Program
We are thrilled to present this year’s program, featuring 35 films from the world’s top festivals (Cannes, TIFF, Clermont-Ferrand, Rotterdam) and the elite of independent cinema. Highlights include the latest Palme d’Or winner, Netflix directors, and Oscar-nominated talent!
Experience a unique blend of screenings, artistic performances, and insightful talks with industry experts!
To download the full program with all the films, click here: italian or english
Experience a unique blend of screenings, artistic performances, and insightful talks with industry experts!
To download the full program with all the films, click here: italian or english
Friday, May 29, 2026
17:30-18:15 – Festival Opening and Institutional Greetings
SCREENING SESSION 1 (18:15-20:30) – Starting with a Bang! Everything we love about GIFF: high-quality films from the circuit that remain accessible to everyone. The festival opens with the new feature film by Oscar nominee Mehdi Norowzian, followed by two globally successful short films (Fantasies of a Rescue Dummy, 29th of February).
SCREENING SESSION 2 (21:30-00:30) – Tension and Breaking Points. A session crossing multiple genres—realism, sci-fi, and thriller. Featuring two world premieres (Bad Form and Bullet Brain) and two excellent Italian shorts (Phobos and Il nemico), the night concludes with the ultra-fast-paced Swedish thriller The Watchmaker. In between, a conversation with actor Sebastian Mayberg on the realities of acting for Netflix.
Saturday, May 30, 2026
SCREENING SESSION 3 (16:30-18:15) – Human Relations. A discussion with director (and Jury President) Kaveh Daneshmand on what it means to be a director in today’s cinema… then, we dive straight into the world of relationships—be they romantic, platonic, or familial—to explore the conflicts that sometimes destroy them, yet sometimes regenerate them. Featuring 4 different films and 4 premieres (Italian and international), including the Oscar-shortlisted Pantyhose.
SCREENING SESSION 4 (18:30-20:30) – Old and New Frontiers. Beyond war (explored in the award-winning My Name is Hope), we examine the new reality of sex workers in Signal Path and, above all, the only frontier we should all be fighting for: saving our planet.
SCREENING SESSION 5 (21:30-00:30) – Thriller Night. Tension, psychological distress, adrenaline, and a race against time: these are the themes tackled by 3 premiere films (Story of a Beauty and a Beast, The Refusal, Screaming Metal) and the Mexican thriller Violentas Mariposas, which invites us to reflect on how a corrupt society impacts hopeful young people.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
SCREENING SESSION 6 (10:00-13:00) – Cultural Encounters and Universal Themes. We open with African ethnic dances by the Abia International Film Festival, GIFF’s special guest, and explore alternative ways of living and storytelling through documentary cinema. Alongside these differences, we reflect on the common ground of a just society: gender equality, told through touching and deeply sincere films.
SCREENING SESSION 7 (14:00-16:15) – The Beauty of Cinematography as a Deep Message. Visual magnificence is a powerful tool for reflection, especially in film. We open with the artistic performance “Home is a mother, home is a mirror,” followed by two visually majestic films (The Life Cycle of the Cicadas and Glorious Summer – shot on film) that quietly invite us to contemplate life, even when the world seems to be heading in the wrong direction.
SCREENING SESSION 8 (16:30-18:30) – The Grand Finale. The culmination of everything experienced at the festival: great cinema, exclusive screenings, and insights from industry professionals. Rachel Knowles discusses working with Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Paramount as the head of the Australian post-production house, BluePost. Following the international premiere of the Japanese film Super Super Movie, we close with three major titles: The Last Harvest, the Student Academy Award semi-finalist The Funeral Rehearsal, and the Cannes Palme d’Or winner I’m Glad You’re Dead Now.
19:00-20:30 – Award Ceremony
21:00-00:00 – Closing Gala and Networking Dinner
17:30-18:15 – Festival Opening and Institutional Greetings
SCREENING SESSION 1 (18:15-20:30) – Starting with a Bang! Everything we love about GIFF: high-quality films from the circuit that remain accessible to everyone. The festival opens with the new feature film by Oscar nominee Mehdi Norowzian, followed by two globally successful short films (Fantasies of a Rescue Dummy, 29th of February).
SCREENING SESSION 2 (21:30-00:30) – Tension and Breaking Points. A session crossing multiple genres—realism, sci-fi, and thriller. Featuring two world premieres (Bad Form and Bullet Brain) and two excellent Italian shorts (Phobos and Il nemico), the night concludes with the ultra-fast-paced Swedish thriller The Watchmaker. In between, a conversation with actor Sebastian Mayberg on the realities of acting for Netflix.
Saturday, May 30, 2026
SCREENING SESSION 3 (16:30-18:15) – Human Relations. A discussion with director (and Jury President) Kaveh Daneshmand on what it means to be a director in today’s cinema… then, we dive straight into the world of relationships—be they romantic, platonic, or familial—to explore the conflicts that sometimes destroy them, yet sometimes regenerate them. Featuring 4 different films and 4 premieres (Italian and international), including the Oscar-shortlisted Pantyhose.
SCREENING SESSION 4 (18:30-20:30) – Old and New Frontiers. Beyond war (explored in the award-winning My Name is Hope), we examine the new reality of sex workers in Signal Path and, above all, the only frontier we should all be fighting for: saving our planet.
SCREENING SESSION 5 (21:30-00:30) – Thriller Night. Tension, psychological distress, adrenaline, and a race against time: these are the themes tackled by 3 premiere films (Story of a Beauty and a Beast, The Refusal, Screaming Metal) and the Mexican thriller Violentas Mariposas, which invites us to reflect on how a corrupt society impacts hopeful young people.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
SCREENING SESSION 6 (10:00-13:00) – Cultural Encounters and Universal Themes. We open with African ethnic dances by the Abia International Film Festival, GIFF’s special guest, and explore alternative ways of living and storytelling through documentary cinema. Alongside these differences, we reflect on the common ground of a just society: gender equality, told through touching and deeply sincere films.
SCREENING SESSION 7 (14:00-16:15) – The Beauty of Cinematography as a Deep Message. Visual magnificence is a powerful tool for reflection, especially in film. We open with the artistic performance “Home is a mother, home is a mirror,” followed by two visually majestic films (The Life Cycle of the Cicadas and Glorious Summer – shot on film) that quietly invite us to contemplate life, even when the world seems to be heading in the wrong direction.
SCREENING SESSION 8 (16:30-18:30) – The Grand Finale. The culmination of everything experienced at the festival: great cinema, exclusive screenings, and insights from industry professionals. Rachel Knowles discusses working with Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Paramount as the head of the Australian post-production house, BluePost. Following the international premiere of the Japanese film Super Super Movie, we close with three major titles: The Last Harvest, the Student Academy Award semi-finalist The Funeral Rehearsal, and the Cannes Palme d’Or winner I’m Glad You’re Dead Now.
19:00-20:30 – Award Ceremony
21:00-00:00 – Closing Gala and Networking Dinner
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