Alice nella Citta -- Rome Independent Film Festival

Overview

Alice nella Citta is Rome's most important independent film festival for young audiences and emerging cinema. Founded in 2003 and held annually in October alongside the Rome Film Fest, the festival presents competitive international films for children, teenagers, and young adults.

The festival's programming philosophy addresses the transition from children's cinema to adult cinema, focusing specifically on films for and about young people aged 8 to 18 -- an age group that mainstream film culture tends to serve poorly. Films by and about teenagers, films addressing adolescent experience with honesty and without condescension, and films that introduce young audiences to art cinema all find a home at Alice nella Citta.

Rome's extraordinary cinematic heritage -- as the city where Fellini, De Sica, Antonioni, and the Roman masters worked -- gives the festival a rich context for its programming about the next generation of cinema.

Key Sections

• International Competition -- films for young audiences competing for jury prizes
• Teenage Audience Award -- prize voted by teenage jury members
• Italian Film Program -- new Italian films for young audiences
• Documentary Program -- nonfiction for young audiences
• Short Film Competition -- competitive short programs

What Filmmakers Should Know

Alice nella Citta accepts open submissions. The teenage jury creates a direct relationship between films and their intended audience. For filmmakers working in youth-targeted cinema internationally, the festival provides one of the most important dedicated European platforms.

Major Awards

• Best Film -- jury prize
• Teenage Jury Award -- voted by young jury members
• Audience Award

Festival History

Alice nella Citta was founded in 2003 and has operated alongside the Rome Film Fest.

See Also

For youth cinema, see Chicago International Children's Film Festival. For Italian cinema, see International Film Markets.