This September, the largest celebration of Italian culture and film outside Italy returns to cinema screens.
The 2026 ST. ALi Italian Film Festival runs from Thursday, September 24 to Sunday, October 18, screening at Palace Cinemas Raine Square, Luna Cinemas Leederville, Windsor Cinema Nedlands and Luna on SX Fremantle. Featuring Italy’s finest filmic talents and unmissable gems, the full program traverses fantasy adventures, dramatic comedies and historical epics, with the full program releasing at the end of August.
The Festival’s Special Presentation is a bittersweet romantic drama based on a bestselling novel by Michela Murgia, and starring acclaimed actors Alba Rohrwacher and Elio Germano. Three Goodbyes (Tre ciotole) follows a couple who split up after what seems like a trivial argument, their lives changing dramatically across the emotional, life-affirming story.
Directed by and starring Rocco Papaleo, The Greater Good (Il bene comune) is a heartfelt love letter to Basilicata, a region of southern Italy. This highlight sees a hiking group embark on a transformative journey in search for an ancient pine tree in Pollino National Park.
The Eyes of Others (Gli occhi degli altri) is set on the scenic Pontine Islands archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea, taking inspiration from real events amongst the elite in 1960s Italy. Jasmine Trinca and Filippo Timi star in this intense tale of passion and crime, all amidst the beauty of the island.
Further highlights of the 2026 program include comedies Twin Stars (Stella gemella) and Classmates (Domani interrogo). In Twin Stars, a couple faces a relationship crisis when they suddenly learn they are expecting twins – but each twin has a different father. Classmates, based on the novel by Gaja Cenciarelli, features a devoted English teacher assigned to the toughest class in a Rome high school, highlighting the power of education, respect and community.
Fantasy family adventure Incanto is another festival must-see, in which a young girl escape her controlling guardian and discover a magical circus in a heartwarming story of imagination and kindness.
The full program is set to be announced in August, with the ST. ALi Italian Film Festival running from Thursday, September 24 to Sunday, October 18. Tickets will be available from italianfilmfestival.com.au