Modena Film Festival
Cinema told through the five senses
About Modena Film Festival
A new festival for Modena
The Modena Film Festival is the young international film festival that debuted in the heart of Modena, in Emilia-Romagna, from April 15 to 19, 2026. Conceived by the editorial team of LongTake and organized by the association Crispy Cinema Club APS, with the support of Fondazione di Modena and the patronage of the Municipality of Modena, the festival was born with a precise idea: to tell cinema not just as image and sound, but as an experience that involves all five senses.
Cinema through the five senses
Each day of the festival is dedicated to a different sense — sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell — and screenings, meetings, performances, and immersive experiences revolve around this common thread. Not just a simple film schedule, but a journey that intertwines the cinema hall with live music, tastings, and the art of perfume. It is an original formula in the Italian festival landscape, aiming to appeal to both lovers of auteur cinema and those seeking a new way to experience the big screen.
Festival venues
The festival unfolds in some of Modena's most evocative locations. The heart of the screenings is the Cinema Astra, alongside the Sala Truffaut, while special events and cine-concerts animate unconventional spaces such as the Cortile del Leccio and the historic Acetaia Giusti, a symbol of Modena's gastronomic tradition.
An international competition
In its first edition, the Modena Film Festival presented 15 films from seven countries — the United Kingdom, France, Israel, Argentina, China, Switzerland, and Italy — for a total of about 27 hours of screenings. Seven titles competed, judged by a technical jury, a youth jury composed of students from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Unimore), and the audience.
Modena, capital of cinema in Emilia-Romagna
With this festival, the Municipality of Modena and the Province of Modena gain an international cultural event, adding to the city's rich offering of events. A young but ambitious festival, capable of uniting auteur cinema, musical influences, and the region's food and wine excellence.
Modena Film Festival — edition 2026
The inaugural edition of the Modena Film Festival debuted in Modena from April 15 to 19, 2026, preceded by a pre-opening on April 14. The festival featured 15 films from the United Kingdom, France, Israel, Argentina, China, Switzerland, and Italy, for a total of approximately 27 hours of screenings, attracting nearly 3,000 spectators.
The international competition was won by the Argentine film SimĂłn della Montagna by Federico Luis, awarded by the technical jury. A special mention went to Lo spirito delle stagioni by Alessandro Cattaneo, the only Italian film in competition, while the audience award and the Unimore youth jury award went to the French film Love Letters by Alice Douard.
Programme Modena Film Festival 2026
Tuesday, April 14 — Pre-opening
- 6:30 PM — Acetaia Giusti — Cine-concert «Grand Tour Italiano»: archival films with live music by Daniele Capuzzo (ticket €8, 50 seats)
Wednesday, April 15 — Sight
- 4:00 PM — Cinema Astra — «The Blind Man Who Didn't Want to See Titanic»: meeting on sensory perception and screening
- 7:30 PM — Cinema Astra — «Urchin» by Harris Dickinson (opening film, 99 min, English with subtitles)
Thursday, April 16 — Hearing
- 4:30 PM — Sala Truffaut — «Le Lac» by Fabrice Aragno (75 min, French subtitles, director present)
- 7:00 PM — Cinema Astra — Cine-concert «Sherlock Jr.»: Buster Keaton's silent classic with live music by Samuel (ticket €15-20)
Friday, April 17 — Touch
- 3:45 PM — Sala Truffaut — «Lo spirito delle stagioni» by Alessandro Cattaneo (documentary, 83 min, director present)
- 6:30 PM — Cinema Astra — «Thelma & Louise»: meeting on body autonomy with performance, followed by screening
Saturday, April 18 — Taste
- 10:30 AM — «Nothing Goes to Waste in the Kitchen»: food sustainability themed lunch (€10)
- 12:30 PM — Cinema Astra — «Love Letters» by Alice Douard (97 min, French subtitles)
- 12:30 PM — Cinema Astra — «Menus-Plaisirs» by Frederick Wiseman (tribute, 240 min)
- 3:00 PM — Sala Truffaut — «Yes» by Nadav Lapid (150 min, Hebrew subtitles)
- 6:00 PM — Cinema Astra — «Spirited Away» by Miyazaki with tortellini tasting and meeting with chef Luca Marchini
Sunday, April 19 — Smell
- «Oltre il confine» by Matteo Parisini (73 min, free entry)
- «Simón della Montagna» by Federico Luis (96 min, Spanish subtitles)
- «Resurrection» by Bi Gan (156 min, Mandarin subtitles)
- 4:00 PM — Cinema Astra — Masterclass by Giorgio Diritti and awards ceremony (free entry)
- 5:30 PM — Cinema Astra — «Odorama. The Truman Show»: olfactory screening with the Accademia del Profumo (€5, sold out)
Highlights Modena Film Festival 2026
Key moments include: the opening film «Urchin» by Harris Dickinson; the cine-concerts, with Samuel providing live music for «Sherlock Jr.»; the masterclass by Giorgio Diritti; the olfactory experience «Odorama» on «The Truman Show»; the tortellini tasting paired with Miyazaki's «Spirited Away»; and the victory in the competition by the Argentine film «Simón della Montagna».
Prices Modena Film Festival 2026
Practical information — Modena Film Festival
How to get here
Modena is easily reachable by train: Modena station is on the Milan–Bologna line and is connected to the main Italian cities by high-speed and regional trains. By car, it can be reached via the A1 motorway (Modena Nord or Modena Sud exit) and the A22 Brenner motorway. The nearest airports are Bologna (BLQ) and Parma.
Venues
Screenings mainly take place at Cinema Astra and Sala Truffaut, in the center of Modena. Special events and cine-concerts are held at Cortile del Leccio and Acetaia Giusti.
Tickets
Season tickets (festival pass) and single tickets are available, purchasable online through the Webtic platform and at the ticket offices of the venues. Seat reservation is mandatory for every screening, and tickets must be collected up to 60 minutes before the start. Some special events (cine-concerts and sensory experiences) have separate tickets and are not included in the season ticket.
Contacts
Official website: modenafilmfestival.it — Email: [email protected]
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Where does it take place — Modena Film Festival
Cinema Astra, Sala Truffaut, Cortile del Leccio, Acetaia Giusti