Custodi di Domani – Cinema, Memory and Rights on the Move

Cinema inhabits an archaeological park

Custodi di Domani – Cinema, Memory and Rights on the Move is the summer film festival that brings the Privernum Archaeological Park to life in the municipality of Priverno (Latina province, Lazio). For five evenings between July and August, the archaeological site of the ancient Roman city of Privernum becomes an open-air theater, where screenings light up just steps away from the paving stones, mosaics, and foundations of public buildings unearthed by excavations.

The festival's title reflects its dual nature: the «custodians of tomorrow» are both the spectators who care for their inherited heritage and the civic themes—collective memory, rights, and inclusion—that run through the selected films. It is not merely a summer arena, but a journey built around meetings with actors, directors, and journalists who lead discussions after each screening.

A typical evening, from sunset to screening

The rhythm of the evenings is designed to let you experience the park well before the opening credits. The site opens its gates in the late afternoon, and the evening unfolds in stages:

• 6:00 PM — Opening of the Privernum Archaeological Park to the public.
• 6:30 PM — Guided tours through the ruins of ancient Privernum and educational activities for children.
• 7:30 PM — Opening of food stalls, with the option to dine within the area.
• 9:00 PM — Screening of the evening's film, preceded or followed by a meeting with guests.

This formula allows you to spend the entire evening on-site: first, archaeological discovery with a guide, then dinner outdoors, and finally the film. It is one of the most successful formats in the Pontine summer, making a site that many visitors only know by name truly accessible.

Privernum, the Roman city beneath the mountain

The park preserves the remains of Roman Privernum, the lowland city that developed during the Republican and Imperial ages at the foot of the Lepini Mountains, following the gradual abandonment of the Volscian hilltop settlement. Excavations have revealed the forum, public buildings, domus with mosaic floors, and an urban layout still visible today. The modern town of Priverno, perched higher up, preserves a charming medieval historic center with its square and cathedral, while the famous Fossanova Abbey, a masterpiece of Cistercian architecture in Italy, stands just a few kilometers away.

Screening a film in this setting is not just a scenic detail: the festival was created precisely to bring the public and heritage together, drawing spectators to an archaeological area they might not otherwise visit.

Civic themes and contemporary Italian cinema

The selection favors recent Italian cinema, with works that touch upon personal and collective memory, justice, disability and autonomy, and inclusion. Each evening features guests—performers, directors, critics, and journalists—who engage in dialogue with the audience, transforming the screening into a moment of exchange rather than simple entertainment.

Organizers

The festival is promoted by the Municipality of Priverno together with the City Museum System, with the support of the Lazio Region as part of the «La Cultura fa Sistema» project, funded under Regional Law 24/2019. The initiative is part of the broader summer program of the Municipality, which distributes events across the historic center, Fossanova Abbey, and the archaeological area during the warm season.

Why it's worth the trip

• Free admission to screenings.
• A Roman archaeological site visitable at sunset with a guide.
• Direct meetings with actors and directors of Italian cinema.
• Activities for children and food stalls: a family-friendly formula.
• Close to Fossanova, Sermoneta, and the Lepini Mountains, for a complete weekend in southern Lazio.