Visioni Italiane – Festival of Debuts
The Bologna festival of debuts: shorts, medium-length films, and documentaries of the new Italian cinema
About Visioni Italiane
The festival of debuts in Bologna
Promoted by the Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna, Visioni Italiane is one of the longest-running and most beloved events dedicated to emerging Italian cinema. Born in the mid-nineties, the festival has established itself as a benchmark and a privileged observatory for discovering new talents among young directors and for giving visibility to first works that struggle to gain recognition and distribution in cinemas. Programmatically anti-glamour, against waste, and without red carpets, it focuses on the personal cinema of debut authors.
A national competition for debutants
The heart of the event is the national competition reserved for short films, medium-length films, and documentaries. The main section, Visioni Italiane, is dedicated to authors under 35 or those presenting their first or second work. Alongside it are various thematic sections that have given the festival its identity over the years:
- Visioni Italiane — fiction shorts and medium-length films by debutants
- Visioni Doc — the competition dedicated to documentaries, with no duration limit
- Visioni Animate — the section reserved for animated films
- Visioni Ambientali e Acquatiche — works that tell stories about sustainability, the environment, and water
- Visioni Sarde — films made by Sardinian authors or set in Sardinia, then promoted worldwide through the Italian Cultural Institutes
Awards and recognitions
Visioni Italiane is not just a showcase: it offers concrete awards that help young authors continue their careers. Among the historical awards are the Premi Pelliconi for best film and best comedy, the award for best documentary, the Giovanni Bergonzoni award for directing, as well as awards for the environmental sections and the Premio Mutti, dedicated to directors of foreign origin working in Italy.
Bologna, city of cinema
The festival takes place in the cinemas of Cineteca di Bologna, in the Municipality of Bologna, the capital of Emilia-Romagna and a UNESCO Creative City of Music and Film. In recent years, the awards ceremony has found its home in the restored Cinema Modernissimo, a jewel in the heart of the city. For enthusiasts and filmmakers alike, participating in Visioni Italiane means coming into direct contact with the most vibrant and experimental scene of contemporary Italian cinema.
Visioni Italiane — edition 2026
Visioni Italiane 2026 — the 32nd edition
The thirty-second edition of Visioni Italiane will be held in Bologna from November 16 to 22, 2026, organized by the Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna. This year again, the festival presents its national competition dedicated to debuts: short films, medium-length films, and documentaries by young authors under 35 or by those presenting their first or second work.
The 2026 edition confirms its historical sections — Visioni Italiane, Visioni Doc, Visioni Ambientali e Acquatiche, and Visioni Sarde — and relaunches the Visioni Animate section dedicated to animated film. The call for entries, with a deadline of May 30, 2026, was open to Italian authors or those residing in Italy with works produced from 2025 onwards.
Programme Visioni Italiane 2026
The detailed program for the 32nd edition, including the list of selected films, screening times, and guests, will be announced by Cineteca di Bologna in the weeks preceding the event (official dates are November 16-22, 2026).
Usual structure of the event
- Visioni Italiane — competition for fiction shorts and medium-length films by debutants
- Visioni Doc — documentary competition with no duration limit
- Visioni Animate — competition dedicated to animated film
- Visioni Ambientali e Acquatiche — works on the themes of sustainability and water
- Visioni Sarde — films by Sardinian authors or set in Sardinia
The usual schedule includes screenings, previews, meetings with authors, and the final awards ceremony. The complete program will be published on the official website visionitaliane.it.
Highlights Visioni Italiane 2026
The 32nd edition features the festival's historical awards, including the Premi Pelliconi for best film and best comedy, the award for best documentary, and the Giovanni Bergonzoni award for directing. The awards ceremony traditionally takes place at the Cinema Modernissimo in Bologna. The names of the selected films and the jury will be announced closer to the event.
Prices Visioni Italiane 2026
Practical information — Visioni Italiane
Where
Screenings are held in the cinemas of Cineteca di Bologna (Cinema Lumière, Via Azzo Gardino 65) and at Cinema Modernissimo, in the historic center, in the Municipality of Bologna (Emilia-Romagna).
How to get there
Bologna is one of Italy's main railway hubs: Bologna Centrale station is a short walk or bus ride from the Cineteca. By car, exit the ring road and park near the center (limited traffic zone). Guglielmo Marconi Airport is connected to the center by the Marconi Express people mover.
Tickets
Traditionally, festival screenings and meetings are free or low-cost. It is advisable to check the access procedures on the official website closer to the event.
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Where does it take place — Visioni Italiane
Cineteca di Bologna
Via Azzo Gardino 65, 40123 Bologna