Some Like It Classic
The film history masterpiece series at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome
About Some Like It Classic
A series that brings classics back to the big screen
Some Like It Classic is the winter and spring event that the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome dedicates to the history of cinema. In the Cinema Hall at Via Nazionale 194, in the heart of the Monti district, the series presents a great title from the past every two weeks, shown to the public in the conditions for which it was intended: the darkness of the theater, the big screen, and, whenever possible, 35mm film projection. It is a simple and generous approach to cinephilia that has made this event one of the most popular in the capital's cultural calendar.
Who organizes it
The series is curated by Azienda Speciale Palaexpo together with the association La Farfalla sul Mirino, with the support of Roma Capitale — Department of Culture, and in collaboration with the National Union of Italian Film Critics (Lazio regional group). It is the SNCCI critics who introduce the screenings: before each film, a brief presentation reconstructs the historical context, the production story, and the place it holds in the director's career. This is the hallmark of the series, which makes it feel more like a film history lecture than a simple screening.
The programming
The selection criteria are intentionally broad. Alongside the most famous masterpieces, there is space for rare films, those rarely seen in Italy or never released in restored editions, as well as silent gems accompanied by live music and forays into avant-garde and experimental cinema. Each edition is built around one or more common threads—a genre, an anniversary, or a national cinema—that connect titles distant in time and origin.
- Great Hollywood classics and rediscoveries of American cinema
- European auteur masterpieces, from the silent era to the eighties
- 35mm projections when copies are available
- Critical introduction by SNCCI Lazio before every film
- Tributes and anniversaries dedicated to directors, actors, and production companies
Where: the Palazzo delle Esposizioni
Inaugurated in 1883 based on a design by Pio Piacentini, the Palazzo delle Esposizioni is the largest interdisciplinary exhibition space in the historic center of Rome. In addition to exhibitions, it houses an equipped cinema, one of the few in the city center still capable of projecting film. The venue is located on Via Nazionale, a few steps from Piazza della Repubblica and the Quirinale, in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the Lazio region.
Why it is worth it
In a city where cinema consumption has largely shifted to streaming platforms, Some Like It Classic defends a precise idea: that films of the past should be watched together, in a theater, and discussed. Free admission until capacity is reached—with online booking available from 9:00 AM the day before until one hour before the screening—has built a loyal and diverse audience over the years, consisting of students, cinephiles, and curious newcomers. Evenings often sell out: it is best to book in advance and arrive at least ten minutes before the start, otherwise, the reservation may be forfeited.
Some Like It Classic — edition 2026
Noir at the heart of the fifteenth edition
The 2026 edition of Some Like It Classic spanned the Roman winter and spring with ten events, from January 20 to May 26, in the Cinema Hall of the Palazzo delle Esposizioni. The special role assigned to noir is already evident in the two titles that opened and closed the program: Leave Her to Heaven by John M. Stahl, the first film of the genre shot in Technicolor, and Thief by Michael Mann, one of the authors who worked most on a modern redefinition of the genre.
Despite the growing difficulties in finding copies, the series confirmed the choice of 35mm film for four screenings, including the small rarity The Third Lover by Claude Chabrol and To Have and Have Not by Howard Hawks with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. There was also space for silent film, with The Parson's Widow by Carl Theodor Dreyer, and experimentation, with the tribute to Man Ray on the fiftieth anniversary of his passing. Each film was introduced by a critic from the National Union of Italian Film Critics, Lazio regional group.
Programme Some Like It Classic 2026
The 2026 program — screenings at 8:00 PM
- Tuesday, January 20 — Leave Her to Heaven by John M. Stahl (DCP)
- Tuesday, February 3 — The Third Lover by Claude Chabrol (35mm)
- Tuesday, February 17 — To Have and Have Not by Howard Hawks (35mm)
- Tuesday, March 3 — The Parson's Widow by Carl Theodor Dreyer (35mm)
- Tuesday, March 17 — The Chase by Arthur Penn (DCP)
- Tuesday, March 31 — Odd Man Out by Carol Reed (DCP)
- Tuesday, April 14 — Él by Luis Buñuel (DCP)
- Tuesday, April 28 — Logan's Run by Michael Anderson (DCP)
- Tuesday, May 12 — Tribute to Man Ray, short film program
- Tuesday, May 26 — Thief by Michael Mann (DCP)
All screenings were held in the Cinema Hall of the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, with entrance from the staircase at Via Milano 9a, and were preceded by a critical introduction.
Highlights Some Like It Classic 2026
- Fifteenth edition of the series, with noir as the common thread
- Four 35mm film screenings, increasingly rare in Roman theaters
- Opening with Leave Her to Heaven, the first noir shot in Technicolor
- Tribute to Man Ray on the fiftieth anniversary of his death
- Dreyer's silent film and the rarity of Chabrol re-released in 35mm
- Introduction by critics from the SNCCI — Lazio regional group
Prices Some Like It Classic 2026
Practical information — Some Like It Classic
Where
Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Via Nazionale 194 (Cinema Hall entrance via the staircase at Via Milano 9a), 00184 Rome.
How to get there
Metro A, Repubblica stop (about an 8-minute walk) or Metro B, Cavour stop. Numerous bus lines run along Via Nazionale. From Roma Termini station, it is about a 15-minute walk. By car, the center is subject to ZTL (restricted traffic zone): park-and-ride lots and public transport are recommended.
Admission and reservations
Free admission until capacity is reached. Online booking on the Palazzo Esposizioni Roma website starting from 9:00 AM the day before the screening until one hour before the start. Please arrive at least 10 minutes early: after this time, the reservation is no longer valid and the seat will be made available again.
Hours
Evening screenings, usually at 8:00 PM. The Palazzo delle Esposizioni is closed on Mondays.
Information
Phone +39 06 696271 — www.palazzoesposizioniroma.it
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Where does it take place — Some Like It Classic
Palazzo delle Esposizioni - Sala Cinema
Via Nazionale 194, 00184 Roma