Flaminio Film Festival

A short film festival in the heart of Flaminio

The Flaminio Film Festival is an annual event held every September, bringing short cinema to the Flaminio district of Rome. Located in the Municipio II area, just a stone's throw from the MAXXI museum and the Auditorium Parco della Musica, the festival takes place at the Cinema Arena Tiziano on Via Guido Reni. As one of the capital's historic summer venues, it welcomes spectators, filmmakers, students, and curious film lovers for four nights. Created to give a voice to short films addressing the major themes of sustainable development, the festival has become a staple of the cultural calendar in both the city and the Lazio region.

Short films as a tool for reflection

The core philosophy of the event is both simple and ambitious: using the universal language of short film to spark public reflection on the environment, human rights, inclusion, and social justice. The selected works explore climate change, migration, inequality, active citizenship, energy, and the relationship between humanity and the land. However, this is not a didactic festival; the selection prioritizes narrative quality and visual storytelling, featuring a mix of documentaries, fiction, animation, and experimental works.

Competition sections

• Sustainable Perspectives (Sguardi Sostenibili) — short films (max 20 minutes) focused on sustainable development in all its forms.
• Schools in Short (Scuole in Corto) — works created by primary and secondary school students, judged by a youth jury.
• Open Theme — a section open to any subject, also with a 20-minute limit.

Submissions are free and close at the end of August, with winners announced on the final night. Over the years, juries have included directors, cinematographers, critics, and sustainability scholars, chaired by economist Enrico Giovannini, scientific director of ASviS.

Guests, meetings, and workshops

Alongside the screenings, the program includes meetings with authors, presentations, workshops, and deep-dive sessions with experts and local Roman school classes. Recent editions have featured actress Luisa Ranieri as godmother and hosted various directors and actors of contemporary Italian cinema. In 2025, for instance, Luca Zingaretti presented his directorial debut at the Arena Tiziano. The festival maintains its identity as an open, accessible neighborhood event where the audience participates by voting for one of the main awards.

Awards and partners

The festival presents an audience award, technical jury prizes, and special awards supported by cultural partners: the Treccani Foundation for the best school project and MAXXI for cinematography. The event is held under the patronage of Roma Capitale, Municipio II, and the Lazio Region, and has been included among the projects funded by the Roma Creativa 365 initiative.

Why it's worth attending

The Flaminio Film Festival is one of the most delightful ways to experience the end of a Roman summer: arriving at dusk, watching short films that rarely find space in commercial cinemas, and staying to discuss them with the creators. All of this is free of charge, in an open-air arena just minutes from the Tiber River and the Ponte della Musica. It is an ideal opportunity for families, students, and enthusiasts who want to discover emerging Italian cinema in an informal and welcoming setting, far from the crowds of major events.