RRome, 4 June. (askanews) – Russell Crowe, Helen Mirren, Jane Campion, Holly Hunter, Clive Owen, Scott Eastwood; and also Giancarlo Giannini, Franco Nero, Michele Placido, Can Yaman, Serena Brancale, Levante, Miriam Leone, Arisa and many others. Many stars are expected at the Taormina Film Festival, from 10 to 14 June.
The films in competition at the Taormina Film Festival, from 10 to 14 June 2026
The Italian preview of the first episode of the new season of the series opens House of the Dragon. This year nine films in the International Feature Film Competition, with Italian Small miracle by Guido Chiesa with Marco D’Amore and Greta Scarano; 11 films in the Short Film Competition – Sguardi di Sicilia, 10 titles Out of Competition and 9 special events.
The artistic director Tiziana Rocca, presenting the 72nd edition at the headquarters of the Foreign Press in Rome, explained: «It will be a rich parterre, as always, of Italian guests and international guests.
A festival for everyone, a festival where kids will be very involved, I brought back the Youth Campus, as it was when I was director many years ago, therefore with many young people who will arrive, two young juries created, one from Anec Sicilia and one Arca Enel, which will also judge the public’s favorite film, the public’s favorite Italian film. So they will vote for all the films they see at the festival.
Tiziana Rocca: «The young protagonists: with cinema we will disconnect them from their cell phones»
It is very important because young people will experience emotions, we try to disconnect them from their cell phones, to experience a real, real emotion, with many conversations that are all dedicated to them, because the talents truly give themselves generously and try to make young people understand that if they have a passion and if they have a goal they can pursue it and they must have faith. I remember last year the conversation with Martin Scorsese lasting an hour and a half, they came away truly regenerated, because in any case it was less social and more of a festival where the human being and children, above all, are at the centre. Young people are generations of directors, of actors of the future,” said Rocca.
Space for women, starting with the jurors Jane Campion and Holly Hunter
Ample space also in this edition for women, starting with the Oscar jurors Jane Campion and Holly Hunter: “Being a female festival director, one of the rare festival directors, I certainly have a keen eye on the world of cinema by women directors, excellent women actresses and I try to valorise them within the festival. This year too we have the women’s panel, which will be on 11 June, with some extraordinary women.
In addition to the entire jury, also many other guests, I thank Francesca Archibugi, I thank Fernando Torres, I thank Clotilde Courau, I thank Romana Maggiore Vergano, Donatella Finocchiaro, who will be present at this panel of women, who are ‘Women beyond the gaze’, this is the title, because we always try to have a point of the situation, also given that it is in this difficult moment that we are experiencing, I think that women can always give a look, an innovative point of view and also of hope and peace”, concluded Tiziana Rock.
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