Italian Film Festival

Short Film Program, 2025, 1h 30m

Seven recent films—Viola, Mercato libero, Il gatto di Monica, Rukeli, Oltre la collina, C'è da 

comprare il latte, Twentyseven: Sister Portrait—are in competition for your vote for best short.

The Ascent dir. Massimiliano Gallo, 2025, 1h 30m

PLOT: Naples, 1983. Due to earthquake damage, the women’s prison in Pozzuoli is closed and the inmates are temporarily moved to other regional penitentiaries. Some of the women are temporarily transferred to the juvenile prison on the islet of Nisida. The playwright Eduardo De Filippo frequently goes to the island, helping to renovate the prison’s theater and create a school for acting and set design. He sends the actors of his own company to produce the first theatrical show in an Italian penitentiary for juveniles.

CAST: Roberta Caronia, Alfredo Francesco Cossu, Mariano Rigillo, Antonio Milo, Shalana Santana, Gianfelice Imparato, Maurizio Casagrande, Massimiliano Gallo

Life is Life dir. Riccardo Milani, 2025, 1h 58m

PLOT: Two worlds collide on an unspoiled stretch of coastline in southern Sardinia. Efisio Mulas is a solitary shepherd, the silent guardian of a time that seems to no longer exist. He has lived there forever, between the sea and his animals, in the small house where he was born. On the other side is Giacomo, president of a powerful real estate group, a symbol of an Italy striving towards the future. He is determined to transform that coast into a luxury resort. When Efisio refuses yet another multi-million dollar offer, the negotiation turns into a legal battle in which Giovanna, a judge born and raised in the area, is called upon to resolve the conflict. As the pressure mounts and the community is divided between those who dream of new job opportunities and those who fear losing their identity forever, Efisio's unwavering "no" takes on a collective meaning. Strong in the value of his choices and the memory of those who came before him, Efisio knows that sometimes, precisely because "that's how life is," you have to stop and decide for yourself where to go.

CAST: Virginia Raffaele, Diego Abatantuono, Aldo Baglio, Ignazio Giuseppe Loi, Geppi Cucciari

All films shown with English subtitles.