Tulipani di Seta Nera - International Social Cinema Festival
Social cinema exploring inclusion, rights, and diversity in the heart of Rome
About Tulipani di Seta Nera
The film festival with a social conscience
The Tulipani di Seta Nera - International Social Cinema Festival is one of Italy's most authoritative events dedicated to inclusive cinema. Every year, within the halls of The Space Cinema Moderno in Piazza della Repubblica, in the heart of Rome, the festival brings stories of vulnerability, rights, and redemption to the screen, placing the human being at the center in all their facets.
Founded in 2007 by Paola Tassone and promoted by the social promotion association L'Università Cerca Lavoro, the festival is currently chaired by Diego Righini. Over nearly two decades, it has built a distinct identity: using the language of cinema not merely as a form of protest, but as a tool for cultural growth capable of challenging civil society, the media, and institutions on issues of integration, rights, and sustainable development.
Three competition categories
The heart of the event is the competition, divided into three sections that receive hundreds of entries from around the world each year:
- Short Films — the most extensive section, featuring Italian and international works that address social issues through fiction;
- Documentaries — real-life stories focusing on hardship, labor, migration, disability, and the environment;
- #SocialClip — short video clips that combine music and cinema to convey a social message, often created by young authors under 30.
Alongside the competition, the program offers premieres, out-of-competition screening events, masterclasses, thematic panels, and book presentations, as well as the Tulipani Fuoriclasse - Talenti in Erba project, which engages students from schools and film institutes, introducing them to audiovisual language.
The Sorriso Awards and the Social Grand Gala
The event presents numerous technical awards and the renowned Sorriso Awards, linked to the festival's cultural and institutional partners, dedicated to themes such as immigration, disability, childhood, justice, energy and digital transition, labor, and well-being. These are joined by the prestigious Rai Cinema Channel Sorriso Award.
The most anticipated moment is the Social Grand Gala, the closing evening where the winners are announced. Hosted in recent years by Lorena Bianchetti, the gala is recorded and broadcast in the late evening on Rai 2, providing awarded works and authors with a national showcase.
An international festival in Rome
While rooted in the Capital and the Lazio region, Tulipani di Seta Nera has a distinctly international vocation: it welcomes works and guests from all over the world and reserves space for sections dedicated to the best foreign short film and the best animation. Admission to screenings and awards ceremonies is free subject to availability, a choice consistent with the festival's inclusive mission, which aims to make socially conscious cinema accessible to everyone.
Tulipani di Seta Nera — edition 2026
The nineteenth edition of the International Social Cinema Festival animated Rome from May 7 to 10, 2026, bringing over seventy works selected from a total of approximately 540 entries to The Space Cinema Moderno. The testimonials for this edition were actors Antonia Liskova and Alessio Vassallo. The festival focused on the major issues of the present — from youth hardship to the protection of minors, from gender-based violence to sustainability — with free screenings, premieres, masterclasses, and panels.
Special events included the European premiere of Mistake by Honey Lauren and the out-of-competition screening of Giulio Regeni - Tutto il male del mondo by Simone Manetti. The festival concluded on Sunday, May 10, with the Social Grand Gala hosted by Lorena Bianchetti, which was later broadcast in the late evening on Rai 2.
Programme Tulipani di Seta Nera 2026
Thursday, May 7
- 15:00 — Opening ceremony with Undersecretary to the MIM Hon. Paola Frassinetti and presentation of the Tulipani Fuoriclasse - Talenti in Erba Award;
- Documentaries in competition: La fibra sensibile, In ultimo by Mario Balsamo, Tomoshibi by Lorenzo Squarcia;
- 17:00-18:00 — Sorriso Awards (immigration, energy transition, digital, labor);
- 20:30 — European premiere of Mistake by Honey Lauren (Hall 4).
Friday, May 8
- 14:30 — International documentaries: Sunday, Il Capitano, Waithood;
- 15:00 — Foreign short film finalists and Best Foreign Short Film Award;
- 20:00 — Event screening Giulio Regeni - Tutto il male del mondo by Simone Manetti (out of competition).
Saturday, May 9
- #SocialClip section combining cinema and music, animation, thematic panels, and book presentations;
- Rai Cinema Channel Sorriso Award;
- 20:30 — Closing evening of the #SocialClip section.
Sunday, May 10
- 16:00 — Social Grand Gala (Hall 3), hosted by Lorena Bianchetti, with the announcement of the winners of the 19th edition. The evening was recorded and broadcast in the late evening on Rai 2.
Highlights Tulipani di Seta Nera 2026
- European premiere of Mistake by Honey Lauren;
- Event screening of Giulio Regeni - Tutto il male del mondo by Simone Manetti;
- Over 70 works in competition including short films, documentaries, and #SocialClips;
- Testimonials Antonia Liskova and Alessio Vassallo;
- Social Grand Gala with Lorena Bianchetti, broadcast on Rai 2.
Prices Tulipani di Seta Nera 2026
Practical information — Tulipani di Seta Nera
Location
The festival is held at The Space Cinema Moderno, in Piazza della Repubblica 44/45, Rome (Zip Code 00185), just a stone's throw from Termini Station. Screenings are distributed across multiple halls within the complex.
How to get there
The venue is served by the metro (Repubblica stop, Line A) and is a few minutes' walk from the Rome Termini railway station, the main hub for high-speed and regional trains. Numerous bus lines stop near Piazza della Repubblica.
Admission and tickets
Access to screenings, premieres, and awards ceremonies is free subject to availability. It is recommended to arrive early, especially for evening events and the final Grand Gala.
When
The festival traditionally takes place in the first half of May, featuring four days of programming from Thursday to Sunday.
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Where does it take place — Tulipani di Seta Nera
The Space Cinema Moderno
Piazza della Repubblica 44/45, 00185 Roma