KinEst Fest - Central and Eastern European Film Festival

A festival dedicated to Europe through the lens of cinema

KinEst Fest is the film festival in Catania entirely dedicated to the cinematographies of Central, Baltic, and Eastern Europe. Founded in 2021 by the Dolina Miru Association, it has become a landmark event for those looking to discover works far from commercial circuits, arriving from countries such as Poland, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

Ten days of screenings in the heart of Catania

The event takes place every year in October, enlivening some of Catania's most vibrant cultural venues for ten days. The festival's historic locations include Zo Centro Culture Contemporanee, the CUT - Centro Universitario Teatrale of the University of Catania, and, for the most evocative evenings, the Arena Adua. The program alternates between competition films, special events, live performances, retrospectives, workshops, and masterclasses.

Meetings with authors and auteur cinema

A distinctive feature of KinEst Fest is the presence of directors, actors, and composers in the screening rooms: screenings do not end with the closing credits but continue with discussions and debates open to the public. The festival serves as a meeting point for cultures, languages, and generations, aiming to introduce new European authors and strengthen the audience's bond with international cinema. Competition films are evaluated by both a qualified jury and the audience directly.

Between the screen and the city

Alongside the screenings, KinEst Fest offers guided walks through Catania's cinematic locations, transforming the festival into an opportunity to rediscover the city through the lens of film. The selection spans diverse genres and tones, from family dramas to road movies, and from comedies to socially themed works, providing a portrait of a changing Europe seen through the eyes of a new generation of authors.

Catania as a leader in Sicily

With KinEst Fest, Catania and its metropolitan area, in the heart of Eastern Sicily and at the foot of Mount Etna, join the circuit of European festivals, enriching the island's cultural landscape and offering the Sicilian public a rare opportunity to engage with cinematographies otherwise difficult to encounter in theaters.