Four days. A city. One single great collective experience dedicated to Italian cinema and international film production.
In the second week of September 2026, I‘Eagle it transforms into an open-air stage where Italian and international cinema becomes a ritual, a meeting, a shared emotion once more. A film festival that celebrates Italian audiovisuals and cinematic works from all over the world, engaging in dialogue with the main national and international film commissions.
More than just a film festival.
A vision for the film and audiovisual industries.
CIAQ – L'Aquila Film Award 2026 – it is born from a simple and powerful idea: to bring cinema back to the people, creating an international festival that dialogues with major film events such as the Cannes Film Festival, the Venice Film Festival, the Torino Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival, the Rome Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival. A film festival that actively collaborates with film commissions to promote the region and support film production.
The squares light up under the stars.
Screens open in cultural venues.
The stories become conversations between audiovisual production professionals, film commissions and the public.
In an era dominated by home-grown platforms and web series, CIAQ returns cinema to its most authentic dimension: That public, vibrant, participatory one. A film festival that champions independent cinema, European cinema, and Italian cinema, supporting international co-production in collaboration with film commissions and institutions from the film and international audiovisual markets.
The squares of the historic centre become natural cinemas, transforming historic film locations into spaces for the collective viewing of the film festival.
An immersive, free, and shared experience that recalls the spirit of great international film festivals, from the Cannes Film Festival to the Torino Film Festival.
In the prestigious Palazzo Ciccozzi and other cultural locations, to guarantee technical quality and artistic insight. Cinema halls hosting films of high production value, with particular attention to soundtracks and film criticism, selected in collaboration with film commissions and industry professionals.
The city becomes a screen.
Spaces become a cinematic narrative.
“A City on Film”it was the world's first international festival dedicated to the crafts and techniques of cinema — particularly to the directors of photography. It was held in L'Aquila: 1981 to 1990, for ten consecutive editions, conceived by Gabriele Lucci alongside the great cinematographer Luciano Tovoli, under the management of the “La Lanterna Magica” Film Institute. A film festival that anticipated the importance of territorial film production and the relationship with local and national film commissions.
The formula was revolutionary: instead of screening films and awarding prizes to actors, the film festival brought the Film professionals working in the city's squares and streets, transforming L'Aquila into a huge open-air film set. In ten years, he recorded 150,000 attendees and welcomed professionals from 26 nations, numerous Oscar winners and David di Donatello award recipients, creating a unique film festival model within the international audiovisual industry landscape, with the support of film commissions and cultural institutions.
CIAQ – L'Aquila Film Festival 2026 – is an international film festival structured into clear and recognisable competitive sections, which celebrates Italian cinema, European cinema, and international cinematic works. It is a film festival that supports audiovisual production, co-production, and project development, with the backing of national and international film commissions, and which promotes the international audiovisual market through cinema tax credits and incentives for film distribution. The film festival collaborates with major film commissions to attract productions and promote the L'Aquila territory.
Fictional and documentary feature-length films that tell the story of the present and contemporary transformations. Films that have participated in festivals such as the Rome Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival, the Torino Film Festival, and the Venice Film Festival, cinematic works awarded the David di Donatello or selected by major international film commissions.
Evening screenings in the piazza, meetings with authors, a jury prize, and awards for social cinema, independent cinema, and Italian cinema. The film festival celebrates feature-length films that represent the excellence of contemporary cinematographic production.
Works of fiction and documentaries that tell the story of the present and contemporary transformations.
Evening screenings in the piazza, meetings with authors, jury prize.
A space dedicated to emerging directors and new cinematographic languages in short film format. An international showcase to discover tomorrow's talents in Italian cinema and Italian audiovisuals, with particular attention to web series and innovative audiovisual content, supported by film commissions and sector institutions.
A short film competition that showcases emerging filmmaking and new narrative forms in short film format, supported by film commissions and professionals from the film industry. The film festival pays particular attention to young Italian filmmakers.
A space dedicated to emerging directors and new cinematic languages.
An international showcase to discover tomorrow's talent.
A global look at the cinema of every continent through documentary works of high artistic value.
International films about identity, change, and hope. Documentaries that have participated in international film festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival, the Torino Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival, and the Venice Film Festival, and which represent the excellence of global audiovisual production, with a focus on European cinema and international co-production supported by film commissions. The film festival celebrates documentary works awarded with David di Donatello and international accolades.
A global look at the cinemas of every continent.
International films about identity, change, and hope.
Alongside the competitive sections, there will be a special programme free from competitive logic, celebrating auteur cinema and internationally significant films at the festival.
Art-house films awarded the David di Donatello and selected by the Cannes Film Festival
Selected works of artistic merit from the Venice Film Festival, the Turin Film Festival, and the Rome Film Festival
Event screenings with directors and guests from the Italian and international film scene, in collaboration with film commissions.
An opportunity to broaden cultural dialogue and experience cinema from diverse perspectives, creating a bridge between the film festival, the audiovisual industry, and the public, thereby enhancing the international audiovisual market and co-production opportunities supported by national and international film commissions. The film festival celebrates the excellence of Italian cinema and the Italian audiovisual sector through works awarded David di Donatello and international accolades.
