Industry

The 78th Prix Italia will take place in L’Aquila from September 28 to October 2, 2026, bringing together an increasingly international line-up of finalists across Radio & Podcast, Television and Digital.

This year’s competition received 226 programmes from 52 countries, with 19 broadcasters from 17 countries reaching the final stage. The 2026 edition also marks the first finalist appearance for five broadcasters: RTP Portugal, SRR Romania, LRT Lithuania, NACB South Korea and Sky Italia.

The selection reflects a broad mix of cultures, creative approaches and storytelling traditions, while underlining how established broadcasters are adapting to a rapidly changing media environment, experimenting with new formats and redefining the role of public-service media.

Among the most notable Italian entries is Rai’s Techegram, shortlisted in the Digital Multimedia category. Hosted by Fabrizio Biggio and developed by Rai’s Digital and Transmedia Content Department, the format reworks material from the extensive Rai Archives using a contemporary language designed for younger and social-media audiences.
It will compete against projects including RTVE’s investigation into the manosphere and German broadcaster ARD’s Game Jam – Classical Edition, which brings together video-game developers and a symphony orchestra for an experimental creative marathon.

“The Prix’s strategic choice, now in place for four editions, to host face-to-face meetings open to the public has proven to be more insightful than ever,” said Prix Italia Secretary General Chiara Longo Bifano. “The presence of the finalists at the festival, to meet the judges, the public, and a large representation of students from local universities, does not limit the event to the official task of awarding a prize for quality, but transforms it into a place of encounter and exchange, where it is possible to listen to stories and learn directly from the protagonists. Creativity and excellence will come from all over the world to visit us in L’Aquila, while many of the finalist programmes will be available to the public on the RaiPlay digital platform.”

The Television competition includes several high-profile titles. Sky’s *M. Son of the Century is among the finalists in TV Drama, while France Télévisions competes with L’affaire Laura Stern, which arrives at Prix Italia following strong critical recognition and an award at the La Rochelle festival.
The Performing Arts category includes two archive-based documentaries dedicated to photographer Oliviero Toscani and German actress and singer Hildegard Knef. Also competing is LRT Lithuania’s The Sky Builder, an ambitious production combining orchestral music, contemporary dance, theatre and advanced projection technology.

In Digital Factual, the BBC is represented by James Blake’s widely discussed Men of the Manosphere.

Radio remains a major component of the competition, with European public-service broadcasters strongly represented. ARTE France returns in the documentary category and Czech Radio in music after winning their respective sections in 2025. Romanian Radio is also shortlisted in Drama with Culprits, the latest work by playwright Ilinca Stihi.

Among the Digital finalists, ARTE France’s Wednesday, a narrative video game created by award-winning designer Pierre Corbinais, is another example of how the competition is increasingly extending beyond traditional broadcasting into gaming and interactive storytelling.

The winners of the 78th Prix Italia will be announced in L’Aquila on October 2.
The event forms part of the programme for L’Aquila, Capital of Culture 2026, and is promoted and supported by the Municipality of L’Aquila and the Abruzzo Region, in collaboration with Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.