Arthouse Awards

An evening for independent cinema in the heart of Rome

The Arthouse Awards are the prize conceived and hosted by the Cinema Farnese Arthouse, the historic cinema on Piazza Campo de' Fiori, in the Regola district of Rome's historic center (Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Lazio). Originally a meeting place for Roman cinephiles, the cinema is now one of Italy's most recognizable art-house venues, and every spring, it transforms its screen into a small awards stage.

The format is intentionally simple and unpretentious: just one evening, an opening screening, the awards ceremony, and a closing film. No red carpet, no runway: just authors, actors, and spectators sitting in the same room. It is a choice that speaks volumes about the award's philosophy, designed to build a community around quality cinema experienced on the big screen.

What the Arthouse Awards celebrate

The award focuses on auteur, independent, and free cinema, with particular attention to works that risk remaining on the fringes of commercial distribution. The organizers explain that the Arthouse Awards aim to recognize not just names but artistic trajectories, not just results but the most significant voices in the Italian independent landscape. The main categories are:

• Best Film
• Best Director
• Best Actress and Best Actor
• Best Documentary
• Innovation Award, for works experimenting with hybrid languages between cinema and visual arts
• Special Award, assigned to prominent figures in Italian culture

The initiative has grown thanks to the collaboration with the film magazine Film Tv and the desire to bring the excellence of Italian independent cinema to a wide audience, beyond just industry professionals.

Cinema Farnese, a venue that is part of the city's fabric

Active since the 1930s and overlooking one of Rome's liveliest squares, the Farnese has witnessed every era of Italian cinema: neighborhood theaters, cine-club activism, the crisis of single-screen cinemas, and the rebirth as an art-house venue. Today, it is part of the Europa Cinemas network and complements its daily programming with film festivals, meetings with directors, school projects, and collaborations with the University. In this sense, the Arthouse Awards are the natural annual celebration of that community.

Why it's worth attending

Attending the evening means watching two films in preview or revival and meeting those who made them, without filters: directors, actors, documentarians, and visual artists take the stage for a few words, often more sincere than any press conference. With tickets at standard cinema prices, the Arthouse Awards remain one of the most accessible events on the Roman film calendar.

Campo de' Fiori, before and after the film

The location helps: Campo de' Fiori hosts one of Rome's historic markets in the morning and is a popular meeting point in the historic center by night. Before the screening, you can stroll between Palazzo Farnese, Piazza Navona, and the Ghetto; after the film, the square and surrounding alleys offer taverns and wine bars to discuss what you've just seen. It is an evening that unites contemporary cinema and the capital's historic heritage within just a few hundred meters.