Italian Cinema Returns to Australia with the ST. ALi Italian Film Festival 2025
The Italian Cultural Institute in Melbourne is proud to support and promote the ST. ALi Italian Film Festival, the prestigious showcase of Italian cinema in Australia. This event offers a unique opportunity to discover the cultural and artistic richness of Italy through stories brought to life on the big screen.
Members of the Italian Cultural Institute in Melbourne can enjoy reduced rates reserved for Palace Movie Club members by presenting their membership card at the box offices of participating Palace Cinemas.
Among the program’s special events is the ““Sparkling Serata”, presented in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute of Melbourne, featuring the screening of the new film by Ferzan Özpetek, Diamanti. This powerful female-led drama is set in 1970s Rome and stars Luisa Ranieri and Jasmine Trinca as two sisters running a prestigious costume design atelier for the film industry. The film is a tribute to the artistry and skill of Italian costume designers. The screening will take place in Melbourne on Thursday, 25 September, at The Kino.
The festival will open with the romantic comedy by Paolo Genovese, Somebody to Love (FolleMente), which humorously and tenderly portrays a couple’s first date, full of awkward moments and surprises. It will be followed by the highly anticipated film by Paolo Sorrentino, La Grazia, presented in its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, starring Toni Servillo, Anna Ferzetti, and Massimo Venturiello.
Audiences will also be moved by stories exploring migration and identity, such as Napoli – New York by Gabriele Salvatores, the touching journey of two children in search of a better life, and Signorinella: Little Miss, which celebrates the courage and determination of Italian women who helped build the Italian community in Australia.
The festival will also feature retrospectives dedicated to the great classics of the Italian Giallo, presented in newly restored 4K copies, offering an immersive experience in the thrillers and psychological horror films that made the genre famous worldwide.
For the full program, ticket information, and updates on screenings in each city, please visit the official festival website and follow the festival on Facebook @ItalianFF and Instagram @ItalianFilmFest
Festival Dates and Venues
Melbourne: 19 September – 16 October
The Astor Theatre, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Church St, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Penny Lane, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema, Cinema Nova
Adelaide: 17 September – 14 October
Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas
Ballarat: 20 September – 16 October
Palace Regent Cinemas
Perth: 25 September – 22 October
Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX, Windsor Cinema