Giffoni Film Festival
The international children's film festival where the jury is made up of under-18s
About Giffoni
A festival where the jury is under twenty
The Giffoni Film Festival was founded in 1971 by Claudio Gubitosi, who was just eighteen at the time, with a simple yet revolutionary idea: to entrust the judgment of films to those who actually watch them—children and teenagers. For over half a century, the formula has remained unchanged, making the town of Giffoni Valle Piana, in the hinterland of the province of Salerno, one of the most recognizable international landmarks for youth cinema. In 1982, François Truffaut wrote that "of all the festivals, Giffoni is the most necessary," a definition that the event still carries with it today.
How the competition works
The heart of the festival is the jurors: thousands of boys and girls selected from Italy and abroad, divided by age group, who attend screenings, vote on the competing works, and meet directors and actors in the screening rooms. There is nothing symbolic about this process: they truly decide the winners, and the direct interaction with the filmmakers is often the most memorable part of the day.
- Elements +3, Elements +6, and Elements +10 — films and short films, mostly animated, for the youngest jurors;
- Generator +13, Generator +15, and Generator +18 — feature films and shorts designed for teenagers and young adults, often tackling tough, contemporary themes;
- Gex Doc — the section dedicated to documentaries.
The main award is the Gryphon Award, the griffin that also serves as the festival's symbol, awarded in each section by the youth jury; alongside it, numerous special prizes from partners and technical juries are presented.
The Cittadella del Cinema
Since 2002, the event's headquarters has been the Cittadella del Cinema on Via Aldo Moro: a complex that brings together screening rooms—including the Sala Truffaut, Sala Lumière, and Sala Verde—workshop spaces, and the outdoor arena of Piazza Fratelli Lumière, where concerts are held every evening. Some meetings also take place in the San Francesco Monumental Complex in the town's historic center.
Much more than just screenings
Over the years, Giffoni has become a multidisciplinary hub that complements the competition with a series of parallel sections:
- IMPACT! — meetings with key figures from culture, journalism, institutions, and civil society;
- Giffoni Music Concept — free nightly concerts in the arena, featuring artists from the Italian pop and rap scene;
- Giffoni Sport — talks with sports champions and sports documentaries;
- Giffoni Food Show — showcooking and promotion of local products from Campania;
- Giffoni Innovation Hub — innovation, digital media, and new audiovisual languages;
- masterclasses and workshops on acting, writing, and production reserved for young participants.
Giffoni Valle Piana, the town and the territory
The town of Giffoni Valle Piana is located at the foot of the Picentini Mountains, about twenty kilometers from Salerno, in Campania. It is a green landscape of chestnut and hazelnut groves, very different from the postcard image of the nearby Amalfi Coast. For nine days a year, the town fills with families, school groups, television crews, and international guests, and the entire community participates in hosting them. This small-town atmosphere, combined with a high level of international programming, is the festival's signature.
Who attends and what to expect
Giffoni is primarily designed for those participating as jurors, but it is also open to the general public: many screenings, guest meetings, and all evening concerts are accessible for free, subject to venue capacity. Those arriving without accreditation should arrive early and plan their day around the outdoor events, which are the easiest to attend and perfectly capture the festival's atmosphere.
Giffoni — edition 2026
The theme: "Impossible Things"
The visual identity of #Giffoni56 was built around the flight of Icarus and the image of the labyrinth: an invitation to the jurors to measure themselves against what appears out of reach instead of avoiding it. The ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Cittadella del Cinema opened nine days that, according to the organizers, exceeded 250,000 total attendees.
The numbers
- 104 films in competition — 42 feature films and 62 short films;
- over 5,000 jurors from 35 nations and about 500 Italian cities and towns;
- 75 international directors present in the screening rooms;
- 7 premieres, 17 special events, and more than 100 guests.
The sections
The competition was divided into the usual age groups — Elements +3, +6, and +10, Generator +13, +15, and +18 — alongside the documentary section Gex Doc. Surrounding the screenings were IMPACT!, the Giffoni Music Concept, the Giffoni Food Show, Giffoni Sport, the Innovation Hub, and acting workshops.
Programme Giffoni 2026
Competitive sections
- Elements +3, Elements +6, Elements +10 — films and shorts for the youngest jurors;
- Generator +13, Generator +15, Generator +18 — feature films and shorts for teenagers and young adults;
- Gex Doc — documentaries.
Day by day
- July 17 — opening with "Sunny Dancer" by George Jaques, featuring lead actress Bella Ramsey, and the first images of "Wildwood"; guests included Matilda De Angelis. Evening concert with Francesco Gabbani, Erocaddeo, and Napoleone.
- July 18 — "L'isola dei ricordi," the new DreamWorks Animation film directed by Joel Crawford; "Se domani non torno," dedicated to the story of Giulia Cecchettin; the return of "Cuccioli" and the documentary "In Crescendo." Concerts by Eddie Brock, Gard, and Elteep.
- July 19 — "Greta e le favole vere" by Berardo Carboni, the restoration of "La gabbianella e il gatto," and the launch of Zecchino d'Oro; guests Francesca Chillemi and Beatrice Arnera.
- July 20 — the Disney live-action "Moana," the documentary "Becoming her," the short film "Il quaderno di Tommaso," and the docu-reality "Effetto domino"; guest Benedetta Porcaroli.
- July 21 — preview of the Netflix series "Minerva – La scuola" and new episodes of "Winx Club."
- July 22 — "Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie," a lecture by Francesco Giorgino on media literacy, the series "Nord sud ovest est" dedicated to 883, and a meeting with the cast of "Un posto al sole"; guests Sarah Toscano and Nicolò Filippucci.
- July 23 — "Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas" and the Italian premiere of "KPop Demon Hunters"; guests Fabrizio Gifuni and Ludovica Nasti.
- July 24 — premieres of "Piercing" and "La salita," with an evening dedicated to music and talent from Campania; guest Gianluca Gazzoli.
- July 25 — closing with "Je so' pazzo," a biopic about Pino Daniele; guest Anna Foglietta. On stage: Eiffel 65 and Junior Cally.
IMPACT!
The section dedicated to civil engagement brought to Giffoni, among others, Dacia Maraini, Piero Grasso, Zerocalcare, Roberto Vecchioni, Walter Veltroni, Aldo Cazzullo, and the Regeni family.
Giffoni Music Concept
Nine evenings of free concerts in the Piazza Fratelli Lumière arena, hosted by RDSNEXT: in addition to the names already mentioned, Rosa Chemical, Francesca Michielin, Nicola Siciliano, and Gabriele Esposito also performed.
Workshops
Two hundred young participants followed acting workshops focused on character construction based on personal experience, emotional management, and how to inhabit a story, guided by industry professionals.
Highlights Giffoni 2026
2026 Gryphon Awards
- Elements +6: "Garuda – Dare to Dream" by Ronny Gani (Indonesia), the story of an asthmatic thirteen-year-old determined to wear the Indonesian national football team jersey — also awarded the Lete Special Award 2026;
- Elements +10: "Just Call Me Frida" by Katja Benrath (Germany), a modern fairy tale about the value of life and friendship;
- Generator +13: "The Altar Boys" by Piotr Domalewski (Poland);
- Generator +15: "Morten" by Ivan Pavljutskov (Estonia/Lithuania);
- Generator +18: "You Believe in Angels, Mr. Drowak?" by Nicolas Steiner (Germany/Switzerland);
- Gex Doc: "One in a Million" by Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes (Germany), filmed over ten years following Israa's journey from Syria to Germany;
- Elements +3 (short films): the German animation "Snorri, Catch Me If You Candy!" by Thierry Marchand.
Among the special awards, "Il Murales del Campione," dedicated to Maradona, and the award for Best Soundtrack for "The Winter Cat" were also noted.
Highlights
- Over 250,000 attendees in nine days;
- the IMPACT! section with the Regeni family;
- the announcement of the 57th edition, scheduled from July 16 to 24, 2027.
Prices Giffoni 2026
Practical information — Giffoni
Getting there
By car: Giffoni Valle Piana can be reached from the A2 del Mediterraneo motorway, taking the Pontecagnano exit and continuing towards the Picentini hinterland; the town is about twenty kilometers from Salerno. During the festival, dedicated signage leads to the Cittadella del Cinema on Via Aldo Moro.
By train: the reference station is Salerno, served by high-speed trains; from there, you can continue by bus or car to Giffoni Valle Piana.
By plane: Salerno-Costa d'Amalfi Airport in Pontecagnano is the closest, or Naples-Capodichino.
Tickets and accreditation
Access to competition screenings is reserved primarily for jurors, press, and accredited guests; the public can attend for free subject to availability. The Giffoni Music Concept evening concerts are free to enter. Juror registration and various accreditation formulas (schools, professionals, press) are managed on the official website.
Tips
The days are long and mostly outdoors: water, a hat, and comfortable shoes are essential in July. For accommodation, it is advisable to look beyond the town towards Salerno and the Sele plain, where there is a wider range of options; booking well in advance is the rule.
Contacts
Ente Autonomo Giffoni Experience — Cittadella del Cinema, Via Aldo Moro 4, 84095 Giffoni Valle Piana (SA). Phone +39 089 8023211, e-mail [email protected].
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Where does it take place — Giffoni
Cittadella del Cinema
Via Aldo Moro 4, 84095 Giffoni Valle Piana