham, 2025, 60') with the director and guests
- 9:30 PM — «Bush Mama» (Haile Gerima, 1975, 97')
Friday, September 11 — Sahrawi feminism
- 6:00 PM — Debate with Fatima Mahfoud, Debora Del Pistoia, Valentina Roversi, and other guests, followed by an Electro Fazzeni concert
- 10:00 PM — Three short films: «Mariem» (2024, 15'), «Battalion to My Beat» (2017, 13'), and «Solo per Farti Sapere che Sono Viva» (2013, 63')
Saturday, September 12 — Palestinian feminisms
- 6:00 PM — Meeting with Cecilia Dalla Negra and Laila Hassan
- 7:00 PM — Video link with Sahera Dirbash on Palestinian women in three different historical periods
- 9:00 PM — Selection of four short films from Queer Cinema for Palestine
Sunday, September 13 — Indigenous feminisms and Latin America
- 6:00 PM — Workshop with Italiani Senza Cittadinanza and Paule Roberta Yao
- 7:00 PM — Lecture by Françoise Vergès and conversation with the director
- 9:00 PM — Short film «4 Avril 1968» (Myriam Gharbi, 2014, 24')
- Followed by — «Alma del Desierto» (Mónica Taboada-Tapia, 2024, 87')
Highlights Arene Decoloniali 2026
- Twenty films, documentaries, and short films from the Global South and diasporic communities
- A daily thematic debate at 6:00 PM with scholars, activists, and writers
- Lecture by Françoise Vergès on the final day
- Collective exhibition «2026: Looks Beyond Borders» with works by twelve artists
- The Arene Decoloniali Award, assigned to a film in the program by experts and the public
- Gaming space on the restitution of cultural heritage looted during colonization
- Electro Fazzeni concert on the evening dedicated to Sahrawi feminism
- Griot bookstore, traditional Ethiopian cuisine, and craft beer on-site
Prices Arene Decoloniali 2026
Practical information — Arene Decoloniali
How to get there
The entrance to the Parco della Torre di Tor Marancia is located at Viale di Tor Marancia 31, Rome. By public transport: buses 714, 716, and 30 (Colombo/Rufino stop), or bus 160 (Tor Marancia/Rufino stop). By metro, line B (Garbatella or Basilica San Paolo stops) is a few minutes away by bus. By car, you can arrive via Via Cristoforo Colombo, but parking in the area is limited: public transport is recommended.
Admission and hours
Free admission, no booking required. Debates usually start at 6:00 PM and evening screenings around 9:00 PM. It is recommended to arrive a little early on evenings with guests.
Tips
September evenings can be cool: bring a sweatshirt. On-site you will find the Griot bookstore, a refreshment point with traditional Ethiopian cuisine, and craft beer. Films are subtitled in Italian and introductions are in sign language; the area is accessible to people with mobility disabilities.
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Where does it take place — Arene Decoloniali
Parco della Torre di Tor Marancia
Viale di Tor Marancia 31, 00147 Roma