Soundscreen Film Festival 2026, Ravenna, Italy

• September 28, 2026
  Event date:
• October 4, 2026
  Event end:

What to expect in 2026

Soundscreen Film Festival returns to Ravenna from September 28 to October 4, 2026, for another edition dedicated to the relationship between cinema and music. The festival focuses on films in which music plays a fundamental role, whether as a central subject, an essential narrative element or a defining part of the audiovisual experience.

The programme traditionally brings together fiction films, documentaries, musicals, biopics, animations and other genres connected with music. Rather than treating music simply as a soundtrack, Soundscreen explores the way music can shape stories, characters, images and cinematic language. The festival also gives attention to artistic research and experimentation by emerging international filmmakers.

The 2026 edition is scheduled to include an International Competition for Feature Films, an International Competition for Shorts, Special Events, live film-concerts and Soundscreen Sessions devoted to conversations between cinema and music. The festival also maintains Soundscreen.ER, a section dedicated to filmmakers and productions connected with Emilia-Romagna.

The live-music dimension remains one of the festival’s distinctive features. Soundscreen regularly commissions contemporary musicians to create new live soundtracks for classic silent or early cinema works, turning historical films into contemporary audiovisual performances.

The festival is organised by the Cultural Association Ravenna Cinema in partnership with the Municipality of Ravenna and with support from cultural institutions including the Emilia-Romagna Region. Albert Bucci serves as artistic director.

Festival dates

Soundscreen Film Festival 2026 takes place from September 28 to October 4, 2026, in Ravenna, Italy. The festival runs for seven days and combines film screenings with live musical performances, special events and meetings.

The 2026 festival dates are officially confirmed on the festival’s website. The current official information confirms the festival period but does not yet provide a complete day-by-day public programme comparable to the detailed programme released for the previous edition.

The festival’s international film competitions form the core of the programme. Feature films and short films are selected for their relationship with music in its broadest meaning, allowing the programme to move between documentary, fiction, animation, musical, biographical and experimental cinema.

Visitors planning their trip should check the official Soundscreen programme before travelling for the final screening times, individual film dates and special-event information.

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Venues & festival locations

Soundscreen is based in Ravenna, with the Cinema Mariani serving as an important festival venue. Cinema Mariani is located at Via Ponte Marino 19 in the historic centre of Ravenna. The venue has been used extensively for the festival’s screenings and live events.

The central location provides an opportunity to combine festival activities with Ravenna’s historic and cultural attractions. The city centre contains major monuments, museums, restaurants and pedestrian streets within a relatively compact area.

The festival’s previous programmes have concentrated much of the activity at Cinema Mariani while also incorporating collaborations and special events with cultural organisations and music venues. The exact venue allocation for the 2026 programme should be confirmed once the complete programme is published.

Visitors should pay particular attention to the location of live film-concerts because these events may use a different arrangement from standard cinema screenings.

Full programme

The 2026 programme is built around the festival’s established combination of competitive and non-competitive sections. The main components are:

• International Competition for Feature Films
• International Competition for Short Films
• Special Events
• Live film-concerts and soundtracks
• Soundscreen Sessions
• Soundscreen.ER
• Retrospectives and historical cinema
• Special screenings and premieres

The International Feature Film Competition is the principal competitive section. Soundscreen describes it as the main event of the festival, presenting international films in which music is an essential element. The selection can include fiction, documentaries, musicals and biopics.

The International Short Film Competition provides a separate selection of shorter works. The festival accepts shorts across different genres as long as music is central to their subject or artistic approach.

Special Events are intended for notable works by filmmakers and figures connected with the musical scene. Previous editions have included national premieres, tributes and special presentations.

The Soundscreen Sessions provide opportunities for discussion and exchange around cinema and music, while Soundscreen.ER gives the festival a regional dimension by highlighting cinema produced or created in Emilia-Romagna.

Featured films & premieres

The complete 2026 film selection had not yet been published in the official programme information available for this listing. The festival’s 2026 website confirms that the international competitions are being selected from feature films, documentaries, musicals, biopics, animations and other works related to music.

The feature competition traditionally gives particular attention to Italian premieres and films demonstrating artistic or thematic research. Soundscreen describes the competition as a showcase for international films that use music as a fundamental part of cinema.

The short-film competition similarly seeks works in which music is central. This makes the short programme an opportunity to discover emerging filmmakers and experimental approaches that may not fit conventional music-film categories.

Previous editions have featured a mixture of Italian premieres, European premieres and international works. For example, the 2025 programme included Hey Farms as an Italian premiere, 42nd Street as a European premiere and The Mountain Is Mine as a European premiere. These examples demonstrate the festival’s emphasis on presenting new international work to Italian audiences.

The 2026 premiere status of individual films should be checked against the official programme once the final selection is announced.

Directors, actors & guests

Soundscreen regularly invites directors, producers and other filmmakers to attend screenings and participate in discussions. These appearances provide audiences with opportunities to hear directly from the creators of films presented during the festival.

The festival’s previous edition included appearances by filmmakers such as Samantha Casella, Lisa Bosi and Francesco Frisari, alongside producer Giangiacomo De Stefano. Their participation formed part of the festival’s regional cinema programme and competition screenings.

The 2026 guest list has not yet been fully published in the available official programme information. Once announced, guests are expected to be associated with competition screenings, special events, Soundscreen Sessions and regional productions.

Albert Bucci is the festival’s artistic director. The festival is organised by the Cultural Association Ravenna Cinema in partnership with the Municipality of Ravenna and in collaboration with cultural and production organisations including Bronson Produzioni.

Screening schedule

The detailed 2026 screening schedule has not yet been released in the official information currently available. The festival has confirmed the dates of September 28 through October 4, but the complete daily timetable and film-by-film schedule should be checked when published.

Based on the previous edition, the daily programme typically combines several types of events. Afternoon and early-evening sessions can include short-film competition programmes, while feature competition screenings and special events are generally positioned later in the day.

The 2025 schedule illustrates the festival’s programming style, with short-film sessions followed by feature competitions, regional productions, historical films and live soundtracks. The festival also included repeat screenings of selected competition winners toward the end of the edition.

Visitors should allow time between screenings because different programme sections may have different running times and may include discussions or live performances.

Ticket types & accreditation

Soundscreen has historically offered free admission to its public screenings and events. The complete 2025 programme specifically stated that all screenings and performances were free of charge.

For the 2026 edition, the official festival information available for this listing does not publish a new general ticket price or paid ticket structure. The previous edition therefore provides the most useful reference point: public festival screenings were free, equivalent to $0.

There is no confirmed 2026 paid general admission price to convert into US dollars. Visitors should check the final programme for any individual reservation requirements or changes to access arrangements.

Professional accreditation is separate from ordinary public attendance. Filmmakers, journalists, industry professionals and other accredited participants should contact the festival directly for current procedures.

Industry & professional access

Soundscreen provides a professional environment for filmmakers, producers, musicians, critics and other people working across cinema and music. Its focus on films where music is central creates opportunities for discussion between different parts of the audiovisual and musical industries.

The festival’s competitions provide a platform for international filmmakers working across documentary, fiction, animation, musical cinema and biographical films. Its programme is particularly relevant to creators experimenting with the relationship between sound, image and narrative.

Soundscreen Sessions add another professional and cultural dimension by creating space for meetings and conversations about cinema and music. The festival’s collaborations with production and cultural organisations also connect the programme with the wider Italian film and music scene.

The festival’s 2026 submission period for the international competitions has a deadline of August 24, 2026. The organisers accept features, documentaries, musicals, biopics, animations and shorts connected with music in its broadest sense.

Red carpet & special events

Soundscreen is more focused on artistic cinema and music performances than on a conventional celebrity red-carpet format. Special events generally combine screenings with filmmakers, musicians, live performances, tributes or discussions.

One of the festival’s defining special-event formats is the live soundtrack performance. Contemporary musicians perform new scores or soundtracks alongside classic films, creating a direct connection between historical cinema and modern music.

The 2025 programme included several examples of this approach. Stačka – Sciopero! was accompanied by a large contemporary music ensemble, while La Coquille et le Clergyman and À propos de Nice were presented with a live soundtrack produced by Soundscreen. L’Odissea was also accompanied by a live performance by Bruno Dorella.

The 2026 programme is expected to continue this live cinema-and-music tradition, although the exact films and musicians had not yet been announced in the available official programme.

Festival rules

Soundscreen’s competition rules focus on films where music is the protagonist in its broadest sense. Eligible genres can include fiction, musicals, biopics, animation, documentaries, horror, noir and science fiction.

Previous regulations required feature films to have a minimum running time of 70 minutes and short films to be no longer than 20 minutes. The rules also required eligible competition films to meet specified production and Italian-release conditions.

For 2026, the festival’s official website confirms that it is accepting features, documentaries, musicals, biopics, animations and shorts connected with music. The 2026 submission deadline is August 24, 2026.

The exact 2026 regulations should be consulted for the final eligibility requirements, premiere conditions, technical specifications and submission procedures.

How to get there

Ravenna is located in Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy and is accessible by train, road and regional public transport. The city is well connected with Bologna and other cities in the region.

Visitors arriving by train can travel to Ravenna railway station and continue toward the historic centre on foot or by local bus. Cinema Mariani is centrally located at Via Ponte Marino 19, making the historic centre particularly convenient for festival visitors.

Travellers arriving by air can use Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport as one of the main international gateways for the region, followed by a train or road connection to Ravenna.

Ravenna’s historic centre is compact, and many attractions and festival-related locations can be reached on foot once visitors arrive in the central area.

Public transport & parking

Public transport is a practical option for reaching the festival, particularly because Cinema Mariani is located within Ravenna’s historic centre.

The festival’s 2025 programme specifically advised visitors that Cinema Mariani is located in a ZTL, or restricted traffic zone, and that travelling by car into the immediate area is discouraged. It recommended walking from Ravenna railway station via Viale Farini and Via Paolo Costa.

Several local bus routes serve the city centre, including lines 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 70, 80 and 90 according to the previous festival programme. Visitors should verify current routes and timetables before travelling because local services can change.

The festival has also promoted sustainable travel. In 2025, visitors arriving by public transport and presenting their travel ticket could receive a festival shopping bag as part of the Green Promotion.

Accommodation areas

The historic centre is the most convenient area for visitors attending Soundscreen because Cinema Mariani is located within central Ravenna.

Staying around Piazza del Popolo, Via Cavour, Via Diaz and the surrounding historic streets provides easy access to restaurants, cafés, cultural attractions and pedestrian routes.

Accommodation near Ravenna railway station is another practical choice, particularly for visitors arriving by train or travelling to other cities during their stay.

Visitors who prefer quieter accommodation can consider residential areas outside the historic centre and use local buses to reach the festival. Ravenna’s relatively compact layout makes it possible to stay outside the centre without being far from the main cultural district.

Food & dining

Ravenna offers a wide range of restaurants, cafés, bakeries and traditional Emilia-Romagna food venues. Visitors staying near the historic centre can combine festival screenings with meals without needing to travel far.

The city is particularly suitable for visitors interested in regional Italian cuisine. Local restaurants provide opportunities to sample traditional dishes from Emilia-Romagna alongside contemporary Italian cooking.

The area surrounding the historic centre offers numerous options for lunch before daytime screenings and dinner between evening events.

Visitors attending late screenings or live film-concerts should consider dining earlier because festival performances can occupy the evening. Cafés and informal food venues around the central streets can also be useful for shorter breaks between screenings.

Accessibility

Soundscreen’s central Ravenna location provides access to a compact historic area, but the accessibility of individual buildings can vary.

Cinema Mariani is located within the historic centre, where some streets and pedestrian areas may have restrictions or uneven surfaces typical of historic Italian city centres.

Visitors with mobility requirements should contact the festival before attending so that current information about venue access, seating and available facilities can be confirmed.

The festival’s official contact address is info@soundscreen.org. The organisers can provide more specific information about individual screenings and venues.

Best screenings to attend

The International Feature Film Competition is the central section for visitors who want to discover contemporary international cinema connected with music. It covers multiple genres and approaches, making it the main place to explore the festival’s artistic identity.

The International Short Film Competition is another strong part of the programme for visitors interested in emerging filmmakers and shorter experimental works. The festival specifically seeks shorts where music has an important thematic or artistic role.

The live film-concerts are among the most distinctive experiences at Soundscreen. Instead of simply screening a classic film, the festival combines cinema with a newly performed contemporary soundtrack.

Visitors interested in Italian regional cinema should also follow Soundscreen.ER. The section highlights filmmakers and productions connected with Emilia-Romagna and has previously included both special screenings and competition films.

Soundscreen Sessions are useful for visitors who want to understand the creative relationship between cinema and music beyond the screenings themselves.

Previous year’s highlights

The 2025 edition marked the tenth anniversary of Soundscreen Film Festival and took place from September 22 to September 28, 2025, at Cinema Mariani in Ravenna. The festival celebrated its first decade with international competitions, special events, premieres, retrospectives and live soundtrack performances.

The 2025 International Feature Competition included films such as Hey Farms, 42nd Street, The Mountain Is Mine, If Hafez Wrote a Haiku for Cowboys, Going Underground and From Abdul to Leila. Several titles were presented as Italian or European premieres.

Soundscreen.ER presented films connected with Emilia-Romagna, including Samantha Casella’s Katabasis, Lisa Bosi’s Going Underground and Francesco Frisari’s Quale Allegria. The directors and producer Giangiacomo De Stefano were scheduled to meet audiences.

The live soundtrack programme included Stačka – Sciopero!, La Coquille et le Clergyman, À propos de Nice and L’Odissea. The festival also presented Fantozzi and Dario Argento’s Profondo Rosso as part of a programme looking back 50 years at important Italian films.

The 2025 edition also revisited previous festival winners as part of its tenth-anniversary celebrations, including Tehran Taboo and the short film Hunger.

Official tickets & accreditation

Soundscreen has historically provided free admission to its public screenings and performances. The official 2025 programme stated that all screenings and shows were free, equivalent to $0.

The 2026 official information currently available does not announce a new paid general ticket structure. For this reason, the previous edition’s $0 public admission is the available reference rather than an invented 2026 ticket price.

Visitors should check the official Soundscreen programme before attending because individual events may have specific capacity or access arrangements.

Filmmakers, journalists, music professionals and other industry participants who require accreditation should contact the festival directly. The official contact address is info@soundscreen.org.

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