Borgo Film Fest – Frank Capra Award
The film tourism festival in historic villages, dedicated to Frank Capra
About Borgo Film Fest
A festival born in the village of Frank Capra
The Borgo Film Fest – Frank Capra Award is the film tourism festival that brings Bisacquino to life every year, a village in the hinterland of the Province of Palermo, in the heart of western Sicily. The event was created to celebrate the deep bond between cinema and this small town, the birthplace of Frank Capra, the Oscar-winning Italian-American director of masterpieces such as It's a Wonderful Life, who is considered here the genius loci after whom the main award is named.
Cinema, villages, and territory
The festival is organized by the CineCulTurArt APS association with executive production by Sicily Entertainment, under the artistic direction of Elena Costa. It is part of the "Bisacquino Village of Cinema and Arts" project funded by the European Union, the Ministry of Culture, and the Municipality as part of the PNRR (Investment 2.1 on the attractiveness of historic villages). The goal is to promote Sicilian villages as natural locations and engines for tourism development, involving young professionals from the audiovisual and tourism sectors.
The short film competition
At the heart of the event is an international short film competition divided into several sections:
- Fiction – narrative short films;
- Documentaries – stories of reality;
- Animated Shorts – animation;
- BORGH-IA – a section dedicated to the relationship between cinema and artificial intelligence.
Screenings are held at the Teatro Comunale Paolo Giaccone, while Piazza Triona, the Town Hall Square, and the Civic Museum host talks, book presentations, and social gatherings.
Training, talks, and Grand Gala
Alongside the competition, the program offers workshops and film forums for local schools, as well as talks on themes such as peace, digital awareness, artificial intelligence, and the historical memory of Italian-Americans. The event culminates with the Blue Carpet and the Grand Gala awards ceremony in Piazza Triona, an evening featuring a photocall, entertainment, and the presentation of awards.
Bisacquino, village of cinema
Perched on the slopes of Monte Triona, Bisacquino is a charming Sicilian village, already chosen as a set by Francis Ford Coppola for The Godfather. Visiting the town during the festival means combining the discovery of auteur cinema with the rediscovery of an authentic territory, made of alleys, traditions, and landscapes of the Palermo hinterland. An appointment that confirms Sicily's vocation as a great open-air set.
Borgo Film Fest — edition 2026
The third edition of the Borgo Film Fest – Frank Capra Award was held in Bisacquino from May 25 to 31, 2026, presented at the Department of Humanities of the University of Palermo. The week opened with three School Days dedicated to film forums and creative workshops in the municipality's schools.
The official inauguration, with the screening of the short films in competition in the Fiction, Documentary, Animated Shorts, and BORGH-IA (cinema and artificial intelligence) sections, was followed by talks such as "Screens of Peace," meetings on digital awareness, and the memory of Italian-Americans and the 1943 landings.
On Saturday, May 30, the Blue Carpet and the Grand Gala in Piazza Triona closed the competition with the awards ceremony, preceded by the book presentation by actor Ninni Bruschetta. The Sunday concluded with an immersive reality experience dedicated to Frank Capra.
Programme Borgo Film Fest 2026
Monday 25 – Wednesday 27 May: School Day, film forums, and workshops in schools (I.C. G. Reina, I.C. Mons. Giovanni Bacile, IISS Don Calogero Di Vincenti); inauguration of the 3rd edition with screening of short films in competition.
Thursday 28 May: "Screens of Peace" talk, screenings of short films about the Middle East, discussion on "Territoriality, culture, and tradition".
Friday 29 May: Talk on artificial intelligence and digital awareness, meeting on "Italian-Americans and the 1943 landings".
Saturday 30 May: Book presentation by Ninni Bruschetta, Blue Carpet and photocall, Grand Gala with awards ceremony in Piazza Triona.
Sunday 31 May: Immersive reality experience dedicated to Frank Capra.
Venues: Teatro Comunale Paolo Giaccone, Piazza Triona, Town Hall Square, Civic Museum.
Highlights Borgo Film Fest 2026
- Short film competition: Fiction, Documentaries, Animated Shorts, and BORGH-IA section (cinema and AI)
- Grand Gala and Blue Carpet on May 30 in Piazza Triona
- "Screens of Peace" talk and meetings on artificial intelligence and historical memory
- School Day and workshops for Bisacquino schools
- Immersive reality experience dedicated to Frank Capra
- Guests such as actor Ninni Bruschetta
Prices Borgo Film Fest 2026
Practical information — Borgo Film Fest
How to get there
Bisacquino is located in the hinterland of the Province of Palermo. By car, it can be reached from the A19 Palermo-Catania motorway (exit towards Corleone) or from the SS624 Palermo-Sciacca road. The nearest airport is Palermo "Falcone-Borsellino" (about 90 km away).
Tickets
All festival events are free to attend.
Venue
Screenings take place at the Teatro Comunale Paolo Giaccone; talks and events are held in Piazza Triona, the Town Hall Square, and the Civic Museum of Bisacquino.
Information
The program and competition rules are published on the official website borgofilmfest.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 — Borgo Film Fest
Teatro Comunale Paolo Giaccone