by InTrieste
The Friuli Venezia Giulia region will once again be represented at the Venice International Film Festival, with three titles supported by the FVG Film Commission – PromoTurismoFVG included in this year’s lineup. The 82nd edition of the festival, running from August 27 to September 6, will feature two feature films and one short, each highlighting the landscapes, communities, and stories of the region.
The selections include Un anno di scuola by Laura Samani, competing in the Orizzonti section; La valle dei sorrisi by Paolo Strippoli, screening out of competition; and Confini, canti by Simone Massi, presented as the closing special event of the SIC@SIC program.
Regional officials view the inclusion as a sign of the growing importance of Friuli Venezia Giulia as a hub for both Italian and international productions. “This significant presence is no coincidence but confirms, edition after edition, the centrality of Friuli Venezia Giulia for cinematic productions,” said Sergio Emidio Bini, the regional councillor for economic activities and tourism. He emphasized the region’s investment in film, citing a doubling of funding in the past three years, with the dual goal of supporting the arts and promoting the territory as a tourist destination.
Samani’s Un anno di scuola (August 31, Sala Darsena) takes inspiration from a novel by Triestine writer Giani Stuparich. Set in Trieste in 2007, the year Slovenia entered the Schengen Area, it follows Fred, an 18-year-old Swedish student who joins an all-boys class. Filmed at the Nautical Institute “Tomaso di Savoia Duca di Genova – L. Galvani” and across locations in Trieste and nearby Muggia, the project also involved local students as part of a training program. The film is produced by Nefertiti Film with Rai Cinema, in co-production with Tomsa Films and Arte France Cinéma, and will be distributed in Italy by Lucky Red.
Strippoli’s La valle dei sorrisi (August 30, midnight screening) is a psychological thriller set in the fictional Alpine village of Remis, where a teenager is believed to have the ability to absorb the community’s pain. Shot across the mountain towns of Pontebba, Tarvisio, Malborghetto, Valbruna, and Sappada, the film engaged more than 20 local crew members and 500 extras. The cast includes Michele Riondino, Paolo Pierobon, and Romana Maggiora Vergano. Produced by Fandango and Nightswim in co-production with Spok, it will be released in Italy on September 17 by Vision Distribution.
Massi’s animated short Confini, canti (September 5) will be shown at the Transalpina Square in Gorizia as part of the cross-border cultural program leading up to GO! 2025, when Gorizia and Nova Gorica will serve as European Capital of Culture. Produced by Rumore Srl, the work is included in the “Corti senza Confine” project, which highlights the shared history and culture of the border region.
Beyond screenings, the FVG Film Commission – PromoTurismoFVG will organize networking sessions and industry meetings during the festival, aiming to strengthen ties with filmmakers and attract future productions to the region.
