FREE AQUILA Festival - Short Film Competition
The independent short film competition at the Nuovo Cinema Aquila in Pigneto
About Free Aquila Festival
A festival born in a cinema returned to the city
The FREE AQUILA Festival - Short Film Competition takes place every year at the Nuovo Cinema Aquila, located at via L'Aquila 66/74 in the Pigneto district of Rome, in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Lazio region. This venue is no ordinary cinema: it is a property confiscated from organized crime under Law 109 of 1996 and transferred to the assets of Rome Capital in 2003. Today, the cinema, managed by the Cinema Mundi Onlus cooperative, has returned to being a cultural hub for the neighborhood with three screens, including the Sala Anna Magnani, which hosts the festival.
The competition
Founded in 2019, the competition reached its seventh edition in 2026. The formula remains unchanged: a call for entries open to short films no longer than 20 minutes, recently produced and never publicly screened before the window specified in the call, with no restrictions on genre or theme. The artistic direction selects about fifteen finalists, with a declared focus on debut works, original perspectives, and technological experimentation in audiovisual language.
How it works
- Three nights of competitive screenings, usually starting at 8:30 PM, with about six shorts per night.
- Meetings with directors, actors, and technicians present in the theater: direct interaction with the creators is an explicit part of the project.
- A final Saturday featuring afternoon masterclasses, retrospectives dedicated to a specific author, and an evening awards ceremony and closing party.
The awards
The strength of the FREE AQUILA lies in the nature of its awards, which are far from merely symbolic. The Jury is composed of the winners from the previous edition, a relay that creates continuity between years. Awards include the Jury Prize, the Audience Prize—voted on in the theater and online—and the Special Nuovo Cinema Aquila Prize, alongside special mentions, including one dedicated to experimental audiovisual work. Winners of the Jury Prize and the Special Prize receive two weeks of theatrical programming before feature films in the following season; the Audience Prize winner is entitled to a dedicated event night. For an independent short film, which rarely finds space in commercial circuits, this is a concrete showcase.
The setting: Pigneto
Pigneto is one of the most distinctive neighborhoods in East Rome, characterized by its Pasolini-esque memories, historic shops, and vibrant nightlife. The festival reflects this spirit: affordable prices, an informal atmosphere, and a mixed audience of residents, students, and film enthusiasts. Evenings often continue with toasts and discussions in the foyer or at the venues along the pedestrian street just a few steps from the cinema.
Why attend
Those looking for a film festival in Rome far from the red carpets will find an authentic experience here: four days to discover the emerging Italian cinema, meet its authors, and support a venue that is, in itself, a story of civil redemption. Admission remains accessible, and audience participation truly impacts the outcome of the competition.
Free Aquila Festival — edition 2026
7th edition, May 13-16, 2026
The seventh edition of the Nuovo Cinema Aquila short film competition was held from Wednesday, May 13, to Saturday, May 16, 2026, with competitive screenings in the Sala Anna Magnani. The organization was handled by the Cinema Mundi Onlus cooperative together with the La Cetra di Apollo association.
The three weekday evenings, starting at 8:30 PM, presented six short films each, followed by meetings with the authors present in the theater. The inaugural evening on Wednesday the 13th was introduced by the panel The General States of Cultural Policy. The final Saturday changed pace: from 4:00 PM, masterclasses and a retrospective, then from 8:30 PM, the awards ceremony and closing party.
Awards granted
- Jury Prize — two weeks of theatrical programming.
- Special Nuovo Cinema Aquila Prize — two weeks of theatrical programming.
- Audience Prize — screening during a dedicated event night.
- Special mentions, including one for experimental audiovisual work, and the Forme WebTv Prize with platform distribution.
Programme Free Aquila Festival 2026
Wednesday, May 13 — 8:30 PM
Inaugural evening with the panel The General States of Cultural Policy, followed by six short films in competition, including works by Giulia Valenti, Lorenzo Quagliozzi, and Omar Rammal.
Thursday, May 14 — 8:30 PM
Second round of six short films in competition, featuring Il Rais resta a casa by Maria Luisa Usai and a work by Paolo Baiguera.
Friday, May 15 — 8:30 PM
Third round of six short films, including a title by Antonio La Camera and Mambo Kids by Emanuele Tresca.
Saturday, May 16 — from 4:00 PM
Afternoon of masterclasses with director Beatrice Baldacci and casting director Maurilio Mangano, plus a retrospective dedicated to author Gianluca Abbate. From 8:30 PM, awards ceremony and closing party.
At the end of each evening, meetings with directors, actors, and technicians of the screened works are scheduled.
Highlights Free Aquila Festival 2026
- Three competition nights with 18 selected independent short films, with no restrictions on genre or theme.
- Opening panel The General States of Cultural Policy.
- Masterclasses with director Beatrice Baldacci and casting director Maurilio Mangano.
- Retrospective on Gianluca Abbate.
- Jury composed of the 2025 edition winners.
- Theatrical programming awards: two weeks of screenings for the winners.
Prices Free Aquila Festival 2026
Practical information — Free Aquila Festival
Where
Nuovo Cinema Aquila, via L'Aquila 66/74, 00176 Rome (Pigneto district). Screenings in the Sala Anna Magnani.
How to get there
- Metro: Line C, Pigneto or Malatesta stop, then a few minutes on foot.
- Train: Roma Termini station, then Metro A to Manzoni or tram 5/14 towards Prenestina.
- Tram: Lines 5, 14, and 19 in the Prenestina/Pigneto area.
- Car: Parking is difficult in the neighborhood; public transport is recommended.
Tickets
Affordable entry: single-night ticket, higher rate for the final night with the awards ceremony, and a full-festival pass. Booking is recommended for the busiest nights.
Participating in the competition
The call for entries is released in the spring on the cinemaaquila.it website: free registration via online form, works under 20 minutes, film submission by the indicated deadline. Information: [email protected], tel. +39 06 45541398.
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Where does it take place — Free Aquila Festival
Nuovo Cinema Aquila — Sala Anna Magnani
Via L'Aquila 66/74, 00176 Roma