Italian Film Festival 2026

The ST. ALi Italian Film Festival returns to Palace Cinemas Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Windsor Cinema and Luna on SX from 24 September to 18 October with a programme of 33 films. We kicked it off with a delightful preview of Sweetheart at Luna Palace Cinemas on 7th August 2026.

Sweetheart (Gioia mia)

Margherita Spampinato’s debut feature film is full of heart. Terence and I adored this endearing coming of age sojourn into Sicily. Young, bewildered, cosmopolitan Nico is sent to stay with his “Aunt” Gela in her beautiful provincial home for the summer. It’s a system shock: no wifi, a constant jury of scrutinising neighbours and their mean offspring, not to forget the ghost upstairs haunting the place. This film is touching and frequently funny, especially with the banter between Nico and Gela. Despite the unfamiliarity of this sun-kissed secretive town, the universal sentiments of the characters bridge their differences, observing heartbreak has no age restrictions and that life can be very unfair indeed.

FSN Points: 9/10

Runtime: 92 minutes
WINNER Best Actress, Best New Director, David di Donatello Awards 2026
WINNER Special Jury Prize CINÉ+, Pardo for Best Performance, Locarno Film Festival 2025
WINNER BNL BNP Paribas Special Award, Nastro d’Argento Awards 2026
Starring Aurora Quattrocchi, Marco Fiore, Martina Ziami, Camille Dugay

A Brief Affair (Breve Storia d’Amor)

This is the directorial feature film debut by critically acclaimed Ludovica Rampoldi. A smart, classy, foreboding watch. I enjoyed this one very much. Stellar, compelling acting by Pilar Fogliati (Somebody to Love IFF25), Adriano Giannini (Family Matters IFF24), and Valeria Golino (Fuori IFF25) ties together all the dark and comedic elements nicely.

After a chance encounter, Lea (Fogliati) and Rocco (Giannini) engage in an extramatrimonial relationship while attempting to keep it secret. Rocco seeks to keep it secret from his indifferent wife and casual, but Lea keeps inserting herself into his life.

There’s powerful visual metaphors that aren’t so on the nose you feel as if the film is holding your hand through the story but rather giving you a validating nod and wink to signify that yes indeed, there IS nowhere for bruised and battered Rocco to hide under the harsh lights of his favourite bar as he contemplates infidelity and yes the walls ARE closing in around Lea in her desparately lonely isolation with a narcissistic child for a husband who is almost certainly cheating on her while playing the part of the perfect partner and dad as far as everyone else can see. A dead fish and a horde of ants are also, naturally, brimming with meaning.

FSN Points: 8/10

Runtime: 98 minutes
NOMINEE Best Supporting Actress, Best New Director, David di Donatello Awards 2026
NOMINEE Best New Director, Best Production Design, Nastro d’Argento Awards 2026
OFFICIAL SELECTION Rome Film Fest 2025

Life is Life

Never thought I’d be jealous of cows on a pristine white sandy beach being serenaded by an octogenarian but here we are.

Based on a true story at the turn of the century.

Plans for a so called ecofriendly tourist resort development pour concrete on the freedoms and tradition of a gruff octogenarian Sardianian. Despite increasingly obscene offers of unprecedented wealth, he refuses to give up his land.

With a storyline like that, coupled with my deep love for our Aussie classic The Castle, I thought we were onto a winner. Not so. I reached the halfway mark and found myself exclaiming “how is it still going?!”

Much more dialogue from the main characters, Efisio and the president of the Milan developers (who looks like a stylish defeated Father Christmas) is needed, virtually none of the spoken dialogue exceeded two minutes or raised new pertinent points, save for some legally shaky manoeuvres and a fiery outburst from Efisio’s daughter at the sight of historic trees being felled. Consequently, this film feels repetive. It’s overlong and could have easily been shortened.

Dialogue implies that the lifestyle is hard but we don’t see evidence of that beyond a declining village mainstreet and grumbling underemployed locals. The weather always seems pristine, and yet while they’re on a southern beach with a partially west facing sunset, they don’t think to show it. What a wasted opportunity.

The score does not help. I’m still not a fan of harmonicas regardless of the coordinated credits scene. Too slapstick. Perhaps the Launeddas (local Sardianian 19th century reed flute variant) would have been more appropriate and certainly unique.

The evolving Milan landscape with vanishing fog seems a recurring motif outside the unchanging boardroom over several years, save for hairstyles.

It seems low budget, likely only shot during two times of day for two thirds of the film: at night and noon, which is when the greatest procession of extras poured in. Perhaps they paid too much to get the archibishop onscreen (wink!).

Fun fact: the 4 day Festival of Saint Efisio is real, a Christian matyred by the Romans who rid Sardiania of plague (and greedy developers?). It has a proud, remarkable history notably distinct from mainland Italy. Sardiania also has the largest knife in the world on display at a local museum, apparently all Sardianians traditionally carried one and soon to be husbands would bestow one to their fiancées! Explains plenty about the movie. Tourists, beware!

FSN Points: 6/10

Runtime: 118 minutes
WINNER Best Comedy, Nastro d’Argento Awards 2026
NOMINEE Best Score, Nastro d’Argento Awards 2026
OFFICIAL SELECTION Rome Film Fest 2025

The Greater Good (Il Bene Comune)

“Why are they all in art prison?”, Terence complains more than once. Why aren’t there armed guards? Who would task these kind of risks just to go see a tree? What’s with the random church musical interludes? Most importantly, why did they have to end it like that?!

Four female prisoners are permitted to leave the confines of their prison to embark on a journey of self discovery and companionship. All learn more about themselves, and each other, along the way. And for some reason, their destination is a pine tree.

Compelling and moving stories of all the main characters. I felt righteous anger at all the right times as the women navigate violence, sexism, discrimination, and more. Putting the darkness aside, the dynamics between the characters and earnestness counterbalances the film. There’s plenty of scenes that got a great laugh out of me. The sweeping scenery of hills and forest in Pollino National Park, over the regions of Calabria and Basilicata, is wonderful as a backdrop to the decently paced plot.