Mortali Festival

A festival about finitude, to learn how to live

Mortali is a widespread cultural festival that, on a biennial basis, brings the theme of death and human finitude to the heart of public debate. The underlying idea is simple yet powerful: by becoming aware of life's limits, we can learn to live better and cherish the time we have. From conferences to Death Cafés, through theater, music, art, and cinema, the festival addresses grief, illness, and end-of-life care, overcoming fears and taboos with an approach that is both rigorous and deeply human.

From Trento to Mori: a widespread festival in Trentino-Alto Adige

The first edition took place in 2023 in the city of Trento alone. With the second edition, the festival expanded to four cities in the region: Trento, Rovereto, Mori, and Bolzano. In the town of Mori, in the Province of Trento, the festival finds a natural home thanks to the Hospice Amedeo Bettini, a reference facility for palliative care managed by the network that promotes the event.

Who organizes Mortali

The festival stems from the shared efforts of a network of third-sector organizations and cultural entities in Trentino-Alto Adige, promoted by the Fondazione Hospice Trentino Onlus together with the Association of Friends of the Hospice Trentino Foundation, AMA, Mart, and other civic and cultural groups. The events in Mori are held under the patronage of the Municipality of Mori.

A multidisciplinary program

Each edition offers a rich calendar of events spread over several days: meetings with national guests, theatrical performances, concerts, exhibitions, film screenings, workshops, and the characteristic Death Cafés—informal moments of dialogue over coffee to talk freely about death, grief, and end-of-life wishes. Almost all events are free of charge, with booking often recommended.

An event with a strong local identity

Mortali is now a distinctive cultural appointment in Trentino-Alto Adige: a festival that, instead of shunning the topic of death, brings it back to the center of daily life and the community. For Mori and the entire Rovereto area, the festival represents an opportunity to engage in an open and participatory way on universal themes such as fragility, care, and the meaning of life.