DIG Festival – Investigative Journalism Festival

The European festival of investigative journalism

DIG Festival is considered the most important European festival dedicated to investigative journalism and reporting. Born in 2015 from the non-profit association of the same name (Associazione DIG – ETS), the event has become a reference point for international professionals, while also attracting thousands of citizens interested in delving into the major issues of current affairs. After its initial editions held in Riccione, the festival has found its home in Modena, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, where it has become one of the flagship events of the "Modena City of Festivals" project.

What it offers

For five days, DIG Festival animates the center of Modena with a packed program, which in recent editions has exceeded one hundred events. The public can participate in:

• Screenings of investigations and documentaries shortlisted for the DIG Awards, often international premieres;
• DIG Talk, meetings and debates with journalists, reporters, and protagonists of global information;
• DIG Academy, a series of free, accredited training workshops for journalists, students, and aspiring reporters;
• Exhibitions of photojournalism, art, and visual journalism projects;
• Concerts and evening events accompanying the days of debate.

The DIG Awards

The heart of the festival is the DIG Awards, a benchmark recognition for the best documentarians and investigative journalists worldwide. The competition awards video investigations and audio productions across multiple categories — Investigative Long and Medium, Reportage Long and Medium, Short, and the Audio & Podcast section — as well as the DIG Pitch "Matteo Scanni", dedicated to documentaries in development, with funding of up to €15,000 for the winning project.

The big themes

DIG Festival tackles the most urgent issues of our time without filters: wars and conflicts, climate crisis, organized crime, press freedom, civil rights, artificial intelligence, and the future of information in the digital age. In recent editions, leading figures in international journalism have graced the Modena stages, testifying to the prestige achieved by the event.

The 2026 edition in Modena

The twelfth edition of DIG Festival will take place in Modena from September 23rd to 27th, 2026. As is tradition, most of the events will be free to enter, making the festival an open occasion for everyone to meet the best of global journalism and critical thinking in the Emilia-Romagna capital.