Nuovo Cinema Italiano Film Festival announces its 19th annual event
A new slate of 13 acclaimed contemporary Italian movies is on tap for Nov. 6-9 at the Queen Street Playhouse
Nuovo Cinema Italiano Film Festival is proud to announce the 19th edition of the annual celebration of contemporary Italian cinema and culture. The 2025 event is set for Nov. 6-9 at the Queen Street Playhouse, 20 Queen St., downtown Charleston.
The festival will screen 13 feature films and documentaries, including two movies with Jewish themes are “Liliana” by Ruggero Gabbai, which tells the true story of Holocaust survivor Liliana Segre, who was made a senator for life in 2018; and “La bicicletta di Bartali” by Enrico Paolantonio, an animated film remembering the Italian cycling champion who secretly worked for the Resistance during World War II, saving 800 Jews from extermination. These screenings are made possible thanks to longstanding support from the Henry & Sylvia Yaschik Foundation and the Nathan and Marlene Addlestone Foundation.
Other highlights include:
- “Follemente” by Paolo Genovese, a romantic comedy revealing the inner thoughts of the two protagonists
- “Il tempo che ci vuole” by Francesca Comencini, a drama about a father and daughter
- “Diciannove” by Giovanni Tortorici, a coming-of-age drama
- “Hey Joe” by Claudio Giovannesi, a drama starring James Franco as an American in search of his son in Naples
“What makes Nuovo Cinema Italiano Film Festival special is our focus on filmmaking in Italy today, which is remarkable for its high quality, compelling storytelling, creative production techniques and portrayal of diverse of experiences and perspectives,” said founder and artistic director Giovanna De Luca. “This is a new Golden Age of Italian movie production.”
Many of the filmmakers involved will be familiar to festivalgoers, De Luca added.
“The top tier of actors, directors and writers in Italy consists of a relatively small and versatile group of artists with familiar faces,” she said. We are pleased to be able to screen the latest works by important directors such as Francesca Comencini, Paolo Genovese, Roberto Andò, Claudio Giovannesi and Maura Depero.”
For a schedule of screenings, go to https://nuovocinemaitaliano.com/festival/schedule/.
The festival is a membership organization. Those who join, or renew, have access to all the screenings. Go to https://nuovocinemaitaliano.com/support/membership for information and to become a member.
Individual tickets cost $15 each. All screenings are general admission. Each ticket is valid for one person per screening. Go to nuovocinemaitaliano.com to purchase tickets. Students and veterans with ID pay $5 per ticket at the box office. Tickets will be sold at the theater during the festival.
Sponsors of the annual festival are Trade Data Monitor, Istituto Luce Cinecittà, Istituto Italiano di Cultura Miami, the Nathan and Marlene Addlestone Foundation, the Henry & Sylvia Yaschik Foundation, Farina Law Firm, Dante Alighieri Society Charleston, Lisa Mancini, and Dr. Ram Kalus.
Visit nuovocinemaitaliano.com to make a charitable tax-deductible donation or sign up as a festival sponsor. Follow @nuovocinemaiff on Instagram or visit facebook.com/nuovocinemaiff.
Founded in 2006, Nuovo Cinema Italiano Film Festival is the premier event of its kind in the United States, with 13 screenings, presentations by special guests from Italy and a variety of related events, all designed to promote Italian arts, language and culture.
