by Nina Vaclavikova
The 10th edition of the festival will conclude on Sept. 12 with award-winning films, filmmaker talks and a public skate contest
Trieste will become the final stop of Italy’s 10th Skate & Surf Film Festival on Saturday, Sept. 12, bringing together independent cinema, skateboarding and surfing culture for a day of free screenings and community events at the city’s recently restored Cinema Ariston.
The program, presented Wednesday at Trieste City Hall, was introduced by Deputy Mayor Serena Tonel, filmmaker Enrico Cerovac, and Luca Luisa of the cultural association La Cappella Underground, which is co-organizing the event alongside the Municipality of Trieste and Onde Nostre.
Now in its 10th year, the festival has grown into Italy’s leading event dedicated to skate and surf culture, blending film, photography, art and sport. After previous stops in Milan and elsewhere, this year’s tour concludes in Trieste, a city organizers say has deep historical ties to the Italian skateboarding scene.
Tonel described the festival as a meeting point between culture and sport, saying it offers an opportunity to engage younger audiences while creating spaces for social interaction and artistic exchange.
For La Cappella Underground, the event also reflects the evolving role of Cinema Ariston. Since reopening, the venue has sought to become a multidisciplinary cultural hub capable of hosting both independent cinema and contemporary community events, Luisa said.
Cerovac, a Trieste native who has collaborated with the festival for nearly a decade, said the decision to end the tour in his hometown was intentional. Beyond its sporting heritage, he said, Trieste provides a setting where cinema and photography can tell stories that extend beyond athletic performance and explore the broader identities of skate and surf communities.
Films and events
The festival begins at 2:30 p.m. with opening remarks before a series of award-winning screenings:
- 2:50 p.m. — Raw Dogs by Luca Coccimiglio receives an honorary mention for its portrayal of young people transforming an abandoned building into a creative social space.
- 3:00 p.m. — You Should Have Been Here Yesterday, directed by Australian filmmaker Jolyon Hoff, explores the origins of surf culture in Australia during the 1960s and 1970s.
- 4:35 p.m. — Unsung – Beyond the Board by Thomas Liddell examines the relationships and passions within the skateboarding community.
- 5:40 p.m. — The independent short Pelino – Sugzwand premieres, followed by No Place Like Home: The Story of Milano Centrale Skate Plaza, winner of the festival’s Grand Jury Prize.
Throughout the afternoon, audiences will have opportunities to meet filmmakers and participate in informal discussions. An awards ceremony is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.
The celebration then moves outdoors, where a temporary skate area beside Cinema Ariston will host the SSFF Skate Contest beginning at 7 p.m., accompanied by a DJ set that closes the evening.
Admission to all screenings and activities is free, subject to venue capacity.
