by InTrieste
The seventh edition of NanoValbruna, an international youth forum dedicated to regeneration and sustainable development, opened this week in the alpine village of Valbruna, bringing together about 50 participants from across Italy and abroad for a week of workshops, discussions and creative projects.
The festival, organized by ReGeneration Hub Friuli, runs through July 18 under the theme “Imagining to Regenerate,”encouraging participants between the ages of 18 and 35 to explore new approaches to innovation, environmental stewardship and the future of mountain communities.
Throughout the week, attendees will take part in educational programs including BAITE Award, BAITE Academy and Frame The Change, initiatives designed to foster collaboration and develop ideas aimed at promoting sustainable development both within and beyond the borders of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.
One of the festival’s central projects, Frame The Change, has brought together young filmmakers for a cinematic residency focused on the nearby Val Canale. Participants spent the opening days exploring the valley, meeting local residents, researchers and entrepreneurs to better understand the area’s cultural heritage and environmental challenges.
The program included discussions on the region’s multilingual history and borderland identity, changing forest ecosystems, the production of resonance wood used in musical instruments, and sustainable alpine farming practices. Among the featured projects was an initiative raising Tibetan goats, whose grazing helps preserve mountain grasslands while supporting ethical livestock farming.
The experiences gathered during these visits will serve as the basis for a series of short documentaries produced entirely on smartphones. The films will premiere during the festival’s closing event, with one receiving a special FMK mention that will include screening opportunities at the 2026 FMK International Short Film Festival in Pordenone later this month.
Festival organizers say the filmmaking initiative is intended to encourage participants to move beyond simply documenting landscapes by exploring the social, environmental and economic issues shaping mountain communities.
NanoValbruna will conclude on Saturday, July 18, with a public celebration at the Kile Alpine Resort in Valbruna. The program will feature guided hikes, outdoor yoga sessions, local food, artisan markets, live music, a DJ set and theatrical performances.
The festival focuses on youth engagement, innovation and the long-term future of Italy’s inland and mountain regions. It receives support from the Friuli Venezia Giulia regional government, PromoTurismoFVG, Fondazione Friuli and a range of public institutions, universities, business organizations and nonprofit partners.
