Scirocco - Silent Film Festival with Live Music

Scirocco: when silent film finds its voice

Scirocco is a festival that brings silent film masterpieces back to life through live music. Originating in Pergine Valsugana, in the heart of the Valsugana valley in the province of Trento (Trentino-Alto Adige), it is promoted by the Circolo del Cinema Effetto Notte in collaboration with Ariateatro and the Teatro di Pergine. Each screening becomes a true multimedia spectacle: the black-and-white images of great classics from the 1910s and 1920s engage in a dialogue with scores performed in real-time, creating a continuous interplay between screen and stage.

The 2026 edition at Castel Pergine

The 21st edition, scheduled from July 16th to 18th, 2026, will take place entirely at Castel Pergine, the medieval castle overlooking the town, utilizing both the castle park and the Ca' Stalla spaces. This evocative setting adds a unique charm to these open-air evenings.

• Thursday, July 16th — Pollo libero, a concert-show by Nicola Sordo, in the castle's inner courtyard.
• Friday, July 17th — The Cameraman (1928) by and starring Buster Keaton, with a live score by I Sincopatici at the Ca' Stalla.
• Saturday, July 18th — The short films Liberty and Wrong Again by Leo McCarey, featuring Laurel & Hardy, accompanied on piano by Francesca Badalini and on drums by Teo Ravelli of I Sincopatici. The evening concludes with the screening of the animated film Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds by Benoît Chieux.

I Sincopatici and live scoring

The musical heart of the festival is I Sincopatici, an ensemble specializing in live scoring for silent film masterpieces. Their signature style is improvisation that dialogues with the imagery: music and film become a single organism, capable of capturing the comedy of Keaton, the poetry of Laurel & Hardy, or the tension of the great classics. Over the years, Scirocco has also hosted the Piccola Orchestra Lumière and various original composers, establishing itself as a refined appointment in the Trentino film landscape.

A festival in dialogue with the Pergine summer

Scirocco is an integral part of Un'Estate Spettacolare, the summer program of the Municipality of Pergine Valsugana, featuring culture, art, and entertainment. The silent film screenings complement other theatrical and musical offerings, creating a continuous dialogue between the historic center, its theaters, and the castle that dominates the Valsugana valley.