Festival dei Popoli - International Documentary Film Festival
The most important international documentary festival in Italy and the oldest in Europe
About Festival dei Popoli
Europe's oldest documentary festival
The Festival dei Popoli is a cornerstone of documentary cinema: founded in Florence in 1959 by a group of human science scholars (anthropologists, sociologists, ethnologists, and mediologists), it is now the most significant international festival dedicated to documentaries in Italy and the oldest in Europe. Supported by the Italian Institute for Social Documentation Film, the festival has been a reference point for authors, critics, and enthusiasts worldwide for over sixty years, with an archive housing more than 15,000 titles.
A week at Cinema La Compagnia
The heart of the event is Cinema La Compagnia, located on Via Cavour in the center of Florence: a venue promoted by the Tuscany Region and managed by Fondazione Sistema Toscana, dedicated to documentaries, experimentation, and audiovisual culture. Screenings also extend to other city venues, including Spazio Alfieri and Cinema Stensen. The festival is part of the broader "50 Days of Cinema in Florence" program.
Competitions and sections
The program is extensive: every year, about ninety films are selected, including world, European, and Italian premieres. The main sections include:
- International Competition, the festival's competitive core
- Italian Competition, dedicated to national productions
- Habitat, a thematic section
- Popoli for Kids & Teens, for younger audiences
- Special Events and out-of-competition screenings
- Doc at Work - Future Campus, dedicated to training and the industry
The international jury presents awards for the best feature, medium-length, and short film, as well as the "Gian Paolo Paoli" award for the best anthropological film.
Florence, capital of documentary cinema
For one week, the Municipality of Florence, the capital of Tuscany, becomes the international crossroads of non-fiction cinema: established and emerging directors, masterclasses, debates, and meetings with the public make the Festival dei Popoli an unmissable event for those who love auteur documentaries and contemporary storytelling.
Festival dei Popoli — edition 2026
67th edition of the Festival dei Popoli
From October 31 to November 8, 2026, Cinema La Compagnia in Florence hosts the 67th edition of the Festival dei Popoli, Italy's most important international documentary festival. For nine days, the public will be able to attend a selection of documentaries from around the world, divided into the International Competition, the Italian Competition, and numerous special sections.
Film submissions for the 67th edition are open, with staggered deadlines until summer 2026. The international jury will award prizes for the best feature, medium-length, and short film, as well as the "Gian Paolo Paoli" award.
The detailed program, including the full line-up of titles, guests, and screening times, will be published on the official website in the weeks preceding the opening.
Programme Festival dei Popoli 2026
The detailed program for the 67th edition, including the list of selected documentaries, guests, and screening times, will be announced in the weeks leading up to the event (autumn 2026).
The festival's established structure includes:
- International Competition — the main competitive selection, with feature, medium-length, and short documentaries from around the world
- Italian Competition — dedicated to national documentary production
- Habitat — thematic section
- Popoli for Kids & Teens — screenings and activities for younger audiences
- Special Events and out-of-competition screenings, often featuring tributes and retrospectives
- Doc at Work - Future Campus — training and professional meetings
The opening night and the awards ceremony are held at Cinema La Compagnia, the festival's main venue.
Highlights Festival dei Popoli 2026
The International and Italian Competitions, with awards presented by the international jury; premieres and meetings with directors; the "Gian Paolo Paoli" award for the best anthropological film.
Prices Festival dei Popoli 2026
Practical information — Festival dei Popoli
Getting there
Cinema La Compagnia is located at Via Cavour 50/r, in the historic center of Florence, just a short walk from the Duomo. The Florence Santa Maria Novella train station is about a 15-minute walk away; numerous city bus lines stop nearby. We recommend reaching the city center by public transport due to the ZTL (limited traffic zone).
Tickets
Individual tickets and passes (full, reduced, and daily) are available. Prices and pre-sale information are published on the official website and the Cinema La Compagnia page closer to the festival dates.
Information
For the full program, schedules, and screenings: www.festivaldeipopoli.org. Email: [email protected] - Tel. +39 055 244778.
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Where does it take place — Festival dei Popoli
Cinema La Compagnia
Via Cavour 50/r, 50129 Firenze