Taranto Eco Film Festival
Cinema as a tool for dialogue between environment, society, and the future
About TEFF
A film and environment festival in the heart of Taranto
The Taranto Eco Film Festival, also known as TEFF, is one of the most significant cultural events in the Apulian film scene. Created to examine the relationship between human beings and the environment, the festival transforms the Teatro Comunale Fusco in Taranto into a shared home for cinema every year, where screenings, debates, and discussions intertwine around the great themes of our time: the ecological crisis, social justice, the memory of territories, and the future of communities.
The city of Taranto and its cultural turning point
The choice of Taranto, the provincial capital of Puglia overlooking the Mar Grande and Mar Piccolo, is no coincidence. A city marked by a complex relationship with industry and the environment, Taranto becomes the ideal symbolic setting for reflecting on the bond between man and nature. The festival is conceived and organized by the Ella APS association and co-organized by the Municipality of Taranto, with the support of regional film programs.
Competition sections
The competitive heart of TEFF is divided into two main awards:
- TEFF Award: presented to the feature film that best explores the relationship between humans and the environment with directorial rigor and poetic sensitivity.
- INPuglia Award: dedicated to short films produced in Puglia that uniquely highlight the connection between cinema and the local territory.
Alongside the competitions, the program includes the Mediterranean Waves section featuring contemporary Mediterranean cinema out of competition, Filmmaker Talks, thematic focuses, and performances in the TEFF Sound & Vision section, where silent films are accompanied by live musical scores.
TEFF Vision: cinema all year round
Starting in 2026, the festival expands with TEFF Vision, a widespread film series that brings cinema to the city beyond the main festival dates, with free screenings at La Serra in the Lama district, in collaboration with the APS Reverie. It is the sign of a cultural project aiming to root itself in the city's fabric year-round, through audiovisual literacy and audience development.
A free-admission event
All screenings of the Taranto Eco Film Festival are free of charge, in line with the event's popular and civic mission: to make auteur cinema accessible to everyone and to stimulate dialogue between spectators, filmmakers, and the community.
TEFF — edition 2026
Taranto Eco Film Festival 2026 — 4th Edition
The Taranto Eco Film Festival returns for its fourth edition, scheduled at the Teatro Comunale Fusco in Taranto from November 24 to 28, 2026. Five days dedicated to cinema that explores the relationship between humanity and the environment, featuring the festival's two historic competitions — the TEFF Award for feature films and the INPuglia Award for Apulian short films — as well as sections dedicated to Mediterranean cinema, filmmaker talks, and live audiovisual performances.
The detailed program for the 2026 edition, including selected titles, guests, and screening times, will be published in the weeks preceding the event.
TEFF Vision, the summer appetizer
Building anticipation, the festival inaugurated TEFF Vision, a widespread series with free screenings at the La Serra venue in the Lama district between June 14 and July 24, 2026, featuring titles such as No Country for Old Men, Her, Dallas Buyers Club, and La Haine.
Programme TEFF 2026
The detailed program for the fourth edition of the Taranto Eco Film Festival will be announced in the weeks leading up to the event. The festival maintains its established structure:
- TEFF Award — international competition for feature films on the relationship between man and the environment.
- INPuglia Award — competition for short films produced in Puglia.
- Mediterranean Waves — contemporary Mediterranean cinema out of competition.
- Filmmaker Talks and thematic focuses.
- TEFF Sound & Vision — live-scored films.
Leading up to the festival, the summer series TEFF Vision offered four free screenings at 8:30 PM at the La Serra venue (Lama): No Country for Old Men by the Coen brothers (June 14), Her by Spike Jonze (June 26), Dallas Buyers Club by Jean-Marc Vallée (July 10), and La Haine by Mathieu Kassovitz (July 24).
Highlights TEFF 2026
The two competitions (TEFF and INPuglia), filmmaker talks, and the live audiovisual performance TEFF Sound & Vision. In the lead-up to the festival, the summer series TEFF Vision at the La Serra venue in Lama.
Prices TEFF 2026
Practical information — TEFF
Where
Festival screenings are held at the Teatro Comunale Fusco, at Via Ciro Giovinazzi 49, in the center of Taranto. The summer series TEFF Vision takes place at the La Serra venue, at Circonvallazione dei Fiori 257, in the Lama district.
How to get there
Taranto is accessible by train via the central railway station, which is well-connected to Bari and the rest of Puglia. By car, it can be reached via the SS106 Jonica and SS7 roads. The nearest airport is Bari-Palese, about an hour and a half away.
Tickets
Free admission to all screenings, subject to availability.
Info
Contact details and the updated program are available on the official festival website and via email at [email protected].
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Where does it take place — TEFF
Teatro Comunale Fusco
Via Ciro Giovinazzi 49, 74122 Taranto