Ignoti alla città – Documentary Film Festival

Documentary cinema in Mola di Bari

Ignoti alla città is one of the longest-running and most recognizable documentary festivals in Puglia. Founded in 2002 and organized by the Camera a Sud cooperative, the event takes place in Mola di Bari, a coastal town in the Metropolitan City of Bari, within the historic Palazzo Roberti on Piazza XX Settembre. For over twenty years, it has used documentary film to explore social issues, tell the stories of those on the margins, and provide a critical perspective on the present, bringing filmmakers, works, and reflections that rarely find space in commercial circuits to the region.

In the name of Cecilia Mangini

The festival is named after Cecilia Mangini (1927-2021), a fundamental figure in Italian cinema and considered the mother of the Italian documentary, who hailed from Mola di Bari. The most ambitious project launched in 2026 is dedicated to her: the "Cecilia Mangini" Documentary Film School, created in anticipation of the centenary of her birth. This tribute inextricably links the festival to the memory and cultural identity of its home city.

A festival evolving in 2026

The 2026 edition marks a turning point: the event is no longer concentrated into three days in November but has become a permanent cultural project, distributed throughout the year. Masterclasses, screenings, public meetings, and international dialogues accompany the audience from spring through to the final autumn event. At the heart of the program is the new documentary school, which complements the screenings and partnerships with international festivals such as the Silver Frame Film Festival in Srebrenica.

Themes and perspectives

Each year, Ignoti alla città tackles major contemporary issues: human rights, migration, Mediterranean conflicts, civil resistance, and the ethics of storytelling in crisis areas. Here, the documentary becomes a way to question the present and give voice to often-overlooked stories, with screenings always accompanied by meetings with directors, journalists, and scholars.

A project rooted in the territory

Supported by the Puglia Region and realized in collaboration with institutional partners such as the Cineteca di Bologna and the Academy of Fine Arts of Bari, the festival is an independent cultural hub that combines education, cinema, and civic engagement. For Mola di Bari and the entire Puglia region, it represents a landmark for those who love documentary cinema and wish to discover a different view of the world.