Industry

Tiziana Rocca unveiled the 2026 editions of both the Filming Italy Sardegna Festival and the Taormina Film Festival during press conferences held during the Festival of Cannes (May, 17). The two events, increasingly positioned as international showcases for cinema and television, will bring together major Hollywood talent, European auteurs, TV stars, industry executives and emerging filmmakers across Sardinia and Sicily.

The 9th edition of the Filming Italy Sardegna Festival will run from June 25–28 in Cagliari and Forte Village, with additional screenings for students beginning June 18 at Notorious Cinemas Cagliari. Over the years, the festival has distinguished itself through its hybrid focus on both film and television, combining premieres, industry panels, masterclasses and screenings involving theatrical distributors, television networks and global streaming platforms.

Among the headline guests announced for Sardinia is legendary actor Harvey Keitel, who will serve as honorary president of the festival. Rocca described his participation as a major milestone for the event, underlining his iconic collaborations with some of the most influential directors in world cinema.
Italian actress and director Micaela Ramazzotti has been named festival ambassador, while singer and actress Clara will serve as the event’s godmother. Clara, who rose to mainstream popularity through both the Sanremo stage and the hit series Mare Fuori, reflects the festival’s ongoing strategy of connecting younger audiences with the audiovisual industry.

The festival’s short film jury will be chaired by César-winning French actress Elsa Zylberstein and will include James Franco, Samuel Arnold, Rosa Diletta Rossi and Ilenia Pastorelli. More than 50 titles — including films, documentaries and TV series — are expected to screen during the festival, many of them world or Italian premieres.
The event will also continue its educational initiatives through the “Filming Italy – In Corto” section, developed in collaboration with the University of Cagliari. Selected short films will later air on Rai Cinema Channel and MyMovies and will also be showcased in the United States during Filming Italy – Los Angeles.
Among the first confirmed guests are American actress Katherine McNamara, known for series such as Shadowhunters and Arrow, and Italian actress Sveva Alviti, who will present Other Side of Fame, a romantic drama set against the backdrop of the Cannes Film Festival.
The Sardinian festival will once again emphasize industry networking, with panels dedicated to the future of Italian cinema and audiovisual production featuring executives from Rai Cinema, Fremantle Italy, Medusa, Cinecittà and Rai Fiction.

Meanwhile, the 72nd edition of the Taormina Film Festival will take place June 10–14, 2026 at the iconic Teatro Antico in Sicily. Rocca presented the upcoming edition as a bridge between auteur cinema and mainstream audiences, with a strong emphasis on international dialogue and female creative voices.
Academy Award winner Helen Mirren will receive the Taormina Film Festival Achievement Award during a special evening dedicated to the legacy of Anna Magnani. The event will include a restored screening of Luchino Visconti’s Bellissima marking the film’s 75th anniversary.

Italian actress Anna Valle has been chosen as the festival’s godmother, while the international feature film jury will be chaired by Oscar-winning filmmaker Jane Campion. The jury also includes Oscar-winning actress Holly Hunter, costume designer Miyako Bellizzi, casting director Francine Maisler, filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr., Amazon MGM Studios executive Sue Kroll and Italian actor-director Pietro Castellitto.
Taormina’s 2026 program will feature four competitive and non-competitive sections, including a new short film competition dedicated to productions shot in Sicily. The lineup will span multiple genres and international productions, reinforcing the festival’s ambition to strengthen its global profile.

One of the first announced gala titles is Bear Country by Derrick Borte, starring Russell Crowe, Luke Evans, Teresa Palmer, Nina Dobrev and Aaron Paul. The film will screen as a special event at the Teatro Antico.
The festival will also host the documentary series The Struggle for Mother Water by Michael Zelniker, focusing on the global water crisis and the role of women activists worldwide. Additional panels will explore female leadership in the audiovisual industry, bringing together Jane Campion, Holly Hunter, Sue Kroll, Francine Maisler and other prominent international figures.