NOAM Faenza Film Festival 2026, Italy

• November 11, 2026
  Event date:
• November 15, 2026
  Event end:

What to expect in 2026

NOAM Faenza Film Festival returns to Faenza for its fourth edition from November 11–15, 2026. The festival is dedicated to North American cinema and culture, with a particular focus on independent filmmaking from the United States, Canada and Mexico. The 2026 edition introduces a new Country in Focus format, with Mexico selected as the featured country for a deeper exploration of its contemporary cinema.

The programme will combine competitive feature films, short-film competitions, classics, special screenings, retrospectives, previews, talks, masterclasses and cultural events. The festival’s established sections include NOAM Concorso, NOAM Extra, NOAM Classic, NOAM Special, NOAM Anteprima and the short-film competitions NOAM Lab and NOAM Youth.

A major focus of the 2026 edition will be Mexican cinema, supported by the presence of director and screenwriter Alonso Ruizpalacios, who will receive the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award and take part in a complete retrospective and masterclass.

Festival dates

NOAM Faenza Film Festival 2026 will take place from November 11–15, 2026, in Faenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The official announcement confirms the five-day festival period and describes a programme of screenings, premieres, masterclasses and meetings with directors and artists.

The festival is organised by Filmeeting APS, with Andrea Valmori as Artistic Director, Gian Marco Magnani as Organisational Director and Marco Lovisato responsible for programming.

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Venues & festival locations

NOAM uses several cultural and cinema venues across Faenza. Previous festival editions have centred on Cinema Europa, Cinema Italia, Cinema Sarti, MEET NOAM at the Galleria Comunale d’Arte della Molinella and Biblioteca Manfrediana.

The main locations include:

• Cinema Europa — Via Sant’Antonino, 2
• Cinema Italia — Via Pier Maria Cavina, 3
• Cinema Sarti — Via Cesare Scaletta, 10
• MEET NOAM Molinella — Galleria Comunale d’Arte della Molinella, Voltone della Molinella, 2
• Biblioteca Manfrediana — Via Manfredi, 14
• Giradischi Club — Viale Baccarini, 27

The exact distribution of 2026 screenings and events between the venues will be confirmed through the festival programme.

Full programme

The 2026 programme is structured around several complementary sections covering contemporary independent cinema, North American classics, special presentations and emerging filmmakers.

• NOAM Concorso — feature-film competition highlighting new North American voices
• NOAM Extra — selected films outside the main competition
• NOAM Classic — important films from North American cinema history
• NOAM Special — retrospectives, tributes and the Lifetime Achievement Award programme
• NOAM Anteprima — preview screenings and related presentations
• NOAM Lab — short-film competition focused on experimentation and cinematic language
• NOAM Youth — youth-oriented short-film programming
• Country in Focus: Mexico — a dedicated exploration of Mexican cinema and culture
• Masterclasses and talks — conversations with filmmakers and industry guests
• Special events and cultural activities — meetings, exhibitions and festival gatherings

The official festival has confirmed Mexico as the first Country in Focus and has announced a substantial retrospective dedicated to Alonso Ruizpalacios.

Featured films & premieres

The 2026 programme will give particular attention to Mexican cinema alongside productions from the United States and Canada. The festival’s feature competition is designed around contemporary independent cinema, while NOAM Extra and NOAM Special provide additional space for notable films and retrospectives.

The Alonso Ruizpalacios retrospective will cover his feature-film career from Güeros through La cocina (Aragoste a Manhattan). His films include Güeros, Museo, Una película de policías and La cocina, providing audiences with a broad view of his development as a filmmaker.

The festival also maintains a strong tradition of Italian premieres and international premieres. Exact 2026 competition titles and premiere designations should be checked against the final programme when released.

Directors, actors & guests

The confirmed major guest for 2026 is Mexican filmmaker and screenwriter Alonso Ruizpalacios, who will receive the NOAM Lifetime Achievement Award. His participation includes a complete retrospective, a dedicated masterclass and the award ceremony.

Ruizpalacios is known for films including Güeros, Museo, Una película de policías and La cocina. His work has been recognised at major international festivals, including the Berlinale, where he received the Best First Feature award for Güeros and the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay for Museo.

Additional directors, actors, critics, journalists and cinema professionals are expected to participate through screenings, introductions, Q&A sessions, talks and masterclasses. The complete guest list will depend on the final festival programme.

Screening schedule

The 2026 screening schedule will cover the main competition, special presentations, classics, Mexican cinema, short-film competitions and preview events.

The programme is expected to distribute screenings across Faenza’s participating cinemas, with accompanying introductions, discussions and special guest appearances. NOAM’s previous editions have used afternoon and evening screening blocks alongside daytime educational and professional activities.

Visitors should check the official schedule before attending because individual film times, venues, guest appearances and Q&A arrangements can change during the festival.

Ticket types & accreditation

The 2026 public ticket prices have not yet been published. As a previous-edition reference, NOAM 2025 charged approximately $9.95 for a full-price evening screening and approximately $8.19 for reduced admission, based on the published previous-edition prices. Afternoon and late-night screenings were approximately $8.78 full price and $7.02 reduced.

The previous festival accreditation cost approximately $46.80 full price or $40.95 reduced. Accreditation provided access to screenings and festival events, together with a festival tote bag and a complimentary drink at MEET NOAM.

Previous reduced rates applied to categories including Filmeeting APS members, under-30s, over-65s and eligible legal categories, while a Green reduction was available for visitors travelling to the festival by train or bus. The 2026 conditions should be confirmed when the new ticketing information is published.

Industry & professional access

NOAM has expanded its professional dimension through NOAM Next, a new industry initiative focused on training, networking and professional relationships within independent audiovisual production. The project is aimed at producers, directors, distributors, cultural operators, students and young professionals.

The wider festival programme also creates opportunities to meet filmmakers, critics, cultural professionals and other members of the audiovisual sector through masterclasses, talks, Q&A sessions and networking activities.

Press accreditation is available through the festival’s press office. Journalists can contact the organisers to request accreditation and access information.

Red carpet & special events

NOAM focuses on independent cinema rather than a conventional celebrity red-carpet format. Its special events include filmmaker meetings, retrospectives, talks, masterclasses, cultural presentations and festival social events.

The 2026 Lifetime Achievement programme dedicated to Alonso Ruizpalacios is expected to be one of the central special-event strands. His retrospective will culminate in a masterclass and award ceremony during the festival.

Previous editions have also included exhibitions, podcast recordings, live events and a NOAM Party, demonstrating the festival’s broader cultural programme beyond cinema screenings.

Festival rules

NOAM’s competition structure includes a feature-film competition and short-film competitions. The festival’s feature section is dedicated to North American independent cinema, while NOAM Lab and NOAM Youth provide platforms for short films and emerging filmmakers.

For the 2026 submission cycle, FilmFreeway information lists NOAM Lab as accepting short films of up to 30 minutes and NOAM Concorso as accepting feature films longer than 60 minutes. Submission categories include standard and student options, with separate deadlines and fees.

Selected films must comply with the festival’s eligibility, technical and rights requirements. Filmmakers should consult the current official regulations and submission platform for the complete rules before submitting a work.

How to get there

Faenza is located in Emilia-Romagna between Bologna and Ravenna and is well connected by Italy’s rail network. Travelling by train is a practical option for visitors arriving from Bologna, Ravenna, Forlì and other cities in the region.

Faenza railway station is relatively close to the historic centre, where several festival venues are located. From the station, visitors can continue on foot or use local buses or taxis depending on the specific venue.

Visitors arriving by car can reach Faenza through the regional road and motorway network. The A14 motorway provides access to the wider Emilia-Romagna area, with Faenza connected to the surrounding cities by local roads.

Public transport & parking

Local public transport can be useful for reaching venues spread across central Faenza, although many of the festival’s principal locations are within the historic centre and can be reached on foot.

Visitors travelling by train can walk from Faenza railway station toward the central festival locations. The city’s compact historic centre makes walking between Cinema Europa, Cinema Italia, Cinema Sarti and cultural venues practical for many visitors.

Parking availability varies by location and may be affected by restricted-traffic zones and central-city regulations. Visitors arriving by car should check current municipal parking information and allow additional time to reach the festival venue from available parking areas.

Accommodation areas

The historic centre of Faenza is the most convenient area for visitors who want to stay close to the festival’s principal cinemas and cultural venues. Hotels, guesthouses and short-term accommodation can be found in and around the central area.

The railway-station area is another practical choice for visitors arriving by train, particularly those planning day trips to or from Faenza.

Visitors looking for a wider selection of accommodation can also consider Ravenna, Forlì or other towns in the Romagna area, although staying outside Faenza will require additional travel to the festival each day.

Food & dining

Faenza’s historic centre offers restaurants, cafés, bakeries, bars and traditional Romagna dining options within walking distance of several festival venues.

Visitors can combine screenings with meals in the central streets around the cinema and cultural venues. Traditional Romagna cuisine provides options such as handmade pasta, piadina, local meats and regional specialities.

MEET NOAM has also functioned as a social meeting point during previous editions, with drinks, cultural activities and festival gatherings taking place around the programme.

Accessibility

Accessibility information for every 2026 venue has not yet been published in detail. Because NOAM uses several independent cinemas and cultural buildings, accessibility arrangements may differ between individual locations.

Visitors who require step-free access, accessible seating or other assistance should contact the festival organisers before attending. The organisers can provide venue-specific information and help identify appropriate screening locations.

The festival’s use of multiple venues means that visitors with accessibility requirements should check the location of each selected screening rather than assuming that all festival spaces have identical facilities.

Best screenings to attend

The NOAM Concorso screenings are central to the festival and focus on contemporary independent North American cinema. Visitors interested in new directors and emerging cinematic voices should follow the competition programme and accompanying filmmaker discussions.

The Country in Focus: Mexico programme is another major part of the 2026 edition. The Alonso Ruizpalacios retrospective and his masterclass provide a concentrated opportunity to explore the work of a filmmaker whose career connects Mexican cinema with the international festival circuit.

NOAM Classic and NOAM Special are suitable for visitors interested in film history, retrospectives and influential filmmakers, while NOAM Lab provides a different perspective through short-form and experimental work.

Previous year’s highlights

NOAM 2025 was the festival’s third edition and centred on a programme described by the organisers as a conclusion to its first cycle. The edition included a Western-themed exhibition by Emanuele Mengotti, classic cinema tributes to Robert Redford, Gene Hackman and David Lynch, and a Lifetime Achievement Award for Eliza Hittman.

The 2025 programme included Italian premieres such as It Felt Like Love, Cobre (Copper), Paying for It and Plainclothes, together with the Italian premiere of The Smashing Machine and other competition and special presentations.

The short-film programme included NOAM Lab and NOAM Youth, while the festival also featured talks, podcast events, live activities and a NOAM Party. The 2025 edition used Cinema Europa, Cinema Italia, Cinema Sarti, MEET NOAM, Biblioteca Manfrediana and Giradischi Club across Faenza.

Official tickets & accreditation

The official NOAM Festival website is the main source for 2026 programme announcements, ticket information, accreditation conditions, venue updates and festival news.

NOAM Faenza Film Festival

For press accreditation, the festival directs journalists to contact info@noamfestival.it. The same email address can be used for festival-related enquiries and accreditation information.

The 2026 festival is organised by Filmeeting APS and will take place in Faenza from November 11–15, 2026. Visitors should check the official website for the final ticketing system and any updated accreditation options before attending.

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