It will take place in Rome from 13 to 25 October 2026, on the same dates as the Festa del Cinema di Roma, the 24th edition of what was once described as “an autonomous and parallel section” of the Festival, which today is defined as a full-fledged festival in its own right: Alice in the City, directed as always by Fabia Bettini and Gianluca Giannelli and organized by the PlayTown Roma Cultural Association, with the support of the General Directorate Cinema of MiC, Roma Capitale, Zètema – Progetto Cultura, Regione Lazio, the Rome Chamber of Commerce, Municipio Roma I, in collaboration with the Cinema Foundation for Rome, the Music Foundation for Rome.
Today, the program for Alice was unveiled, featuring 12 Competition titles and 6 Special Screenings, plus, in the Panorama Italia lineup, 8 films contending for the Raffaella Fioretta Award for Italian Cinema and the Audience Award, 6 Special Screenings and 2 Series, and much more. This year the Cinema-Teatro Sistina will host the festival alongside the Cinema Adriano and the Quattro Fontane cinema. Among the guests at Alice will be b (in Rome to receive the Womenlands Award 2026 and to present The Accompanist, alongside director Zach Woods), Carmen Consoli and Giovanna Mezzogiorno (also recipients of the Womenlands Award 2026), and Jeremy Renner, who will headline a masterclass on the craft of acting and will receive the Alice in the City Young Jury Special Award.
Here are the festival titles.
Alice in the City: the Competition
BIG GIRLS DON’T CRY
Drama – New Zealand – 2026 – 100’
Directed by Paloma Schneideman
Cast: Ani Palmer, Noah Taylor, Rain Spencer
International Distribution: Blue Fox Entertainment
Directorial Debut
Italian Premiere
BUTTERFLY JAM
Drama – France, Germany – 2026 – 102’
Directed by Kantemir Balagov
Cast: Talha Akdogan, Barry Keoghan,
Riley Keough, Harry Melling
Italian Distribution: Europictures
Italian Premiere
EVERYTIME
Drama – Austria, Germany – 2026 – 119’
Directed by Sandra Wollner
Cast: Birgit Minichmayr, Tristán López,
Lotte Shirin Keiling, Carla Hüttermann
Italian Distribution: Wanted Cinema
Italian Premiere
EXTRA GEOGRAPHY
Drama, comedy – United Kingdom – 2026 – 94’
Directed by Molly Manners
Cast: Marni Duggan, Galaxie Clear,
Ilya Sundarsing McKaig
International distribution: Hanway Films
Directorial Debut
Italian Premiere
GABIN
Drama – France, Germany, Switzerland – 2026- 105’
Directed by Maxence Voiseux
Cast: Gabin Jourdel, Patricia Jourdel,
Dominique Jourdel
International Distribution: Lightdox
Directorial Debut
Italian Premiere
LA GRADIVA
Drama – France, Italy – 2026 – 145’
Directed by Marine Atlan
Cast: Colas Quignard, Suzanne Gerin,
Mitia Capellier, Antonia Buresi
Italian Distribution: Fandango Sales
Directorial Debut
Italian Premiere
IL CORSETTO
Animation – France – 2026 – 90’
Directed by Louis Clichy
Cast: Gary Clichy, Rod Paradot, Dimitri Colas, Aurélie Vassort
Italian Distribution: Movies Inspired
Directorial Debut
Italian Premiere
MALA BÈSTIA
Fantasy, Drama – Spain – 2026 – 94’
Directed by Bàrbara Farré
Cast: Maria Schwinning, Iria del Río, Roger Casamajor, Irene Balmes.
International Distribution: ALIEF (Alief SAS)
Directorial Debut
Italian Premiere
SELFIE – LATO B
Documentary – Italy, Switzerland – 2026 – 78’
Directed by Agostino Ferrente
Italian Distribution: ZALAB
World Premiere
THE ACCOMPANIST
Drama – United States – 2026 – 110’
Directed by Zach Woods
Cast: Susan Sarandon, Everly Carganilla, Aubrey Plaza
Italian Distribution: BIM
Directorial Debut
Italian Premiere
THE MELTDOWN
Drama – Chile, United States, Spain, Mexico – 2026 – 108’
Directed by Manuela Martelli
Cast: Maya O’Rourke, Maia Rae Domagala, Saskia Rosendahl, Jakub Gierszal
International Distribution: Losange Films
Second Feature
Italian Premiere
WE ARE ALIENS
Animation – Japan, France – 2026 – 117’
Directed by Kohei Kadowaki
Cast: Ryota Bando, Amane Okayama
International Distribution: Charades
Directorial Debut
Italian Premiere
Special Screenings
WILDWOOD – I SEGRETI DEL BOSCO PROIBITO
Stop-motion animation –
United States – 2026 – 132’
Directed by Travis Knight
Italian Distribution: NOTORIUS PICTURES
Italian Premiere
ALBERI ERRANTI
Drama – Italy – 2026 – 180’
Directed by Salvatore Mereu
Cast: Romeo Alex Perrone, Giulia Maenza, Lorenzo Richelmy, Luca Barbiero
Italian Distribution: VIACOLVENTO
Italian Premiere
LOW EXPECTATIONS
Drama – Norway, Denmark – 2026 – 105’
Directed by Elvind Landsvik
Cast: Marie Ulven, Anders Danielsen Lie, Tone Mostraum, Embla Berntsen
Italian Distribution: Wanted Cinema
Directorial Debut
Italian Premiere
LUCY LOST
Animation – France- 2026 – 85’
Directed by Olivier Clert
Cast: Charlie Rosenzweig, Zach Valentin, Quentin Faure, Keanu Peyran
Italian Distribution: Movies Inspired
Directorial Debut
Italian Premiere
LES ROCHES ROUGES
Drama – Portugal, France, Italy, Spain, Qatar- 2026 – 90’
Directed by Bruno Dumont
Cast: Kaylon Lancel, Kelsie Verdeilles, Louise Podolski, Mohamed Coly, Alessandro Piquera, Meryl Pires
International Distribution: LUXBOX FILMS
Italian Premiere
In co-produzione con la Festa del Cinema
SE DOMANI NON TORNO
Biopic – Italy – 2026 –
Directed by Paola Randi
Cast: Filippo Timi, Tecla Bossi, Sabrina Martina, Tommaso Allione
Italian Distribution: Notorius Pictures
THE INCOMER
Comedy – United Kingdom – 2026 – 102’
Directed by Louis Paxton
Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Gayle Rankin, Grant O’Rourke, Emun Elliott, Michelle Gomez
Directorial Debut
International Distribution: Universal Pictures
MAKING MARIE ANTONIETTE
Documentary – United States – 2026 – 86’
Directed by Eleanor Coppola
International distribution: Mubi
Panorama Italia Competition
IDDA
by Irene Dionisio (Drama, Italy, 2026, 93′)
Second Feature,
Cast: Tecla Insolia, Romana Maggiora Vergano, Giuseppe De Domenico
Italian Distribution: Film Club
International Premiere
È UN MONDO DIFFICILE
by Federico Mottica (Comedy, Drama, Italy, 2026, 96′) First Feature
Cast: Elena Funari, Francesco Castellaneta, Francesca Antonini, Elia Nuzzolo, Claudio Bigagli, Antonio Bannò, Jean-Malick Amara, Priscilla Benedetti
World Premiere
Production: Anemone Film
FIGLI PERDUTI
by Lorenzo Chierici (Drama, Italy, 2026, 116′)
First Feature
Cast: Matteo Oscar Giuggioli, Andrea Dodero, Alessandro Gassmann, Giaime Mula, Cissè Malich
World Premiere
Production: Ohana Production, PFA, Arearefilms
FÖA – C’era una volta il futuro
by Margherita Ferrari (Drammatico, Italia, 2026, 86′)
Italian Distribution: PiperFilm
First Feature
Cast: Gaia Ravina , Gabriele Falsetta , Clara Tramontano, Iker Urgoiti, Elena Arvigo e Fulvio Pepe
International Premiere
IL CAFFÈ
by Giulio Pettenó (Documentary, Italy, 2026, 70′)
Cast: with the participation of Isabella Ferrari with Valerij Ravagnin
with the contribution of the heirs of Gianni Berengo Gardin
World Premiere
Production: Kublai Film, Petri Film, with the support of S.A.C.R.A. Srl, Fondazione Candido Speroni and Carla Fendi Speroni ETS with the contribution of by Romanelli Family
LE RAGAZZINE STANNO PERDENDO IL CONTROLLO. LA SOCIETÀ LE TEME. LA FINE È AZZURRA
by Pierluca Di Pasquale (Comedy, Italy, 2026, 87′) First Feature
Cast: Sara Ciocca, Anita Serafini, Antonia Truppo, Barbara Chichiarelli, Valentina Cervi, Geppi Cucciari, Ema Stokholma, World Premiere
Production: Qoomoon, Ibc Movie with Rai Cinema
SENZA CHIEDERE PERMESSO
by Giacomo Mazzariol
(Drama, Italy, 2026, 94′)
First Feature
Cast: Nicole Bellisario, Aurora Giovinazzo, Milena Mancini, Giorgio Montanini, Massimiliano Motta, Fernando Vozzi, Romeo Alex Perrone, Carlotta Miti World Premiere
Italian Distribution: White Lion Media
FABULAETIEM
by Vittorio Antonacci (Documentary, Italy, 2026, 51′)
First Feature, World Premiere
Production: Lunuce Film
Special Screenings
L’ELISIR D’AMORE
(World premiere)
Comedy– Italy – 2026 – 78’
Directed by Andrea Brusa
Cast: Ambrogio Maestri, Andrea Brusa
Production: Nieminen Film, OKI DOKI FILM – Second Feature
PARLA CON ME
(World premiere)
Documentary – Italy – 2026 – 61’
Directed by Sophie Chiarello,
Cast: Ippolito Chiarello and Francesco Carlà, Tommaso Centonze, Giada Colucci, Adam De Oronzo, Cristiano Gaetani, Lorenzo Gnoni, Cheryl Grasso, Rayane Matteo Jendoubi, Carolina Longo, Caterina Mele, Benedetta Monaco, Olga Moscara, Greta Pagliara, Ginevra Quaranta, Sofia Virgulto
Italian Distribution: Eutopia
SE AMI QUALCUNO DILLO
Comedy, Drama – Italy – 2026 – 112’
Directed by Marco Bonini
Cast: Edoardo Leo, Claudia Gerini, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Thomas Trabacchi, Biagio Venditti, Clemente Pernarella, Daniela Virgilio, Luisa De Santis, Pietro De Silva, Antonia Di Francesco
Italian Distribution: Vision Distribution – World premiere, First Feature
UN ALTRO GIORNO INSIEME
Comedy, Drama – Italy – 2026 – 89’
Directed by Alessandro Guida
Cast: Margherita Buoncristiani, Francesco Zenga, Ludovica Martino, Alessio Lapice, Carmine Recano
Production: Groenlandia
World premiere
CARMELO – DALLA PORTA DI DOZIER ALLA PORTA DEL NOTORIOUS
(World premiere)
Directed by Corrado Rizza, Documentary – Italy – 2026 – 55’
Cast: Carmelo Di Ianni, Giovanni Bianconi, Bruno Bilotta, Antonio Flamini, Adriano Giannini, Serena Grandi, Veronica Iannozzi, Umberto Marzotto, Manuela Moreno
Production: MAD 7 S.r.l.
Series
UNA PICCOLA FORMALITA’
Directed by Davide Marengo – Italy – 2026 – 110’
Cast: Pilar Fogliati, Lorenzo Richelmy, Stefano Rossi Giordani, Alessio Boni, Carlotta Natoli, Alice Bortolani, Alessandro Lui Distribution: Rai Spa
STRADE MAESTRE La scuola in macchina
Italy – 2026 – 6 episodes of about 30’ each
Directed by Marco Leopardi, Marco Allegrezza, Sabrina Scansani
Cast: Giole Pirozzi, Anna Scaramucci, Aron Mazzoni Moretto, Lisa Sofia De Heer, Edoardo Menegon, Ariele Nocentini, Lolevia Trevers, Neri Tacconi
Production: Stremal Entertainment in collaboration with Rai Fiction
Disney Special Event
HEXE: IL REGNO DELLE STREGHE
Off-Site Special Screenings
CALCINACCI (extended version)
Bittersweet comedy – Italy – 2026 – 35’
Directed by Lorenzo Silvestri, Andrea Santaterra, Filiberto Signorello
Cast: Filippo Uttinacci – Pietro Sermonti – Francesco Montanari – Franco 126 – Brando Pacitto Giovanni Nasta – Pietro Paroletti – Tutti Fenomeni – Elena Funari – Adriano Achille Cesaroni
Production ANEMOS Srl
Associated production MACISTE DISCHI
World Premiere
LA PROMESSA DI PATRIZIO
Biographical – Italy – 2026 – 104’
Directed by Simona Ruggeri
Cast: Ciro Minopoli, Antonia Truppo, Fortunato Cerlino, Azzurra Mennella, Maria Luisa Addezio, Erasmo Genzini, Luigi Zeno, friendly participation of Patrizio Oliva
Italian Distribution: Rai – Radiotelevisione italiana Spa
World Premiere
LOL HALLOWEEN SPECIAL
Comedy Show – Italy – 2026 – 60’
Cast: Maccio Capatonda, Katia Follesa, Lucia Ocone, Herbert Ballerina, Brenda Lodigiani, Andrea Pisani, Gialappa’s Band, Lillo Petrolo
Italian Distribution: Prime Video
STUCKY – 2^ STAGIONE
Crime – Italy – 2026 – 75’
Directed by Ivano De Matteo
Cast: Giuseppe Battiston, Barbora Bobulova, Diego Ribon, Alessio Praticò e Laura Cravedi. (Episode leads: Matteo Cremon, Maria Roveran, Anastasia Busetto)
Italian Distribution: Rai – Radiotelevisione italiana Spa
FAMILY BLEND
Mini-series – USA
Directed by Francesca Scorsese
Cast: Martin Scorsese, Francesca Scorsese, Jason Biggs, Adrien Brody
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