Ortigia Film Festival

Auteur cinema on the island of Ortigia

The Ortigia Film Festival (OFF) is one of Sicily's most acclaimed cinematic events. Every year, at the end of September, it transforms the island of Ortigia—the ancient heart of Syracuse in southeastern Sicily—into a grand open-air cinema. Screenings take place in the squares and courtyards of the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, set against a stunning Baroque backdrop overlooking the sea.

A story that began in 2009

Founded in 2009 by the Sa.Li.Ro' cultural association and directed by Lisa Romano and Paola Poli, the festival has established itself over the years as a premier showcase for emerging cinema. Its mission is to spread cinematic culture to a wide audience, promote first and second works, and foster a dialogue between Sicily and national and international film trends.

Competitions and sections

The program revolves around three main competitions:

• Feature Film Competition for First and Second Works, dedicated to debut fiction films produced by Italian companies;
• International Documentary Competition;
• International Short Film Competition.

Alongside the competitions are non-competitive sections that evolve with each edition: Cinema Women, dedicated to young international female directors and social/gender issues; Cinema & Animation, exploring the relationship between film and visual arts; The Voice of the Sea, focusing on environmental themes and the Mediterranean; and OFF Schools, which hosts short films from European audiovisual institutes.

Awards and guests

The jury awards prizes for Best Film, Best Actor/Actress, and Best Screenplay, while the Sebastiano Gesù Award, in collaboration with the Experimental Centre of Cinematography (CSC), honors the best documentary. Audience awards are also presented. Over the years, the festival has welcomed prominent Italian actors and filmmakers, helping to make Syracuse a capital of auteur cinema at the end of the summer.

A festival for the city

More than just a film festival, the Ortigia Film Festival is an event that involves the entire city of Syracuse: evenings under the stars, meetings with protagonists, masterclasses, and a program designed to bring an ever-wider audience closer to cinema in one of the most evocative settings in the Mediterranean.