The Italian Cultural Institute Sydney proudly continues its collaboration with Cinema Italiano Festival New Zealand for the sixth consecutive year. Running from 28 April 2026 to 20 January 2027, the festival offers audiences across the country a unique window into contemporary Italian cinema.
As part of the 2026 program, the Italian Cultural Institute in Sydney will promote and support two unmissable documentaries on two key figures of contemporary Italian culture:
“Ennio” (2021), directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, is a powerful tribute to the legendary composer Ennio Morricone. Through interviews, archival footage and unforgettable film moments, the documentary celebrates a musical genius whose scores have shaped the history of cinema. From his groundbreaking collaborations with Sergio Leone to a career spanning over 400 films, Morricone’s legacy continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.
“Umberto Eco – A Library of the World” (2022) by Davide Ferrario offers an intimate portrait of one of Italy’s greatest intellectuals, Umberto Eco. Blending archival material with reflections from family and scholars, the film explores Eco’s extraordinary personal library – home to over 30,000 volumes – and reveals the curiosity, wit and boundless intellect that defined his life and work. A captivating journey into the mind of a thinker who saw libraries as the collective memory of humanity.
Cinema Italiano Festival New Zealand
Now in its 11th edition, the festival, founded by passionate cinephiles Paolo Rotondo and Renee Mark, has grown from a single-city initiative into a nationwide event, reaching audiences from Auckland to Wellington and beyond. Its distinctive format spans seven months and over 1,000 screenings across 20 cinemas, making Italian cinema widely accessible throughout Aotearoa.
Paolo Rotondo is a New Zealand-based director, writer and actor, born in Naples and raised between Italy and New Zealand. He is widely known for his role in Shortland Street and for his acclaimed debut film Orphans & Kingdoms (2016).
Renee Mark, of Māori descent (Ngāti Tahu–Ngāti Whaoa), is a cultural leader and former managing director of the Māori Film Commission. With a background in law and the arts, she has played a key role in supporting screen initiatives in New Zealand.
Together they founded the Cinema Italiano Festival in 2016.
For further information and bookings, please visit: www.italianfilmfestivalnz.com