THE CINEMATIC MEMORY OF L'AQUILA
A city in cinema.
From 1981 to 1990, for ten editions, L’Aquila became a meeting place and workplace for cinema. A history of trades, images and people that the CIAQ invites us to rediscover.
Cinema at work.
A City in Cinema was born from an idea by Gabriele Lucci, together with Luciano Tovoli, under the management of the La Lanterna Magica Film Institute.
The festival brought the crafts and techniques of cinema to the centre, with a particular focus on cinematography. The work of the professionals left the studios and met the public.
Squares and streets become a set.
In the squares and streets of L'Aquila, professionals could be observed at work: the city was becoming an open-air set, a place to experience the language of cinema at close quarters.
Among the protagonists of this story are Vittorio Storaro, Néstor Almendros, John Bailey and Luciano Tovoli. Their work and interaction with the public have left a mark on the cultural memory of the city.
Ten editions, a shared memory.
Across all editions between 1981 and 1990, the event recorded 150,000 attendees, with participation from 26 nations.
These are figures from the historical event Una città in Cinema, not the first CIAQ 2026 edition.
1981–1990
The dates of the event
10
Editions
150.000
Total attendance
26
Countries represented