From October 15 to 26, 2025, Rome will be transformed into a large open-air movie theater. The appointment is with the 20th Rome Film Festival, a special edition celebrating two decades of masterpieces. The heart of the festival will be, as always, the Auditorium Parco della Musica “Ennio Morricone,” but many other places in the city will host screenings, meetings and side events.
In total, the Rome Film Festival will give fans twelve days to experience cinema up close: from big stars on the red carpet to small independent gems.
The Rome Film Festival: cinema lived as a protagonist
The Rome Film Festival is not just an event for insiders but a celebration designed for anyone who loves cinema and wants a different experience.
In fact, it is possible to see films in absolute previews, before they arrive in theaters, participate in meetings with directors and actors, browse retrospectives and restorations of classics, walk the red carpets (even if only to watch, you don’t need a VIP invitation!).
In short, the Rome Film Festival is the perfect opportunity if you’re in Rome on these dates and want to do something original that combines entertainment, culture and a dash of worldliness.
The themes of the 20th edition of the Rome Film Festival.
Every festival has its own common thread, and the one in 2025 is no exception. The main themes will be: contemporary conflicts and wars, music, literature, but also two cities beloved by cinema: Rome and Naples.
Great attention will be paid to independent and debut cinema, that is, new voices on the world scene. For the first time there will also be an award dedicated to documentaries, confirming the growing interest in this genre.
And there will be no shortage of tributes: retrospectives will be dedicated to Franco Pinna, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Claudio Caligari and the brilliant master of special effects Carlo Rambaldi, celebrated on the centenary of his birth.
The most anticipated films in competition
If you like new discoveries, the Progressive Cinema competition is the right section. Among the titles that have already ignited the curiosity of the press are:
- Alireza Khatami’s THE THINGS YOU KILL, an incisive psychological drama about everyone’s multiple identities;
- Vincenzo Alfieri’s 40 Seconds, which chronicles the 24 hours before the murder of Willy Monteiro Duarte;
- L’accident de piano by Quentin Dupieux, visionary and surreal as always, starring Adele Exarchopoulos;
- Good boy by Jan Komasa, a black fairy tale starring actor Stephen Graham;
- Andrea De Sica’s Gli occhi degli altri, inspired by the Casati Stampa crime;
- Re-creation by Jim Sheridan and David Merriman, a courtroom drama based on a real-life case.
The competition has 18 films in the running, with plenty of room for emerging filmmakers and stories that speak to the present.
Out-of-competition premieres
If you prefer more spectacular and eye-catching titles, there will be no shortage of out-of-competition films at the Rome Film Festival 2025. Prominent among them is the opening title, La vita va così by Riccardo Milani. Also highly anticipated is the premiere of the new Dracula directed by Luc Besson, which promises sparks on the red carpet.
In addition, in the Best of 2025 section you will find films already applauded at other international festivals, while History of Cinema will let you rediscover restored masterpieces and tributes to great masters.
The guests and juries of the Rome Film Festival 2025
A film festival would not be such without the stars. In 2025 we will see Jennifer Lawrence on the red carpet along with the cast of Luc Besson’s new film, among whom our own Matilda De Angelis will surely stand out.
But that’s not all: two lifetime achievement awards are scheduled for this edition of the Roman festival, which will go to Jafar Panahi, awarded by Giuseppe Tornatore, and Lord David Puttnam. Filmmaker Edgar Reitz will instead receive the Master of Film Award from Nanni Moretti.
The Progressive Cinema competition jury will be chaired by the beloved Paola Cortellesi, joined by international filmmakers and artists.
Artistic director Paola Malanga explained:
This Festival is not a bubble compared to the world around us. In the films we find conflicts, music, literature: everything that runs through our era.
How to attend the Rome Film Festival: tickets and prices
Do you want to be there? Here are the practical info for attending the event that celebrates the seventh art in Rome:
- Tickets will be available from October 8, 2025 at 11 a.m. You can buy them online through Boxol or at the Auditorium box office during the festival.
- Prices range from 6 to 28 euros, depending on the venue and type of event.
- There are also reductions with special conventions and some free events.
The advice is simple: if you have a specific film in mind, book as early as possible.
The full schedule of events and screenings will be available at www.romacinemafest.it starting Friday, October 3.
At the Rome Film Festival 2025 the best seats run out fast!