September 26, 2026 – October 31, 2026
Angelico Concert Hall, 20 Olive Avenue, San Rafael
Italian Film Festival 2026 – 49th edition
Festival director: Lido Cantarutti
Originally started as an informal, one-time only presentation of Italian movies in a college lecture hall, the Italian Film Festival of Marin County has grown over its 49 years into a perennial favorite in the San Francisco Bay Area. From the beginning it has been a labor of love for its longtime director, Lido Cantarutti. Under his direction the program has included appearances from Italian film directors and composers, dignitaries of the Italian and Italian-American communities, and an authentically Italian atmosphere at every presentation. The centerpiece, however, is always top-quality Italian cinema.
With the support of the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco and the Italian Cultural Institute San Francisco.
PROGRAM
Saturday, September 26 | 4:30 PM AND 7:00 PM
LIFE IS LIFE (LA VITA VA COSÌ)
Comedy/Drama • 2025 • 118 min.
Directed by Riccardo Milani
With Diego Abatantuono, Aldo Baglio, and Virginia Raffaele
In Italian with English subtitles
At the turn of the new millennium, on an unspoiled stretch of coast in southern Sardinia, Efisio Mulas, a solitary shepherd and custodian of times seemingly long past, defends his land from Giacomo, a developer determined to turn it into a luxury resort. The foreman at the site, Mariano, tries to convince Efisio to sell, while his daughter Francesca is torn between her attachment to her roots and the urgent need for change that grips her community. When the dispute winds up in court, a local judge from the area, Giovanna, finds herself deciding the case.
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Saturday, October 3 | 4:30 PM AND 7:00 PM
SWEETHEART (GIOIA MIA)
Family/Drama • 2025 • 90 min.
Directed by Margherita Spampinato
With Aurora Quattrocchi, and Marco Fiore
In Italian with English subtitles
This family drama follows Nico, a spirited, surly child brought up in a secular, tech-driven household, who is reluctantly sent to spend the summer in Sicily with his aunt Gela, an old-fashioned, devout woman. Their worlds collide. He is filled with modern energy; she lives in an ancient world where religion shapes everything. However, a surprising bond forms, full of humor and discovery. The film sparks a bond across generations that goes straight to the heart.
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Saturday, October 10 | 4:30 PM AND 7:00 PM
NAPLES TO NEW YORK (NAPOLI-NEW YORK)
Coming of Age/Drama • 2024 • 124 min.
Directed by Gabriele Salvatores
With Pierfrancesco Favino, and Dea Lanzaro
In Italian with English subtitles
The story of a young Neapolitan girl and boy without family struggling to survive amid the ruins of post-war Naples. They secretly stowaway on a ship for New York. Their adventure is filled with challenges, small victories, and a mix of fear, excitement, and hope in their new home. Inspired by an unproduced screenplay written by Federico Fellini and Tullio Pinelli in the 1940s.
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Saturday, October 17 | 4:30 PM AND 7:00 PM
VERMIGLIO
History/Drama • 2024 • 119 min.
Directed by Maura Delpero
With Tommaso Ragno, Giuseppe De Domenico, and Carlotta Gamba
In Italian with English subtitles
The breathtaking beauty of the Alps and a remote village shortly before the end of World War II provide the setting for this special film. A Sicilian soldier hides out in town after deserting the army. While there, the soldier falls in love with the family’s eldest daughter. Winner of the 2025 David di Donatello Award (Italy’s Oscar) for best film, director, original screenplay, producer, and cinematography. The film recalls the neorealist films in Italian cinema.
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Saturday, October 24 | 4:30 PM AND 7:00 PM
FOR YOU (PER TE)
Drama • 2025 • 115 min.
Directed by Alessandro Aronadio
With Alessandro Aronadio, Edoardo Leo, Teresa Saponangelo, and Javier Francesco Leoni
In Italian with English subtitles
In 2021, a pre-teen named Mattia was honored by the Italian government for “the love and care with which he daily follows his father’s illness.” The film tells his story and that of his father, Paolo, who, in his early forties, begins to lose pieces of his memory. Together with his son and wife, he embarks on a journey of shared daily life, lots of laughter, and silences that speak. The film celebrates the power of love beyond time and memory.
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Saturday, October 31 | 4:30 PM AND 7:00 PM
FOREVER WITH YOU (IO NON TI LASCIO SOLO)
Family comedy • 2025 • 98 min.
Directed by Fabrizio Cattani
With Michael D’Arma, Andrea Matrone, Giorgio Pasotti, and Mimmo Borelli
In Italian with English subtitles
Filo and Rullo, two inseparable friends, secretly set off to find Birillo, the dog that Filo’s father lost. Their friendship is strong and deep, and nothing can stop them, not even a fear of the dark or the gruff mountain man, Guelfo Tabacci, who appears to be involved in the dog’s disappearance. Yet, hidden beneath this apparent reality lie unexpected events that will force the two boys to face challenges far greater than themselves.
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