Phlegraean Film Festival

Authorial short films in the Phlegraean Fields

The Phlegraean Film Festival is the first film festival born in the Phlegraean Fields and is now a benchmark for short cinema in the Neapolitan area. Conceived in 2018 by the cultural association Drazil Production—founded in 2016 in Bacoli by Walter Rastelli and Antonio Basile, with its operational headquarters in the heart of the Phlegraean Fields—it takes place primarily in the town of Bacoli, in the province of Naples, Campania, with a clear objective: to offer filmmakers a space for professional expression while introducing a wider audience to the architectural and landscape treasures of the Phlegraean district.

Two exceptional venues: the Fusaro and the Castello di Baia

The 2026 edition unfolds between the Parco Borbonico del Fusaro—the ancient royal estate housing the scenic Casina Vanvitelliana suspended over the lake, the Sala Ostrichina, the historic garden, and the Bourbon dock—and the Castello di Baia, the Aragonese fortress overlooking the sea that hosts the Archaeological Museum of the Phlegraean Fields. These two locations alone tell the story of this territory's stratification, where Roman imperial leisure, 18th-century Bourbon taste, and still-active volcanism coexist within just a few kilometers.

The competition: twelve awards, artist-made sculptures

The heart of the event is the international competition for short films. The jury, composed of Drazil Production members alongside external professionals chosen for their expertise in their respective categories, awards twelve honors:

• Best Short Film, the main prize
• Best Director and Best Screenplay
• Best Cinematography
• Best Actor and Best Actress
• Best Original Soundtrack
• Best Animated Short Film
• Best Short Documentary
• Best Music Video
• Best EcoShort
• Best Horror Short Film

The trophies are not mass-produced statuettes: they are handcrafted sculptures created specifically for the festival by artists from Bacoli, accompanied by the event's official laurels.

The call for entries and participation rules

The call for entries for the seventh edition closed on July 31, 2026, with submissions collected via the FilmFreeway platform. The regulations allow works with a duration not exceeding 30 minutes, including opening and closing credits, belonging to any cinematic genre; works in languages other than Italian must be subtitled in Italian and/or English and must be delivered in MP4 (H.264 or H.265) or MOV formats.

Workshops and training: the Fucina Creativa Flegrea

Alongside the screenings, the festival offers a training program curated by Fucina Creativa Flegrea, the educational section of Drazil Production. For 2026, three acting workshops are scheduled at the Sala Ostrichina in the Parco Borbonico del Fusaro, led by nationally renowned instructors: a path that opens the festival to those who want to be in front of the camera, not just in the audience.

Part of the "Bacoli da vivere" calendar

The event is part of the "Bacoli da vivere" summer program promoted by the municipal administration, which brings together culture, entertainment, sports, and traditions from June to September. The Municipality of Bacoli defines the Phlegraean Film Festival as one of the most anticipated cultural events of the year, confirming the city as a reference point for cinema and culture in the Phlegraean landscape.

When it takes place

The first editions were held in the autumn, between October and November, with the sixth edition in October 2023. After a few years' hiatus, the seventh edition is scheduled for September, from September 2 to 13, 2026: a return that marks the resumption of an event that has accompanied the cultural life of Bacoli and the entire Phlegraean Fields district since 2018.