Giornate degli Autori 2025: Cinema as Memory, Rebellion and Humanity

August 27 to September 6, 2025: The 22nd edition of Giornate degli Autori presents a daring, poetic, and politically charged selection of 10 competition films, 5 special events, a closing film, and 9 Italian titles in the Notti Veneziane. All are world premieres, all are stories that reflect a need to tell the truth of our times.

Under the guidance of Artistic Director Gaia Furrer, the lineup is a mosaic of voices and visions, spanning from Kenya to Iran, Lebanon, Mexico, Russia, and Italy. It’s a journey through collective memory, personal truth, and youthful rebellion.

Themes: Memory, Identity, Rebellion

“Love becomes an act of rebellion, memory a political gesture, and youth a time of truth,” says Furrer. From stories of exile and grief to tales of rediscovery and defiance, this year’s selection is rich in human complexity.

Opening the festival is “Memory” by Vladlena Sandu, a searing portrait of childhood and trauma. The closing film, “Come ti muovi, sbagli” by Gianni Di Gregorio, is a tender comedy starring Greta Scarano and the director himself.

Films in Competition

Some of the standout entries include:

• Past Future Continuous (Iran) by Khosrovani & Ahmadvand

• A Sad and Beautiful World (Lebanon) by Cyril Aris

• La Gioia (Italy) by Nicolangelo Gelormini with Valeria Golino and Jasmine Trinca

• Short Summer (Russia/Germany) by Nastia Korkia

• Memory of Princess Mumbi (Kenya) by Damien Hauser

• Inside Amir (Iran) by Amir Azizi

• Vainilla (Mexico) by Mayra Hermosillo

• Bearcave (Greece) by Papadakis & Dinopoulos

• Last Night I Conquered the City of Thebes (Spain) by Gabriel Azorín

Side Events and Notti Veneziane

Special screenings outside competition include:

• Writing Life by Claire Simon (about Annie Ernaux)

• Who Is Still Alive by Nicolas Wadimoff

• Il quieto vivere by Gianluca Matarrese

• Do You Love Me by Lana Daher

• In Laguna by Sharunas Bartas

The Notti Veneziane section features major Italian actresses, including Miriam Leone, Donatella Finocchiaro, Greta Scarano, and Geppi Cucciari.

2025 Poster by Pax Paloscia

Artist Pax Paloscia designs this year’s festival poster. A young girl holding a torch stands in the desert alongside a statue of Eirene, the Greek goddess of peace—a surreal and defiant image that symbolizes youth, transformation, and hope.

2025 Jury

Presided over by Dag Johan Haugerud (Berlinale Golden Bear 2025), the international jury includes:

• Francesca Andreoli (Italy, producer)

• Josh Siegel (USA, MoMA curator)

• Lina Soualem (France/Palestine, filmmaker)

• Sofian El Fani (Tunisia, cinematographer)

They will award the GdA Director’s Award (€20,000), while the Audience Award and Europa Cinemas Label will also highlight standout films.

The Casa degli Autori

The Casa degli Autori and Sala Laguna are the beating heart of the festival, hosting debates, talks, premieres, and art exhibitions – including “Sandro Symeoni: Painting Cinema” and panels on inclusion, storytelling, and film education.