EcoFestiValPesio

Cinema that tells the story of our environment

EcoFestiValPesio is one of the most original film festivals in Piedmont: an international event entirely dedicated to environmentally-themed short films. Since 2008, it has brought works from all over the world to Chiusa di Pesio, a small town in the Province of Cuneo overlooking the Maritime Alps. Organized by the Cercando il Cinema APS association, the festival was born from the intersection of a passion for auteur cinema and a commitment to nature, set in a territory that protects one of the most biodiverse natural parks in Italy.

An international competition

Each edition receives hundreds of submissions: the most recent one featured 369 films from 69 different nations, including short films, documentaries, animated features, and fiction works. The competition is divided into several sections: ecological themes, open themes, and a special category reserved for works created by schools. On the final evening, a jury awards a series of prizes, ranging from the award for the best short film on alpine flora and fauna to a special prize dedicated to biodiversity.

Schools take center stage

One of the hallmarks of EcoFestiValPesio is its collaboration with the Chiusa di Pesio and Peveragno Comprehensive Institute: students not only create short films for the competition but also become jurors themselves, viewing the works and deciding the winners of the school category. It is a journey of visual education and sustainability that involves hundreds of students every year, transforming the festival into an educational experience as much as a cultural one.

The bond with the Park

The festival takes place in collaboration with the Management Body of the Maritime Alps Protected Areas and the Municipality of Chiusa di Pesio. Screenings are held in the Sala del Parco R. Mucciarelli, on Via Sant'Anna, the heart of the area's environmental education activities. Admission to public screenings is free, confirming the educational and accessible spirit of the initiative.

A festival that continues into the summer

EcoFestiValPesio does not end in the spring: the finalist films are screened again during the summer as part of Cinema in Cortile, the outdoor cinema evenings that bring Chiusa di Pesio to life in July and August. It is a way to extend the dialogue between cinema, community, and nature, offering visitors to the Pesio Valley a chance to relax and reflect under the stars of south-western Piedmont.