Custodi di Sogni - Treasures of the National Film Archive
The Roman festival showcasing restored treasures from the National Film Archive
About Custodi di Sogni
A festival created to open the archives
Custodi di Sogni - Treasures of the National Film Archive is the annual event that the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia dedicates to the heritage preserved by the Cineteca Nazionale in Rome. The vision, championed by curator Steve Della Casa, is both simple and ambitious: to bring out from the vaults what usually remains invisible—negatives, unique prints, recovered fragments, and newly completed restorations—and return them to their natural setting: the cinema. The title says it all: those who preserve a film are, quite literally, the guardians of the dreams of those who made it and those who watched it.
Where it takes place, in the heart and neighborhoods of Rome
The festival is not confined to a single location; it spans the Capital, within the Metropolitan City of Rome, in the Lazio region. The headquarters is the Sala Pietro Germi at the CSC, near Largo Marcello Mastroianni, just a stone's throw from CinecittĂ . Screenings also extend to the Cinema Farnese Arthouse in the historic center, Spazio Scena on Via Tuscolana, the Cinema Teatro Don Bosco in the Tuscolano district, the Central Institute for Sound and Audiovisual Heritage, and, for one day, the MAXXI. This geography reflects the spirit of the event: archive cinema is not just for specialists, but something that can circulate throughout the entire city.
What you will see
The program blends genres and eras without hierarchy. It features major restorations of 20th-century Italian cinema, brought to light through digital technology and philological research; silent films, often accompanied by live music; and international rarities arriving from partner film archives. Alongside the screenings, there are photographic exhibitions, book presentations—including new issues of the historic magazine Bianco e Nero—and academic conferences involving Italian and foreign universities.
- Restorations and rediscoveries: Italian cinema classics presented in new prints.
- Fragments and lost films: materials recovered and reassembled by the Cineteca's laboratories.
- Early cinema: Italian silent films with live musical accompaniment.
- Meetings: directors, actors, cinematographers, and scholars engage with the public after screenings.
- Excellence Award: a tribute to a key figure in the film industry.
A rare opportunity for the public
What sets Custodi di Sogni apart from other Roman events is the very nature of its offerings: films that cannot be found on streaming platforms, are not released in theaters, and sometimes exist in only one copy in the world. Seeing them projected, often in the presence of those who restored them, is a unique experience. And since admission is free until capacity is reached, the barrier to entry is minimal: just arrive in time.
Who it is for
The audience is intentionally diverse. It attracts classic cinema enthusiasts and film students, as well as curious viewers who may not know the history of restoration but discover, through a screening, how much work goes into making an image sharp again after seventy years. The conferences and round tables attract researchers and archivists from across Europe, making this Roman week an international hub for discussion on audiovisual preservation.
Rome and its cinematic memory
It is no coincidence that this happens in Rome. The city that hosted Cinecittà , the CSC, and the Cineteca Nazionale preserves a decisive part of Italy's visual identity in its archives. Custodi di Sogni places this legacy at the center, reminding us that film heritage is fragile—film deteriorates, supports age—and that every restoration is a cultural choice. A week in March, to understand this, is worth more than many speeches.
Custodi di Sogni — edition 2026
Custodi di Sogni 2026: the second edition
From March 9 to 15, 2026, the Cineteca Nazionale opened its archives to the Roman public for the second time. This edition expanded its network of venues compared to the debut, involving the Sala Pietro Germi of the CSC, the Cinema Farnese Arthouse, Spazio Scena, the Cinema Teatro Don Bosco, the Central Institute for Sound and Audiovisual Heritage, and, on Saturday, March 14, the MAXXI.
The films
Titles brought back to the screen included: Saffo by Aldo Molinari (1918) with live musical accompaniment, Esterina by Carlo Lizzani (1959), Roma ore 11 by Giuseppe De Santis (1952), Il delitto Matteotti by Florestano Vancini (1973), and Nostalghia by Andrei Tarkovsky (1983). There was great anticipation for the recovered fragments of Sperduti nel buio by Nino Martoglio, a masterpiece of silent cinema long considered lost, and for the first films starring Claudia Cardinale in Tunisia, the short film Les Anneaux d'or by René Vautier (1958) and Goha by Jacques Baratier (1958).
Meetings, awards, and conferences
The festival hosted testimonies from Pupi Avati, Lamberto Bava, Chiara Caselli, Andrea De Sica, Maurizio Nichetti, Caterina Caselli, and Alberto Barbera. The Excellence Award was presented to cinematographer Giuseppe "Beppe" Lanci. From March 9 to 11, the international conference Cent'anni dopo (A Hundred Years Later) was held, dedicated to landscapes in early Italian cinema, in collaboration with French and Italian universities.
Exhibitions and publishing
Throughout the event, the photographic exhibition Ti amo, cinéma! - France Italie was open to the public. Additionally, the new issue of the magazine Bianco e Nero and a box set dedicated to Elvira Notari, a pioneer of Neapolitan cinema, were presented.
Programme Custodi di Sogni 2026
Venues and times
Screenings were held from March 9 to 15, 2026, across multiple venues with varying times: Sala Pietro Germi of the CSC (Largo Marcello Mastroianni 1), Cinema Farnese Arthouse, Spazio Scena (Via Tuscolana 1524), Cinema Teatro Don Bosco, Central Institute for Sound and Audiovisual Heritage, and MAXXI (Saturday, March 14).
Restorations and rarities
- Saffo by Aldo Molinari (1918), silent with live musical accompaniment
- Esterina by Carlo Lizzani (1959)
- Roma ore 11 by Giuseppe De Santis (1952)
- Il delitto Matteotti by Florestano Vancini (1973)
- Nostalghia by Andrei Tarkovsky (1983)
Rediscoveries
- Recovered fragments of Sperduti nel buio by Nino Martoglio
- Works by Elvira Notari, with the presentation of the new box set
- Les Anneaux d'or by René Vautier (1958) and Goha by Jacques Baratier (1958), Claudia Cardinale's debut films
Meetings and conferences
- March 9-11: international conference Cent'anni dopo on landscapes in early Italian cinema
- Testimonies from Pupi Avati, Lamberto Bava, Chiara Caselli, Andrea De Sica, Maurizio Nichetti, Caterina Caselli, Alberto Barbera
- Excellence Award to cinematographer Giuseppe "Beppe" Lanci
- Presentation of the new issue of Bianco e Nero
Exhibitions
- March 9-15: photographic exhibition Ti amo, cinéma! - France Italie
Highlights Custodi di Sogni 2026
- The recovered fragments of Sperduti nel buio by Nino Martoglio, a silent film long believed lost
- Saffo (1918) with live musical accompaniment
- Claudia Cardinale's two Tunisian debut films, Les Anneaux d'or and Goha
- The Excellence Award to cinematographer Beppe Lanci
- The day at the MAXXI on Saturday, March 14
- The international conference Cent'anni dopo on early Italian cinema
Prices Custodi di Sogni 2026
Practical information — Custodi di Sogni
How to get there
The Sala Pietro Germi of the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia is located at Largo Marcello Mastroianni 1, in the CinecittĂ area: take Metro Line A to the CinecittĂ stop, just a few minutes' walk away. The Cinema Farnese Arthouse is in the historic center, reachable by buses from Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. Spazio Scena and the Cinema Teatro Don Bosco are located along Via Tuscolana, well-served by Metro A. The MAXXI is in the Flaminio district, accessible via tram 2 from Piazzale Flaminio. Those arriving by train should get off at Roma Termini and continue by metro; by plane, Fiumicino and Ciampino airports are connected to the city center by trains and shuttle buses.
Admission and reservations
Admission is free to all screenings, subject to availability. As there is no box office, it is advisable to arrive at the theater early, especially for meetings with guests and screenings with live musical accompaniment, which tend to fill up quickly.
Useful tips
The program is updated until the final days: check the venues and times on the Fondazione CSC website before heading out. The venues are far apart, so it is more convenient to choose one day per area rather than rushing across the city. For those arriving from outside Rome, the Tuscolano district and the CinecittĂ area offer more affordable accommodation options than the city center, with direct metro connections.
Contacts
Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, phone +39 06 722941, official website fondazionecsc.it.
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Where does it take place — Custodi di Sogni
Sala Pietro Germi - Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia
Largo Marcello Mastroianni 1, 00173 Roma