Segreti d'Autore Festival
Environment, science, arts, and legality at Palazzo Coppola, in the heart of Cilento
About Segreti d'Autore
An auteur festival in the heart of Cilento
The Segreti d'Autore Festival is the most recognizable cultural event in the Municipality of Sessa Cilento, a small town of just over a thousand inhabitants perched at an altitude of 520 meters in the province of Salerno, Campania. Every summer, for nearly three weeks between late July and mid-August, the Valle district becomes a meeting point for actors, directors, writers, musicians, journalists, and researchers, drawn by a rare formula: a national-level program that is free and open to all.
Environment, science, arts, and legality
Since its inception, the festival has presented itself as the "Festival of Environment, Science, Arts, and Legalities": four words that are not just a label, but the framework upon which every program is built. Alongside theatrical performances and film screenings, the festival hosts discussions on the protection of the Cilento landscape, presentations of essays and social-themed novels, reflections on legality and the Mezzogiorno, and workshops for young people. It was conceived by Ruggero Cappuccio, a Neapolitan playwright and director who is one of the most authoritative figures in contemporary Italian theater; the artistic direction is entrusted to Nadia Baldi, a director and set designer who oversees program development and guest selection.
Palazzo Coppola, the home of the festival
The headquarters is Palazzo Coppola, a historic residence in the Valle district that has been restored and returned to the community as a permanent cultural space. Courtyards, interior halls, and terraces simultaneously host the stage, cinema hall, exhibition spaces, and workshop classrooms. It is a venue that positively influences the spectator's experience: the seating is intimate, the distance between the audience and artists is minimal, and it is common to find oneself chatting with an actor or director just minutes after a performance ends.
Cinema, theater, literature, and virtual reality
The program for each edition weaves together different languages:
- Auteur cinema: screenings of feature films, documentaries, and short films, almost always in the presence of directors, screenwriters, and actors, with a particular focus on Campanian production and the memory of Neapolitan cinema.
- Theater: plays, monologues, dramatic readings, and site-specific performances designed for the palazzo's spaces.
- Literature: book presentations, meetings with authors and publishers, and dialogues with journalists and scholars.
- Exhibitions: installations open to visitors throughout the duration of the festival in the rooms of Palazzo Coppola.
- Immersive virtual reality cinema: a section featuring VR headsets that has become one of the most popular attractions for younger audiences in recent years.
- Cinema and performing arts workshops: training courses on directing, photography, and editing, also open to non-professional participants.
The Segreti d'Autore Award
Each edition presents the Segreti d'Autore Award to prominent figures from the worlds of entertainment, culture, and journalism. The recognition is not a simple certificate: it is a work of art created by master Mimmo Paladino, one of the protagonists of the Italian Transavanguardia movement, and the award ceremony is traditionally one of the most well-attended moments of the program. Over the years, the award has been given to names such as Neri Marcorè, and more recently to journalist Eva Crosetta and singer-songwriter Paola Turci.
A village regeneration project
From an administrative perspective, the festival is now part of the PNRR "Attractiveness of Villages" program funded by the European Union, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Campania Region, and the Municipality of Sessa Cilento. It is one of the most cited examples in Campania of how a cultural event can become a lever for the redevelopment of historic building heritage.
What atmosphere to expect
- Open-air evenings in a hillside village, with mild temperatures even in August thanks to the 520-meter altitude.
- Free admission but reservation is mandatory: capacity is limited and spots fill up quickly.
- A mixed audience of residents, vacationers from the Cilento coast, and enthusiasts who travel specifically from Naples and Salerno.
- An ideal setting to combine the festival with exploring the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the beaches of Acciaroli, Pioppi, and Castellabate, just a few kilometers away.
Segreti d'Autore — edition 2026
The 16th edition, from July 25 to August 13, 2026
The sixteenth edition of the Segreti d'Autore Festival features twenty full days of programming at Palazzo Coppola, in the Valle district of Sessa Cilento, in the province of Salerno. The program, signed by Nadia Baldi and conceived by Ruggero Cappuccio, alternates theater, cinema, literary meetings, and performances almost every evening, with the addition of two exhibitions open daily and an immersive cinema section with virtual reality headsets.
The 2026 edition is supported by European Union funds under the PNRR "Attractiveness of Villages" program, with the patronage of the Ministry of Culture, the Campania Region, and the Municipality of Sessa Cilento.
Two Segreti d'Autore Awards
The most anticipated recognition, a work of art created by master Mimmo Paladino, is awarded this year to two women: on July 29 to RAI journalist Eva Crosetta, host of "Sulla via di Damasco", and on August 1 to singer-songwriter Paola Turci.
Cinema, theater, and virtual reality
Guests in the theater and cinema program include Maurizio De Giovanni with "Passione", Cristina Donadio with "Eleonora#1799", Fulvio Cauteruccio, director Vincenzo Marra, Paolo Caiazzo, Fortunato Cerlino, and Francesco Cicchella. From August 6 to 13, every afternoon from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the spaces of Palazzo Coppola host the immersive cinema section dedicated to the "R3V@LUT1@N" project by Corrado Ardone. Throughout the festival, the exhibitions "La stanza di Herlitzka", a tribute to actor Roberto Herlitzka, and "Quando il bambino era bambino" remain open daily from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, while the Cinema and Performing Arts workshops on directing, photography, and editing continue.
Programme Segreti d'Autore 2026
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
- 9:00 PM — Presentation of the 2026 Segreti d'Autore Award to RAI journalist Eva Crosetta, with the presentation of the book "Che colpa ne ho se sono nato in Congo all'ombra di un mango?".
Thursday, July 30, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Meeting with Tobia Iodice and presentation of the book "Il sarto della luce", dedicated to the figure of Mariano Fortuny.
- 9:00 PM — Performance "Romina" with Antonella Romano.
- 9:30 PM — Auteur cinema with Antonella Di Nocera and screening of the documentary "Elvira Notari: Oltre il silenzio", dedicated to the first Italian female director.
Friday, July 31, 2026
- Meeting with the publisher and auteur cinema with the screening of the film "La sobrietà".
Saturday, August 1, 2026
- 9:00 PM — Presentation of the 2026 Segreti d'Autore Award to singer-songwriter Paola Turci, who will engage in a public discussion.
Monday, August 3, 2026
- 8:00 PM — Aerial performance "La Funa in Praesentia. Le custodi del paesaggio".
- 9:30 PM — Performance "Passione" with Maurizio De Giovanni and ensemble.
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Meeting with Renato Salvetti and presentation of the book "I dieci comandamenti del diavolo".
- 9:30 PM — Performance "Eleonora#1799" with Cristina Donadio.
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
- 9:00 PM — Auteur cinema with Gigi e Ross, followed by the short films "Amici per la pelle" and "Al posto giusto, al momento giusto".
Thursday, August 6, 2026
- 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM — Immersive virtual reality cinema: "R3V@LUT1@N" project by Corrado Ardone.
- 9:00 PM — Performance "Roccu U Stortu" by and with Fulvio Cauteruccio.
Friday, August 7, 2026
- 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM — Immersive virtual reality cinema "R3V@LUT1@N".
- 9:00 PM — Meeting with director Vincenzo Marra and screening of the film "Era".
Saturday, August 8, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Luigi Puglia presents the novel "La guerra degli Uri".
- 9:00 PM — Theatrical performance "Stran' opera panica" by Rossella Pugliese.
Sunday, August 9, 2026
- 9:00 PM — Screening of the film "Mi batte il corazon" with Peppe Iodice, preceded by a meeting with director Francesco Prisco and screenwriter Marco Critelli.
Monday, August 10, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Presentation of Giuseppe Galzerano's book "Dall'America all'Europa. La traversata di Vincenzo Fondacaro".
- Evening — Performance "Terroni si nasce" with Paolo Caiazzo.
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
- Meeting with actor and director Fortunato Cerlino and screening of the film "Avemmaria".
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
- Special evening with Francesco Cicchella.
Thursday, August 13, 2026 — Final evening
- 7:00 PM — Performance by students of the Teatro Segreto training course.
- 9:00 PM — Closing performance "Quasi onesti", with the comedy trio.
Throughout the festival (July 25 - August 13)
- Exhibition "La stanza di Herlitzka", a tribute to actor Roberto Herlitzka — open daily from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
- Exhibition "Quando il bambino era bambino", from July 29 to August 13, featuring works by Antonella Romano — daily from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
- Cinema and Performing Arts workshops: directing, photography, and editing.
- Immersive VR cinema "R3V@LUT1@N" by Corrado Ardone, from August 6 to 13, from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Highlights Segreti d'Autore 2026
- The presentation of the 2026 Segreti d'Autore Award, a work by master Mimmo Paladino, to Eva Crosetta (July 29) and Paola Turci (August 1).
- "Passione", the performance by Maurizio De Giovanni with musical ensemble, on August 3.
- "Eleonora#1799" by and with Cristina Donadio, on August 4.
- The documentary "Elvira Notari: Oltre il silenzio" presented by Antonella Di Nocera, on July 30.
- The immersive virtual reality cinema section "R3V@LUT1@N" by Corrado Ardone, from August 6 to 13.
- The exhibitions "La stanza di Herlitzka" and "Quando il bambino era bambino" in the spaces of Palazzo Coppola.
- The final evening on August 13 with the performance by Teatro Segreto students and the show "Quasi onesti".
Prices Segreti d'Autore 2026
Practical information — Segreti d'Autore
How to get there
By car: from the A2 del Mediterraneo motorway, take the Battipaglia exit and continue on the SS 18 Tirrena Inferiore towards Agropoli-Vallo della Lucania; from Agropoli, head inland following signs for Sessa Cilento and the Valle district. The municipality is about 72 km from Salerno. By train: Agropoli-Castellabate or Vallo della Lucania-Castelnuovo stations on the Tyrrhenian line, then local buses or taxis. By plane: Salerno Costa d'Amalfi or Naples-Capodichino, about a two-hour drive away.
Where it takes place
All events are held at Palazzo Coppola, in the Valle district of Sessa Cilento (84074, province of Salerno). The same building houses the stage, the screening room, exhibition spaces, and workshop classrooms.
Admission and reservations
Admission to performances is free, but reservation is mandatory: a request must be sent via email to [email protected] indicating the event title, the number of seats, and the names of the participants. A telephone number is also available (+39 348 4102880), generally during the hours of 11:00 AM–1:00 PM and 4:00 PM–6:00 PM. Reservations remain valid until thirty minutes before the start of the event: those who arrive later risk losing their seat.
Practical tips
Bring a light sweater: at an altitude of 520 meters, summer evenings are cool. The village streets are sloped and partially cobblestoned, so comfortable shoes are recommended. For accommodation, it is advisable to look at farmhouses (agriturismi) and B&Bs in the hilly area or at facilities on the coast between Acciaroli, Pioppi, and Santa Maria di Castellabate, booking well in advance as Cilento is very popular in August.
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 — Segreti d'Autore
Palazzo Coppola, frazione Valle di Sessa Cilento
Palazzo Coppola, frazione Valle, 84074 Sessa Cilento