Script Fest — Screenwriting Festival
The first Italian festival dedicated to cinema and TV series screenwriting, held in Bra
About Script Fest
A festival for screenwriters, in Bra
Script Fest is the first Italian festival entirely dedicated to screenwriting—the craft behind the stories we see on the big and small screen. Its mission is clear from its subtitle: to bring writing back to the center of the debate on contemporary storytelling, giving screenwriters the visibility they rarely receive in the public discourse on cinema. The event takes place in Bra, a city in the Roero area of the province of Cuneo, Piedmont, known worldwide as the birthplace of Slow Food. This setting perfectly embodies the festival's philosophy of slow, artisanal, and quality-driven culture, applied here to the art of writing.
Artistic direction and organization
The artistic direction is led by Stefano Sardo, one of Italy's most established screenwriters, supported by project manager Valentina Gaia. Production is handled by Nightswim (Ines Vasiljevic) in collaboration with the Municipality of Bra. The festival is supported by leading industry organizations, including Writers Guild Italia, 100autori, and Film Commission Torino Piemonte, alongside local partners such as the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo and Slow Food Italia.
Masterclasses, panels, and screenings
The program weaves together three main formats: masterclasses with renowned authors, panels exploring the craft and the industry, and screenings of films and series pilots commented on by their own screenwriters. Topics include how to become a screenwriter, project development, the relationship between writing and acting, and how to truly read a script. These sessions involve authors, producers, actors, and directors in an open dialogue with the public.
The Script Fest Awards
The competitive heart of the event is the Script Fest Awards, recognizing the best Italian screenplays of the year for cinema and TV series, voted on by a Script Academy composed of members from Writers Guild Italia and 100autori. A Lifetime Achievement Award is also presented, which was awarded to the international guest of honor during the first edition.
An event for the public and industry professionals
Designed for both professionals and fans of cinema and TV series, Script Fest is aimed at anyone curious about how the stories we love are born. The free admission format, hosted across some of Bra's historic venues, makes it an accessible event that brings prominent names from the Italian and international film scene to the Roero region.
Script Fest — edition 2026
The first edition of Script Fest brought the best of Italian screenwriting and a major international name to Bra. The event opened on Thursday, April 16, at Cinema Impero with a screening of The Great and a masterclass by its creator Tony McNamara, also the author of The Favourite and Poor Things. The following days featured panels on the profession, screenings of films and series pilots commented on by their authors, and the highly anticipated Script Fest Awards for the best Italian screenplays of 2025. All events, distributed between Cinema Impero, Cinema Vittoria, and the BPER Auditorium, were free to attend.
Programme Script Fest 2026
Thursday, April 16
- 20:00 — Cinema Impero: Screening of The Great and inaugural masterclass by Tony McNamara, creator of the series.
Friday, April 17
- 15:00 — BPER Auditorium: Panel How to become a screenwriter?, dedicated to training and entering the profession, with Viola Rispoli (author of Doc) and Annamaria Granatello (President of the Premio Solinas).
- 16:00 — Cinema Vittoria: Screening of the Netflix pilot Storia della mia famiglia with a masterclass by Filippo Gravino and Elisa Dondi.
- 20:00 — Cinema Vittoria: Screening of Le assaggiatrici with authors Lucio Ricca and Ilaria Macchia.
Saturday, April 18
- 10:00 — Cinema Vittoria: Screening of The Favourite and masterclass by Tony McNamara.
- 15:00 — BPER Auditorium: Panel The long-standing issue of development (part I) with Nils Hartman (Sky), Claudio Falconi (Wildside), Federico Scardamaglia, Simonetta Amenta, and Michele Pellegrini.
- 16:00 — Cinema Vittoria: Presentation of the pilot M – Il figlio del secolo with Stefano Bises and Davide Serino.
- 18:00 — Cinema Vittoria: Panel How to read a script with actors Guido Caprino, Maria Chiara Giannetta, Matilda Lutz, Elena Radonicich, and director Francesco Amato.
- 20:00 — Cinema Vittoria: Screening of Le città di pianura by Francesco Sossai and Adriano Candiago.
Sunday, April 19
- 10:00 — Cinema Impero: Screening of Vita da grandi by Sofia Assirelli and Tieta Madia.
- 15:00 — BPER Auditorium: Panel The long-standing issue of development (part II).
- Afternoon — Cinema Impero: Presentation of La valle dei sorrisi with Jacopo Del Giudice, Paolo Strippoli, and Milo Tissone.
- 19:00 — Cinema Impero: Closing screening of The Roses, written by Tony McNamara.
Highlights Script Fest 2026
- Masterclass by Tony McNamara (Oscar nominee for The Favourite and Poor Things, creator of The Great) and Script Fest Lifetime Achievement Award.
- The Script Fest Awards for the best Italian screenplays of 2025 for cinema and series.
- The panel How to read a script with Guido Caprino, Maria Chiara Giannetta, Matilda Lutz, and Elena Radonicich.
- Previews and series pilots such as M – Il figlio del secolo and Storia della mia famiglia.
Prices Script Fest 2026
Practical information — Script Fest
Venue
The festival's various sections are held at multiple locations in the center of Bra (CN): Cinema Impero, Cinema Vittoria, and the BPER Auditorium.
How to get there
By car: Bra is accessible via the A6 Turin-Savona motorway (Marene exit) and the A33 Asti-Cuneo motorway. By train: Bra station is served by the regional line Turin-Cavallermaggiore-Bra and connections with Cuneo and Alba. The nearest airports are Turin Caselle and Cuneo Levaldigi.
Admission
Admission to all events is free, with no reservation required, subject to availability.
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Where does it take place — Script Fest
Cinema Impero, Cinema Vittoria, Auditorium BPER