INK – Silent Film and Orchestra
Silent short films and live symphony orchestra at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome
About INK
When silent cinema finds its orchestra
INK – Silent Film and Orchestra is one of the most original events on the musical calendar in Rome, Lazio: a symphony orchestra concert dedicated to film music, original compositions, and live scoring. The festival takes place in the Sala Petrassi of the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone, in the Flaminio district, and brings silent short films back to the big screen, bringing them to life through music performed in real-time.
A project by the Saint Louis College of Music
The event is conceived and produced by the Saint Louis College of Music, a historic Roman music school part of the Plena Education Group. At the heart of the project are the young composers from the Composition and Film Scoring courses, who write original scores to accompany the images. The symphony orchestra is conducted by maestros Gianluca Podio and Adriano Melchiorre, who guide the students through an evening where music gives voice and breath to fragments, sounds, and images created by the Saint Louis Factory.
The format: silent short films with live scoring
The INK formula is as simple as it is evocative: directors, videomakers, and visual artists create silent short films, which are then entrusted to composition students to be scored with original music. During the evening, the shorts play on screen while the orchestra accompanies them note by note, restoring to the audience the emotion of the early cinema halls, when every screening featured live music. A qualified jury awards the INK Prize to the best work of the evening.
A bridge between academies
INK is also a training laboratory and a meeting point for different disciplines: composition, directing, visual arts, dance, and fashion intertwine, involving young talent from various Roman academic institutions. It is an opportunity for the public to discover the work of emerging authors and, at the same time, to experience the refined atmosphere of the Auditorium designed by Renzo Piano, one of the Capital's main cultural hubs.
Rome, capital of cinema and music
Hosting an event like INK in the heart of Rome is no coincidence: the city that gave birth to Cinecittà and inspired composers like Ennio Morricone, to whom the Auditorium is dedicated, is the ideal place to celebrate the union of cinema and music. For enthusiasts, students, and the simply curious, INK – Silent Film and Orchestra is an unmissable appointment in the cultural landscape of the Lazio Region.
INK — edition 2026
INK 2026 – 21st Edition
For the 21st edition, INK renewed its format with the INK26 contest, a national call that involved directors, videomakers, and visual artists in the creation of silent short films, which were then scored by students from the Composition and Film Scoring Department of the Saint Louis College of Music. The evening, hosted by Anna Charlotte Barbera, concluded with the awarding of the INK26 Prize to the best work by a qualified jury.
On the stage of the Sala Petrassi, the symphony orchestra conducted by maestros Gianluca Podio and Adriano Melchiorre performed the original scores live, breathing new life into the images projected on the big screen.
Programme INK 2026
Conductors
Symphony Orchestra of the Saint Louis College of Music conducted by maestros Gianluca Podio and Adriano Melchiorre. Evening host: Anna Charlotte Barbera.
Composers
Fabrizio Mollicone, Eligio Cristantielli, Gaia Ruggiero, Santiago Bianchi, Leonardo Brenci, Utku, Stefano Di Fidio, Giacomo Rendine, Gianfilippo Spadaro, Ebil Sandu, Jorge Arturo Higuera, Giulio Lomartire, Emanuele Toscano.
Directors and videomakers
Guy Arie Leone Friedman, Paolo Mangiola, Yahya Elnagy, Giovanni Dalla Zuanna, Alessandro Melone, Gianluca Ceccato, Alessia Fine, Andrea Trisolini, Marta Tidona, Rossella Scigliano, Pamela Altoè, Chiara Kallazi, Emanuele Bianco.
Prize
At the end of the evening, a qualified jury awarded the INK26 Prize to the best work.
Highlights INK 2026
- Symphony orchestra concert of film music and original compositions
- Silent short films from the INK26 contest with live scoring
- Conducted by maestros Gianluca Podio and Adriano Melchiorre
- Awarding of the INK26 Prize to the best work
- Sala Petrassi of the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone
Prices INK 2026
Practical information — INK
How to get there
The Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone is located at Viale Pietro de Coubertin 30, in Rome's Flaminio district. By car, it is accessible from the Tangenziale Est (Auditorium exit) with ample on-site parking. By metro, take Line A to Flaminio station, then tram 2 to Piazza Apollodoro; numerous bus lines also serve the area.
Tickets
Tickets are available through the TicketOne circuit and the Auditorium box office. We recommend checking availability and rates on the official Auditorium Parco della Musica website.
Tips
The Sala Petrassi has limited capacity: it is advisable to purchase tickets in advance. Rome offers numerous accommodation options near the Flaminio district and the historic center, which are well-connected to the Auditorium.
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Where does it take place — INK
Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone, Sala Petrassi
Viale Pietro de Coubertin 30, 00196 Roma