The Italian Cultural Institute of Sydney is proud to renew its collaboration with the Sydney Film Festival, now in its 72nd edition and widely regarded as Australia’s premier international film event. Running from 4 to 15 June 2025, the Festival showcases over 200 films from around the globe across venues including the iconic State Theatre, as well as cinemas in the CBD, Newtown, Randwick, Leichhardt, Cremorne and beyond.
Our Institute continues its longstanding commitment to promoting Italian cinema on the global stage by supporting the inclusion of two outstanding Italian titles in this year’s official selection. We are particularly proud to support the participation of emerging Italian filmmakers, whose works reflect the vitality and diversity of contemporary Italian storytelling.
Ciao Bambino – Directed by Edgardo Pistone
An award-winning debut feature set in the gritty outskirts of Naples, Ciao Bambino follows a teenage boy navigating the criminal underworld while forging a fragile bond with a Ukrainian sex worker. Shot in striking black and white, this poetic and powerful film evokes the spirit of Fellini and Pasolini, and has already earned recognition at the Rome and Tallinn Black Nights Film Festivals.
Reserve your ticket HERE
Nineteen (Diciannove) – Directed by Giovanni Tortorici
Produced by Luca Guadagnino, Nineteen is an audacious and witty coming-of-age journey that moves between Sicily, London and Siena. The film explores the uncertainties of youth through the eyes of Leonardo, a restless literary student caught between ambition, self-doubt and the search for identity.
Reserve your ticket HERE
Through its active support of Italian films and filmmakers, the Italian Cultural Institute continues to foster international cultural exchange and contribute to the global dialogue that cinema inspires.