Ravenna Nightmare Film Fest 2026, Italy

• 13 octobre 2026
  Date de l'événement :
• 18 octobre 2026
  Fin de l'événement :

À quoi s’attendre en 2026

Ravenna Nightmare Film Festival 2026 will return to Ravenna for its 24th edition, continuing its focus on the dark side of cinema, genre filmmaking, horror, fantasy, thriller and experimental approaches to contemporary film. The festival is organised by Start Cinema and will take place at Teatro Rasi from October 13 to 18, 2026, with selected films and competition titles also available online through Nightmare Legacy on MYmovies One.

The 2026 edition brings together international and Italian competitions, European short films, contemporary cinema, classic genre films, Japanese cinema, regional productions, literary meetings, masterclasses and cultural events. The festival’s selection process received 894 films from 62 countries.

The programme is designed around the festival’s long-standing interest in the darker, unusual and experimental sides of cinema, while also creating space for filmmakers, critics, students, journalists and audiences to meet and discuss the works presented.

Dates des festivals

Ravenna Nightmare Film Festival 2026 will take place from October 13 to 18, 2026, in Ravenna, Italy.

The 24th edition will be centred at Teatro Rasi, Via di Roma 39, Ravenna, with additional online programming through Nightmare Legacy on MYmovies One.

The festival is preceded by an Opening Fest at Teatro Alighieri, featuring a special presentation of the restored silent-film classic Maciste in Hell with live musical accompaniment.

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Lieux et lieux de festival

The main 2026 festival venue is Teatro Rasi, located at Via di Roma 39 in Ravenna. The theatre will host the principal festival screenings, events and activities during the October programme.

Teatro Rasi

Teatro Rasi serves as the main home of the 2026 festival. The accreditation desk will also be established here for registered participants collecting their festival badges.

Teatro Alighieri

The historic Teatro Alighieri hosts the Opening Fest before the main festival period. The 2026 opening event presents Maciste in Hell, accompanied live by the Orchestra of the “Giuseppe Verdi” State Conservatory of Ravenna.

Nightmare Legacy

Selected competition films are also made available through the Nightmare Legacy online platform on MYmovies One, subject to the individual film’s online availability and rights.

Programme complet

The Ravenna Nightmare Film Festival 2026 programme includes several competition and thematic sections.

International Feature Film Competition

The principal international feature competition presents genre films from around the world. The audience votes for the Golden Ring Award for Best Feature Film, while a critics’ jury selects the Critics’ Award for Best Feature Film Director.

National Feature Film Competition

This competition is dedicated to Italian genre cinema and is intended to promote contemporary Italian productions working within the festival’s broad interpretation of the genre.

International Short Film Competition

Short films from international filmmakers compete for the Silver Ring audience award and other festival recognitions.

European Short Film Competition

The Méliès d’Argent section presents European genre shorts in collaboration with the European Fantastic Film Festival Federation. The competition awards the Méliès d’Argent to the best European short film.

Contemporanea

This section looks at Italian and international contemporary cinema, providing a wider view of current filmmaking beyond the main competitions.

Nightmare Classic

The classic section revisits important works from the history of cinema and is developed in collaboration with national and international film archives.

Ottobre Giapponese

This section focuses on Japanese cinema, particularly films that have contributed to the development and evolution of genre filmmaking.

Showcase Emilia-Romagna Cinema e Territorio

The regional showcase promotes film production from Emilia-Romagna in collaboration with the Emilia-Romagna Region Film Commission.

Celebrations and Literary Meetings

The programme also includes tributes to important cinema figures and literary meetings developed in collaboration with the GialloLuna NeroNotte literary festival.

Films en vedette & premières

The 2026 programme is built around international feature films, Italian genre cinema, international shorts, European shorts and special selections.

The festival’s principal competitions traditionally give particular attention to films that represent new or distinctive interpretations of genre cinema. The 2026 selection process attracted 894 submissions from 62 countries, creating an international field for the 24th edition.

The European short-film programme is particularly significant because 2026 continues the Méliès d’Argent collaboration with the European Fantastic Film Festival Federation.

The Nightmare Classic programme provides a contrasting experience by bringing historically important genre films back to audiences, while Contemporanea focuses on current Italian and international cinema.

The complete individual film list and screening times should be checked through the official 2026 programme because titles and scheduling can be updated by the organisers.

Réalisateurs, acteurs et invités

The 2026 festival brings together filmmakers and cinema professionals through screenings, masterclasses, talks and special events.

The festival’s history includes guests such as David Lynch, Giancarlo De Cataldo, Liliana Cavani and Jean-Jacques Annaud, demonstrating the event’s long-standing connection with internationally recognised filmmakers and cultural figures.

The 2026 programme also includes professional and cultural encounters connected with the competition films, contemporary cinema, literary events and masterclasses.

The final guest schedule should be checked through the official festival programme because appearances can be attached to particular screenings or events.

Calendrier des projections

The main festival screening schedule runs from October 13 to 18 at Teatro Rasi.

Screenings are organised around the international and national feature competitions, international and European shorts, Contemporanea, Nightmare Classic, Japanese October and the regional Emilia-Romagna showcase.

The festival also offers selected competition films through Nightmare Legacy on MYmovies One, allowing eligible titles to be viewed online during the festival period. Not every film is necessarily available online because availability depends on the rights granted by individual filmmakers and producers.

Visitors should check the official daily schedule before attending because individual screening times, rooms and accompanying guest events can change.

Types de billets et accréditations

The 2026 ticket and subscription prices are officially published by the festival. Converted from the listed prices at an approximate rate of €1 = $1.17, the public options are:

• Full-price ticket: $7.02
• Reduced ticket: $5.85
• Gold subscription, 8 admissions: $32.76
• Weekly subscription, 5 admissions: $23.40
• Nightmare Legacy annual virtual-room subscription: $40.95
• Promotional first-year Nightmare Legacy offer: $14.04

The reduced ticket applies to over-60s, university students and A.S.C.I.G. members. Admission is free for people with disabilities and their accompanying person, as well as members of Cineclub Deserto Rosso.

The 2026 accreditation system includes professional, cultural, Under 25, press and media categories, together with festival passes. The professional and cultural accreditations cost $23.40 each after conversion, while the Under 25, press and media options are free. The full festival subscription is $35.10.

Industrie et accès professionnel

The festival offers dedicated accreditation for cinema professionals, cultural workers, students, press and media representatives.

Accréditation professionnelle

Professional accreditation is intended for companies, institutions, associations, teachers and cinema professionals. It includes access to screenings, the festival catalogue and contacts with registered professionals.

Cultural accreditation

Cultural accreditation is intended for people who work, study or operate in the cinema and arts sectors and includes access to festival screenings.

Press and media accreditation

Press accreditation provides registered media representatives with access to screenings and, subject to availability and festival procedures, press conferences and meetings with guests.

Accreditation is personal and non-transferable, and applications are limited. Requests are considered according to the organisers’ procedures and applicants are informed by email whether accreditation has been accepted.

Tapis rouge & événements spéciaux

The 2026 Opening Fest takes place at Teatro Alighieri before the main festival and centres on a special screening of Guido Brignone’s 1926 silent classic Maciste in Hell. The film is accompanied by a new live score performed by the Orchestra of the “Giuseppe Verdi” State Conservatory of Ravenna.

The programme also includes masterclasses, conversations, music, literary events, evening activities and special cinema presentations. The official 2026 programme describes daily appointments ranging from masterclasses and talks to music and evening events.

The festival’s award programme includes the Golden Ring Special Edition, Medal of Honour, Golden Ring for Best Feature Film, Critics’ Award, Silver Ring and Méliès d’Argent.

Règles du festival

Festival accreditation is personal and non-transferable. The 2026 regulations state that the badge must be visibly worn and presented when requested by festival staff. If an accreditation is used by another person, the badge can be confiscated.

Accreditation provides access to screenings within available capacity and according to the procedures established by the organisers. Only a limited number of accreditations are available.

The festival also states that some events may be restricted to audiences aged 18 and over. Films are presented in their original version with Italian subtitles.

Masterclasses and free events require advance reservation and are available until capacity is reached.

Comment y arriver

Ravenna is located in Emilia-Romagna in northeastern Italy and is well connected with Bologna, Ferrara, Rimini and other cities in the region.

Visitors arriving by air can use Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport and continue to Ravenna by train or road. Rimini’s airport is another option for some international travellers, depending on available connections.

Ravenna railway station connects the city with regional and intercity services. From the station, Teatro Rasi can be reached by local transport, taxi or on foot depending on the visitor’s accommodation.

The historic centre is compact, making it practical to combine festival screenings with Ravenna’s monuments, museums and restaurants.

Transports en commun et stationnement

Teatro Rasi is located on Via di Roma in Ravenna and can be reached using the city’s local bus network.

Visitors arriving by train can travel from Ravenna station toward the city centre and continue to the theatre by local transport or taxi.

Driving is possible, but visitors should allow additional time for parking around the central area. Some historic-centre streets have traffic restrictions, so drivers should use authorised parking areas and check current access regulations.

For visitors attending several screenings in one day, staying in or near central Ravenna can make walking and public transport more convenient than using a car.

Zones d’hébergement

Ravenna historic centre

Staying in the historic centre is convenient for festival visitors because Teatro Rasi, restaurants, cafés and Ravenna’s principal cultural attractions are all relatively close together.

Around Teatro Rasi

Accommodation near Via di Roma provides particularly easy access to the main festival venue and can be useful for visitors attending multiple screenings or evening events.

Ravenna railway station area

This area is practical for visitors arriving by train and provides straightforward connections to the wider region.

Darsena

The Darsena area offers modern accommodation and dining options and is within reasonable reach of the historic centre.

Lido di Classe and coastal areas

Visitors extending their stay beyond the festival can consider Ravenna’s coastal resorts, although a car or additional local transport may be useful.

Restauration et restauration

Ravenna provides a mixture of traditional Romagna cuisine, Italian restaurants, cafés, bakeries and contemporary dining options.

Visitors can sample regional specialities such as piadina, fresh pasta, cappelletti, passatelli and seafood dishes from the Adriatic coast.

The festival’s wider programme also has a history of combining cinema with food and cultural activities. Previous editions included cinema-and-food events alongside screenings, literary meetings and cultural programmes.

The historic centre around Teatro Rasi offers convenient options for a pre-screening meal, coffee or an evening meal after the final screening.

Accessibilité

The festival provides free admission for people with disabilities and their accompanying person under its published 2026 ticket policy.

Visitors requiring specific accessibility assistance should contact the festival before attending to confirm access arrangements at Teatro Rasi and any other individual venue.

The festival’s accreditation and ticket information should also be checked when planning attendance because seating and access can depend on venue capacity.

For accessibility questions, visitors can contact Ravenna Nightmare Film Festival at +39 349 516 2425 or info@ravennanightmare.it.

Meilleures projections à laquelle assister

International Feature Film Competition

This is the core competition for visitors interested in international genre cinema and provides access to films competing for the audience’s Golden Ring award.

National Feature Film Competition

A good choice for visitors interested in contemporary Italian horror, fantasy, thriller and other forms of genre filmmaking.

International Short Film Competition

The short-film programme provides a concentrated selection of international genre works and competes for the Silver Ring audience award.

Méliès d’Argent

European genre-film enthusiasts should look for the European short-film competition, which awards the Méliès d’Argent in collaboration with the European Fantastic Film Festival Federation.

Nightmare Classic

This is particularly suitable for visitors interested in the history of horror, fantasy and genre cinema and the preservation of important film works.

Masterclasses and guest events

These events provide opportunities to hear directly from filmmakers and other cinema professionals and can add context to the films being screened.

Faits marquants de l’année précédente

The 2025 edition was the 23rd Ravenna Nightmare Film Festival and ran from October 21 to 26, following an Opening Fest at Teatro Alighieri. The festival presented international and Italian genre cinema alongside short-film competitions, literary meetings and special events.

The 2025 festival featured Blooming Death by Luca Fabiani, which received the Metalupo Audience Award in the National Feature Film Competition. Simon Rumley’s Crushed received the Golden Ring Audience Award in the International Feature Film Competition as well as the Critics’ Award for Best Feature Film Director.

Andrew McGee’s First Sight won the Silver Ring Audience Award in the International Short Film Competition, while Michael Granberry’s Les Bêtes received the Deserto Rosso Association Award. Michiel Geluykens’ The Leader Will Come received the Méliès d’Argent.

The 2025 edition also included a dedicated Japanese cinema programme, a European short-film competition and special activities connected with literary and cultural events.

Billets officiels et accréditation

The 2026 public ticket structure includes individual tickets, reduced admission and multi-entry subscriptions. The full-price admission is $7.02, reduced admission is $5.85, the eight-admission Gold subscription is $32.76 and the five-admission Weekly subscription is $23.40. These dollar amounts are converted from the festival’s published 2026 prices.

Professional and cultural accreditation costs $23.40, while Under 25 accreditation, press accreditation and media partner accreditation are free. The full festival subscription is $35.10 after conversion.

Accreditation applications require the relevant personal information and, for professional or cultural applications, supporting documentation such as a CV or professional letter. Approved badges can be collected at the accreditation desk at Teatro Rasi.

The festival can be contacted at +39 349 516 2425 or info@ravennanightmare.it for ticket, accreditation and programme enquiries.

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