Casale Cineforum
Cinema, books, and special guests under the stars in Casalfiumanese
About Casale Cineforum
A festival that brings cinema and culture together
Casale Cineforum is the summer cultural festival in Casalfiumanese, a small municipality in the Metropolitan City of Bologna overlooking the Santerno valley, in Emilia-Romagna. Born from the initiative of a passionate community, it has grown in just a few years to become an event that attracts attention far beyond the town's borders, capable of bringing some of the most important names in Italian culture, journalism, sports, and entertainment to the Bologna Apennines.
The formula is simple and successful: each evening focuses on a prominent guest, who engages in dialogue with the audience or presents a book, then gives way to the screening of a film chosen in harmony with the themes of the encounter. This creates a journey that combines word and image, reflection and entertainment, in a convivial outdoor atmosphere.
Where it takes place
The events are held in the symbolic locations of the town: Villa Manusardi, with its park, and Piazza Cavalli, the heart of Casalfiumanese. The audience follows the talks and films outdoors, under the Apennine stars, in an intimate setting that encourages direct contact with the guests.
A community event
The festival is organized by the Pro Loco of Casalfiumanese, with the patronage of the Municipality and the collaboration of local associations. Admission is free, with the option to support the initiative through a voluntary donation: a participatory model that has enabled Casalfiumanese to host nationally renowned writers, mountaineers, educators, and journalists over the years.
Why it's worth it
For those who want to experience the Emilia-Romagna summer away from the main tourist circuits, Casale Cineforum is a precious opportunity: a village-scale festival with the caliber of guests typically found in a big city, immersed in the hilly landscape of the Province of Bologna. An evening here means listening to authoritative voices, watching a good film, and breathing in the authentic atmosphere of an Apennine village.
Casale Cineforum — edition 2026
The seventh edition of Casale Cineforum confirms the formula that has made the Casalfiumanese festival famous: evenings alternating encounters with major figures of Italian culture and open-air film screenings, between Villa Manusardi and Piazza Cavalli.
The first guest announced for 2026 is the writer Antonio Scurati, author of the award-winning saga on Mussolini "M. Il figlio del secolo" and winner of the Strega Prize. His talk will open the festival on an evening dedicated to the link between novel, history, and memory.
As every year, the event is organized by the Pro Loco of Casalfiumanese with the patronage of the Municipality, in the Metropolitan City of Bologna.
Programme Casale Cineforum 2026
June 23, 2026 — Opening with Antonio Scurati
The festival kicks off with writer Antonio Scurati, author of M. Il figlio del secolo (Strega Prize), for an evening dedicated to the relationship between novel, history, and memory.
Other evenings
The complete program for the seventh edition—with further guests, dates for subsequent evenings, and films to be screened—will be announced by the Pro Loco of Casalfiumanese in the weeks preceding the festival's start, via their official Facebook and Instagram channels. Following the pattern of previous editions, the encounters will take place between June and July, alternating talks with guests and film screenings between Villa Manusardi and Piazza Cavalli.
Highlights Casale Cineforum 2026
- Opening evening on June 23rd with writer Antonio Scurati, winner of the Strega Prize
- Open-air cinema and cultural encounters under the stars of the Bologna Apennines
- Free admission with voluntary donation
Prices Casale Cineforum 2026
Practical information — Casale Cineforum
How to get here
Casalfiumanese is located in the Santerno valley, along the Via Montanara Imolese (SP610), a few kilometers from Imola. It is easily reached by car from the Imola exit of the A14 motorway, heading towards the Apennines.
Where it takes place
The events are mainly held in the park of Villa Manusardi and in Piazza Cavalli, in the center of Casalfiumanese.
Admission
Admission is free with a voluntary donation to support the festival. It is advisable to arrive early for evenings with highly anticipated guests, which often draw large crowds.
Information
Updates on the program, dates, and guests are published on the official social media channels of the festival (Facebook and Instagram "Casale Cineforum").
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Where does it take place — Casale Cineforum
Villa Manusardi e Piazza Cavalli