Francigena Film Festival

Short cinema beneath the towers of San Gimignano

The Francigena Film Festival is an international film festival dedicated to short films, held every summer in San Gimignano, the famous town of towers in the province of Siena, in the heart of Tuscany. The festival takes its name from the Via Francigena, the ancient pilgrimage route to Rome that once crossed these lands, and uses it as its guiding thread: the concept of travel in all its dimensions.

The theme of travel

The festival gathers short films from all over the world that depict travel as a journey of life: journeys through time and memory, journeys of love, discovery, and rediscovery, of hope and faith. The selection favors fiction works between one and twenty minutes long, chosen from the numerous international submissions received each year via the FilmFreeway platform.

The awards

The most coveted recognition is Il Sacco del Pellegrino (The Pilgrim's Sack), awarded to the best short film in competition: a prize with strong symbolic value, tied to the imagery of the pilgrim walking along the Francigena. Alongside this, the festival presents the L'Essenza dell'Elsa award, dedicated to the most authentic and essential work, as well as a series of special mentions for directing, acting, cinematography, editing, and screenplay.

A festival born from a vision

The Francigena Film Festival was conceived and founded by actor, author, and director Giovanni Guidelli, who also serves as its artistic director. The organization is managed by the Avatar Associazione Culturale of Casole d'Elsa together with the Pro Loco of San Gimignano, with the support of the Municipality. Over the years, the event has grown to include two venues, with side events also taking place in Colle di Val d'Elsa.

The atmosphere of the Rocca

Screenings are held outdoors at the Arena Estiva Cinema set up at the Rocca di Montestaffoli, the ancient fortress overlooking San Gimignano: a unique setting to watch finalist shorts under the starry Tuscan sky. Admission to the evenings is free, in line with the festival's popular and participatory spirit, which is part of the rich 'Accade d'Estate' summer program of the Municipality of San Gimignano.