Parma International Music Film Festival
The international festival dedicated to cinema and soundtracks at the Casa della Musica in Parma
About Parma Music Film Festival
A festival where cinema meets music
The Parma International Music Film Festival is one of the most original events on the Emilian cultural scene: a festival entirely dedicated to the relationship between cinema and its soundtrack. Every year, at the end of September, the Casa della Musica in Parma (Piazzale San Francesco 1) hosts directors, composers, actors, and enthusiasts for a week of screenings, concerts, and meetings. The festival, held in the heart of the Municipality of Parma, in Emilia-Romagna, is organized by the Parmaoperart association under the artistic direction of Maestro Riccardo J. Moretti.
The 'Violetta d'Oro' and the festival awards
The heart of the event is the international competition that awards the best music for images. The Gran Prix, the 'Violetta d'Oro', is awarded to the best soundtrack, while the 'Violetta d'Argento' crowns the best film. Alongside these, the festival presents numerous other awards:
- Dance Award — for the best dance short film, in a dedicated section that has become one of the festival's distinctive features;
- special awards for best direction, screenplay, performance, and documentary;
- the 'Special Award Luigi Malerba' for short film screenplays;
- the 'Art-Pop Jury Prize', awarded by industry professionals.
More than just a festival
The festival is not just a showcase for films: it is a meeting place between the public and the protagonists of Italian and international cinema. Recent editions have hosted leading actors and directors, book presentations on the great tradition of film music — such as the tribute to Ennio Morricone — and live concerts, including musical accompaniments to silent film classics. The dance section, with its short films that blend choreography and audiovisual language, adds a further layer of originality.
A week of free cinema in Parma
One of the most appreciated features of the Parma International Music Film Festival is the free admission to all screenings, concerts, and special events, subject to availability. This makes the event accessible and popular, capable of bringing auteur cinema and music for images to a wide audience, in a city — Parma — already recognized as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy and deeply connected to the musical tradition of Verdi.
Parma Music Film Festival — edition 2026
The 14th edition of the festival
The Parma International Music Film Festival returns to the Casa della Musica in Parma for its fourteenth edition, scheduled from September 20 to 26, 2026. As tradition dictates, the festival will be dedicated to cinema and music for images, with an international competition awarding the 'Violetta d'Oro' for the best soundtrack and the 'Violetta d'Argento' for the best film, as well as the Dance Award for the section dedicated to dance shorts.
Admission to all screenings, concerts, and special events will be free, subject to availability.
Programme Parma Music Film Festival 2026
The detailed program for the 14th edition — including selected films in competition and out of competition, guests, concerts, and screening times — will be announced by the organization in the weeks leading up to the festival, after the submission deadline on June 10, 2026.
The usual structure of the festival includes a week of events at the Casa della Musica:
- screenings of feature films, short films, and documentaries in and out of competition, selected for the quality of their soundtracks;
- the dance section, featuring short films that blend choreography and audiovisual language (Dance Award);
- meetings with directors, composers, and performers present at the venue;
- live concerts and special events, sometimes with musical accompaniment to classic films;
- the awards ceremony, scheduled for Sunday, September 26, 2026, with the presentation of the 'Violetta d'Oro', 'Violetta d'Argento', Dance Award, and special prizes.
Highlights Parma Music Film Festival 2026
The awards ceremony on Sunday, September 26, 2026, featuring the presentation of the 'Violetta d'Oro' for the best soundtrack and the 'Violetta d'Argento' for the best film, under the artistic direction of Maestro Riccardo J. Moretti.
Prices Parma Music Film Festival 2026
Practical information — Parma Music Film Festival
Where
Casa della Musica, Piazzale San Francesco 1, 43121 Parma (PR), Emilia-Romagna.
How to get there
The Casa della Musica is located in the historic center of Parma, a 15-minute walk from Parma train station. By car, Parma is served by the A1 motorway (Parma exit); it is advisable to park near the center and continue on foot, as the area has limited traffic.
Tickets
Admission to all screenings, concerts, and special events is free, subject to availability.
Contacts
Email: [email protected] — Tel: +39 0521 1641083 — Official website: www.parmamusicfilmfestival.com
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Parma Music Film Festival
Casa della Musica
Piazzale San Francesco 1, 43121 Parma