Mostra Internazionale del Nuovo Cinema – Pesaro Film Festival
The historic festival of auteur and research cinema, in the heart of Pesaro
About Pesaro Film Festival
A historic festival in the heart of the Marche
The Mostra Internazionale del Nuovo Cinema, also known as the Pesaro Film Festival, is one of the oldest and most recognized film events in Italy. Founded in 1965, for over sixty years it has enlivened the municipality of Pesaro, the capital of the Province of Pesaro and Urbino, in the Marche region, transforming the Adriatic city into an international crossroads for auteur, experimental, and research cinema.
Unlike major generalist festivals, the Pesaro festival has chosen a precise direction from its origins: to give space to "new cinema," to experimental languages, to works that escape commercial logic. Over the years, directors destined to become masters have passed through here, and it is still here today that audiences can discover films from around the world in preview.
The festival's sections and venues
The competitive heart of the event is the Concorso Pesaro Nuovo Cinema (Pesaro New Cinema Competition), a selection of works without constraints on format, duration, or age of the directors, hosted at the Teatro Sperimentale on Via Rossini. Alongside the competition, the festival annually presents monographic retrospectives, special events dedicated to Italian cinema, sections for children, and open-air evening screenings.
Among the venues hosting the festival are the Teatro Sperimentale, the Arena di Piazza del Popolo with "Cinema in Piazza" (Cinema in the Square), and the evocative film screening "La Vela Incantata" (The Enchanted Sail) on the beach. Part of the program is also made available via streaming on the MYmovies ONE platform, extending the reach of the festival beyond the city limits.
Awards and recognitions
- Concorso Pesaro Nuovo Cinema — the main award given to the competing works.
- Premio Pesaro Nuovo Cinema — a career award presented to a major figure in cinema.
- Premio Lino Miccichè — a film criticism competition for young people.
- Premio Marche Nuovo Cinema — dedicated to young directors from the Marche region.
An experience accessible to all
One of the festival's distinctive features is the free admission to screenings: the festival was conceived as an open and popular space, where anyone can approach research cinema without economic barriers. This spirit, combined with the summer charm of Pesaro and its cultural tradition — the city is also the birthplace of Gioachino Rossini and the Italian Capital of Culture 2024 — makes the festival an unmissable event for cinephiles and the curious.
Pesaro Film Festival — edition 2026
The 62nd Mostra Internazionale del Nuovo Cinema returns to Pesaro from June 13 to 20, 2026, confirming itself as one of the most anticipated auteur film festivals of the Italian summer. Artistic direction is entrusted, as is tradition, to Pedro Armocida.
The program blends international competition, retrospectives, special events, and open-air screenings, distributed between the Teatro Sperimentale, the Arena in Piazza del Popolo, and the beach. The heart of the event is the tribute to director Maurizio Nichetti, with a retrospective, a monograph, and a round table. All screenings are free admission.
Programme Pesaro Film Festival 2026
Saturday, June 13 — Opening
- Opening evening dedicated to "The Name of the Rose" by Jean-Jacques Annaud, presented on the 40th anniversary of its release. The opening muse is actress Antonia Fotaras.
Monday, June 15 to Friday, June 19 — Pesaro New Cinema Competition
- 14 films selected from around the world, with no constraints on format, duration, or age of the directors, screened at the Teatro Sperimentale.
- Selection jury: Pedro Armocida, Paola Cassano, Cecilia Ermini, Raffaele Meale, Stefano Miraglia, Federico Rossin.
Sections and retrospectives
- Cinema in Piazza — evening screenings and talks at the Arena di Piazza del Popolo.
- La Vela Incantata — 35mm film screening on the beach, curated by Steve Della Casa.
- Pesaro Film Circus — section dedicated to children, focusing on Pinocchio.
- (Ri)Montaggi. Cinema through images — video essay competition for film students, with finalists screened.
- Roads to Nowhere — retrospective dedicated to Italian music videos of the 80s.
Saturday, June 20 — Closing
- Special Event on Italian cinema dedicated to Maurizio Nichetti, who will be present to receive the Premio Pesaro Nuovo Cinema, followed by a screening of his directorial debut "Ratataplan".
Awards and competitions
- Premio Marche Nuovo Cinema — reserved for three young directors from the Marche region.
- Premio Lino Miccichè — film criticism competition for young people.
Part of the competition program and other sections is also available via streaming on MYmovies ONE. Full program on the official website pesarofilmfest.it.
Highlights Pesaro Film Festival 2026
Prices Pesaro Film Festival 2026
Practical information — Pesaro Film Festival
Getting there
Pesaro is served by a train station on the Bologna–Lecce Adriatic line, a few minutes from the historic center. By car, it is accessible from the A14 motorway, Pesaro-Urbino exit. The nearest airport is Rimini, followed by Ancona-Falconara and Bologna.
Festival venues
The main venues are the Teatro Sperimentale (Via Rossini 16), the Arena di Piazza del Popolo, and, for beach screenings, the seafront area. All are within walking distance in the city center.
Admission and tickets
All screenings are free admission. For indoor events, it is advisable to arrive early to secure a seat. Part of the program is also available for streaming on MYmovies ONE.
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Where does it take place — Pesaro Film Festival
Teatro Sperimentale
Via Rossini 16, 61121 Pesaro