Italian Film Festival returns, with Carlton’s Cinema Nova among key Melbourne venues

Carlton will once again be at the heart of Melbourne’s Italian cultural celebrations this spring when the ST. ALi Italian Film Festival returns to Cinema Nova in September.

Running from September 19 to October 16, the festival is the largest celebration of Italian film outside Italy, screening across the country with Melbourne audiences able to experience the program at Cinema Nova alongside other Palace venues including The Astor Theatre, Palace Westgarth and The Kino.

Cinema Nova has long been a hub for Melbourne’s international film culture, and festival organisers say the Carlton venue will be a cornerstone of this year’s showcase of contemporary Italian cinema.

The festival will open with Somebody to Love (FolleMente), a romantic comedy from acclaimed filmmaker Paolo Genovese. Starring Edoardo Leo, Pilar Fogliati and Vittoria Puccini. The film has been a box office hit in Italy and explores the insecurities of a modern couple navigating their first date.

Also highlighted in this year’s early announcements is Diamonds (Diamanti), Ferzan Özpetek’s female-led drama set in 1970s Rome. Starring Luisa Ranieri and Jasmine Trinca as sisters running a couture costume house, the film celebrates the artistry of Italian seamstresses while delving into themes of love, family and ambition.

A major drawcard will be The Mountain Bride – Vermiglio (Vermiglio), winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2024 Venice Film Festival. Directed by Maura Delpero, it paints an intimate portrait of a family caught between tradition and modernity in the final year of WWII.

Other early highlights include The Boy with Pink Trousers (Il ragazzo dai pantaloni rosa), based on Italy’s first widely publicised case of online bullying, and The Illusion (L’Abbaglio), a reimagining of Giuseppe Garibaldi’s 1860 campaign starring comic duo Ficarra & Picone alongside Toni Servillo. Audiences can also look forward to comedy When Mum is Away … With the In-Laws (10 Giorni con I suoi), continuing the adventures of the Rovelli family in Puglia.

With its mix of comedies, dramas and historical tales, the 2025 program promises something for all lovers of Italian culture.

For Carlton locals, Cinema Nova offers the chance to experience these stories in the heart of Melbourne’s own “Little Italy.”

The full program will be announced in late August, with tickets available soon at italianfilmfestival.com.au •