KRISIS by Cinema e Ambiente Avezzano
The green festival of Avezzano blending cinema, sustainability, and young changemakers
About KRISIS Cinema e Ambiente
A green festival in the heart of the Marsica region
Born in 2016 from the initiative of director Paolo Santamaria, Cinema e Ambiente Avezzano has grown into one of Central Italy's premier environmental film events, recognized by the AFIC (Association of Italian Film Festivals). Organized by the CinemAbruzzo APS association with the patronage of the Municipality of Avezzano, the festival brings critical reflection on waste, climate change, and sustainable development to the heart of the Marsica region, in the province of L'Aquila, through the immediacy of cinematic language.
KRISIS: the 2026 turning point
Starting with the 2026 edition, the festival adopts its new identity: KRISIS by Cinema e Ambiente, a format defined as "widespread, territorial, and itinerant." The name evokes the multiple crises of the present—environmental, social, economic, and cultural—viewed as opportunities for awareness and change. The event expands beyond Avezzano to reach other Abruzzo territories, aiming to engage inland and culturally isolated areas.
Competitions and programming
The festival is divided into several international competition sections open to works related to environmental and sustainability themes:
- international competition for feature films or documentaries;
- international competition for short films (works under 25 minutes);
- short screenplay competition.
Alongside the films in competition, the program offers creative workshops, exhibitions—such as the astrophotography display curated by Alessio Zanotti—swap parties for free clothing and book exchanges, artisanal animation cinema, and activities dedicated to children and teenagers. Awards are crafted from recycled plastic using 3D printing, in line with the event's ecological philosophy.
Youth at the center: CinemAbruzzo Kids & Teens
The educational heart of the event is the CinemAbruzzo Kids & Teens project, which has involved thousands of students and dozens of schools across Abruzzo, ranking among the most appreciated proposals of the Ministry of Education's National Plan for "Cinema and Images for Schools." The festival also enjoys ministerial and European recognition and collaborates with major environmental organizations.
A free and participatory event
All festival events are completely free. Hosted in symbolic city landmarks such as Piazza Risorgimento, the Sala Montessori, and the outdoor courtyard of the Sala Irti, KRISIS combines entertainment, education, and civic engagement, offering Avezzano and the entire Marsica region two days of cinema and sustainable culture.
KRISIS Cinema e Ambiente — edition 2026
KRISIS 2026 in Avezzano
The first edition branded KRISIS by Cinema e Ambiente was held in Avezzano on May 30 and 31, 2026, with a subsequent stop in Nereto (TE) on June 5-6. Saturday the 30th, dedicated to secondary schools, featured a swap party for free clothing and book exchanges, creative workshops like "Discovering the treasures of Avezzano" and artisanal animation cinema, an astrophotography exhibition by Alessio Zanotti, and screenings of international short films on sustainability, concluding at 9:30 PM with the screening of student works and the awards ceremony.
Sunday the 31st, aimed at primary schools, offered creative workshops for children aged 6 to 10 and an evening screening of the animated film "The Wild Robot". The edition concluded the CinemAbruzzo Kids & Teens – Vol. 2 project, with awards made from recycled plastic via 3D printing. Free admission to all events.
Programme KRISIS Cinema e Ambiente 2026
Saturday, May 30 (secondary schools)
- 16:00-17:00 — Swap Party: free exchange of clothes and books
- 17:00-19:30 — Creative workshops "Discovering the treasures of Avezzano" and artisanal animation cinema
- 17:00-19:30 — Astrophotography exhibition by Alessio Zanotti and international short films on sustainability
- 21:30 — Screening of student works, awards ceremony, and certificate presentation
Sunday, May 31 (primary schools)
- 16:00-19:00 — Creative workshops for children aged 6 to 10
- 16:00-19:00 — Astrophotography exhibition and international productions
- 21:30 — Screening of the film "The Wild Robot"
Highlights KRISIS Cinema e Ambiente 2026
Prices KRISIS Cinema e Ambiente 2026
Practical information — KRISIS Cinema e Ambiente
Where
In Avezzano (AQ), Abruzzo. Events take place in Piazza Risorgimento, the Sala Montessori, and the outdoor courtyard of the Sala Irti, all in the city center.
How to get there
By car: take the Avezzano exit on the A25 Rome-Pescara motorway. By train: Avezzano station on the Rome-Pescara-Sulmona line.
Tickets
Free admission to all events, screenings, and workshops.
Contacts
Email: [email protected] — official website: cinemaeambienteavezzano.it
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Where does it take place — KRISIS Cinema e Ambiente
Piazza Risorgimento, Sala Montessori, cortile Sala Irti
Piazza Risorgimento, 67051 Avezzano