Torino Underground Cinefest 2026, Turin, Italy

• 29 septembre 2026
  Date de l'événement :
• 4 octobre 2026
  Fin de l'événement :

À quoi s’attendre en 2026

Torino Underground Cinefest 2026 will return to Turin for its 13th edition, continuing its focus on independent cinema and filmmakers working outside mainstream production. The festival will be based at Cinema Baretti in the San Salvario district, a central Turin location with a strong connection to the city’s cultural and cinema community.

The 2026 edition introduces AI VISIONS, a new competitive section dedicated to films created partly or entirely using artificial intelligence. The section includes fiction, documentaries, experimental films, animation and music videos, reflecting the festival’s interest in emerging cinematic technologies and new forms of authorship.

The festival’s wider programme includes feature films, documentaries, short films, experimental cinema, Italian productions, animation, Insane films, Visions of Turin and Slow Ambient Content. Awards will include Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best Documentary, Best AI Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Sound Design.

Dates des festivals

Torino Underground Cinefest 2026 is scheduled from September 29 to October 4, 2026, in Turin, Italy.

The official festival website identifies Cinema Baretti as the principal venue for the 13th edition and publishes the 2026 programme and ticket information through its official channels.

The 2026 edition is described by the festival as its 13th edition. The organisers have also developed the event around independent filmmaking, meetings with authors and professional and cultural partnerships.

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Lieux et lieux de festival

Cinema Baretti is the principal venue for Torino Underground Cinefest 2026. The cinema is located in the San Salvario district, one of Turin’s central and culturally active neighbourhoods.

Cinema Baretti

Cinema Baretti provides the main screening environment for the festival’s competitions, special programmes, filmmaker meetings and Q&A sessions. Previous editions have also used the venue for award presentations and discussions with filmmakers.

The festival’s use of Cinema Baretti gives the event a concentrated format, allowing audiences to move easily between screenings and associated activities in the same cultural district.

Programme complet

The 2026 programme is divided into several competitive and thematic sections.

Feature Films

Feature films are defined by the festival as works with a running time of 60 minutes or more. The section focuses on international independent cinema and provides the principal feature-film competition.

Short Films

The international short-film section accepts works from 1 to 59 minutes and provides a platform for emerging filmmakers and concise independent productions.

Documentaires

The documentary competition includes works between 1 and 120 minutes and focuses on independent non-fiction filmmaking.

Experimental Films

Experimental cinema and video art are presented in a dedicated section for works with a maximum running time of 40 minutes.

Italian Showcase

Italian Showcase presents Italian films across genres, with eligible works running between 1 and 120 minutes.

AI VISIONS

The new AI VISIONS competition explores films made partly or completely using artificial intelligence, including fiction, documentary, experimental, animation and music-video formats.

Insane

Insane is dedicated to films of any length that use particularly radical, unconventional or extreme cinematic language.

Animation

The animation category presents animated films with running times between 1 and 59 minutes.

Visions of Turin

This new section focuses on films born in, set in or inspired by Turin, highlighting stories and filmmakers connected with the city.

Slow Ambient Content

Slow Ambient Content presents relaxing audiovisual works incorporating calming imagery and soundscapes, with a maximum running time of 90 minutes.

Films en vedette & premières

The complete 2026 film lineup is being presented through the official festival programme.

The festival does not require films to have a premiere status for eligibility, although individual selected works can still receive premiere presentations during the event. The regulations state that no premiere status is required for participation.

Previous editions have included international, European, Italian and world premieres. The 2024 edition, for example, presented 104 films across competition, out-of-competition and special-event programming, including five world premieres, three European premieres and 45 Italian premieres.

For 2026, particular attention is expected around the new AI VISIONS section, alongside the feature, documentary, short, experimental, animation and Italian Showcase competitions.

Réalisateurs, acteurs et invités

Torino Underground Cinefest regularly brings directors, actors, screenwriters, producers, critics and other independent cinema professionals together with audiences.

The festival was founded by filmmaker Mauro Russo Rouge, who remains its founder and general manager, while Alessandro Amato serves as artistic director. The organising structure includes the Cultural Association SystemOut and the Baretti Association.

Previous editions have featured filmmakers and critics in competition juries and Q&A sessions. The 2025 edition, for example, included director and screenwriter Giuseppe Garau, film critic Andreina Di Sanzo and filmmaker Luca Canale B. on the feature-film jury.

The complete 2026 guest and Q&A schedule should be checked against the official programme as individual filmmakers confirm their attendance.

Calendrier des projections

The 2026 screening schedule is centred on Cinema Baretti during the festival period.

Screenings are organised around the feature-film, short-film and documentary competitions, as well as the experimental, Italian Showcase, AI VISIONS, Insane, Animation, Visions of Turin and Slow Ambient Content sections.

Previous editions have combined daytime and evening screenings with Q&A sessions, filmmaker meetings, special events and award presentations.

Visitors should consult the official 2026 programme for exact screening times because the festival management retains responsibility for the final programme and screening schedule.

Types de billets et accréditations

The official 2026 website provides access to the programme and ticketing information, but a reliable published breakdown of the 2026 public ticket prices was not available in the festival information retrieved for this listing.

Rather than inventing ticket amounts or presenting unverified previous prices as current 2026 prices, visitors should use the official TUC FEST ticketing system for the current admission rates.

Previous editions have sold individual screening tickets online and through the festival’s ticketing arrangements. The 2024 programme directed visitors to the festival’s online ticket system and also provided QR-code access to individual programme slots.

Accreditation is separate from film-submission fees and is intended for professional, cultural, press and other eligible participants.

Industrie et accès professionnel

Torino Underground Cinefest has a strong independent-film and professional component, with filmmakers, producers, critics and industry participants attending screenings and meetings.

The festival receives submissions from thousands of filmmakers internationally and presents more than 100 films in its established multi-day format, combining competitions with meetings involving authors and producers.

The 2026 edition also strengthens its industry potential through the Piano B and Streeen! partnerships. Selected feature films and documentaries considered suitable for commercialisation may receive theatrical or television distribution through Piano B, while selected titles can potentially receive streaming distribution through Streeen!.

Tapis rouge & événements spéciaux

The festival combines film screenings with Q&A sessions, filmmaker meetings, award ceremonies, special screenings and cultural events.

The 2026 awards include Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best Documentary, Best AI Film, Best Experimental Film, Best Animation Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Editing, Best Sound Design and Best Cinematography.

Audience participation is also part of the festival structure, with an Audience Award planned alongside awards selected by juries and special mentions from media partners.

The festival’s partnerships with local cultural organisations and media outlets further expand the programme beyond conventional film screenings.

Règles du festival

The 2026 regulations state that films must have been completed after January 1, 2020. No premiere status is required for submission.

The festival accepts ten principal categories:

• Short Films
• Feature Films
• Documentaires
• Experimental Films
• Italian Showcase
• AI VISIONS
• Insane
• Animation
• Visions of Turin
• Slow Ambient Content

Films in languages other than English must have English subtitles, while films in Italian or Spanish are exempt from this requirement. Selected films must subsequently provide the required screening copy and subtitles according to the festival’s technical specifications.

Selected films are screened publicly in Turin, and the festival management retains responsibility for the final programme and screening schedule. Submission fees are non-refundable and participation constitutes acceptance of the festival regulations.

Comment y arriver

Turin is one of northern Italy’s principal cities and is well connected by rail, road and air.

Visitors arriving by train can use Torino Porta Nuova, the city’s principal central railway station, or Torino Porta Susa, which provides high-speed and regional connections.

Turin Airport is the city’s main international airport and is connected to the urban area by public transport and road services.

Cinema Baretti is in San Salvario, close to central Turin, making the festival venue convenient for visitors staying around Porta Nuova and the city centre.

Transports en commun et stationnement

San Salvario is well served by Turin’s public transport network, making buses, trams and urban rail connections practical options for reaching Cinema Baretti.

Torino Porta Nuova station is particularly useful for festival visitors because it is close to San Salvario and provides connections to regional and national rail services.

Parking around San Salvario can be more limited than in outer districts, particularly during busy evening periods. Visitors arriving by car should check Turin’s current parking zones and traffic restrictions before travelling.

The festival itself promotes sustainable transport and has an environmental sustainability manifesto encouraging participants and guests to use lower-emission transport where possible.

Zones d’hébergement

San Salvario

Staying in San Salvario is the most convenient option for visitors who want to remain close to Cinema Baretti, restaurants and nightlife.

Porta Nuova

The area surrounding Torino Porta Nuova provides numerous hotels and direct access to rail connections, while remaining close to the festival district.

Turin city centre

Accommodation around Piazza Castello, Via Roma and the historic centre provides easy access to restaurants, museums and other attractions as well as public transport toward San Salvario.

Crocetta

Crocetta offers a quieter residential environment while remaining within reasonable reach of central Turin.

Vanchiglia

Vanchiglia is another popular central district with cafés, restaurants and accommodation, although visitors may need public transport to reach Cinema Baretti.

Restauration et restauration

San Salvario is one of Turin’s most varied dining districts and provides numerous options for festival visitors.

Restaurants, pizzerias, cafés, bakeries, bars and international restaurants can be found around Via Baretti and the surrounding streets.

Visitors can try Piedmontese specialities such as agnolotti, tajarin, vitello tonnato, bagna càuda and regional cheeses, as well as Turin’s traditional aperitivo culture.

The neighbourhood’s concentration of restaurants makes it practical to have a meal before an evening screening or continue discussions after Q&A sessions.

Accessibilité

Accessibility arrangements should be confirmed directly with Cinema Baretti and the festival before attending, particularly for visitors requiring wheelchair access, reserved seating or other assistance.

Because the festival concentrates its principal 2026 programme at Cinema Baretti, venue-specific accessibility information is the most relevant source for visitors with individual requirements.

Visitors can contact the festival at info@systemout.org for assistance or questions regarding access arrangements.

Meilleures projections à laquelle assister

Feature Film Competition

The main feature competition is central to the festival and is suitable for visitors interested in international independent cinema and longer-form storytelling.

AI VISIONS

This is the most distinctive new section of the 2026 edition, focusing on films created partly or entirely with artificial intelligence and examining new relationships between filmmaking and machine creativity.

Documentary Competition

The documentary programme provides a non-fiction perspective on independent filmmaking and is useful for audiences interested in real-world stories and contemporary subjects.

Italian Showcase

Visitors interested in Italian independent cinema should look for this section, which includes Italian productions across genres.

Visions of Turin

This section is especially relevant for visitors who want to see Turin itself interpreted through cinema, with films born in, set in or inspired by the city.

Experimental and Insane

These sections are designed for viewers looking beyond conventional narrative structures and interested in unusual cinematic languages.

Faits marquants de l’année précédente

The 2025 edition was the 12th Torino Underground Cinefest and continued the festival’s emphasis on independent cinema from Italy and around the world.

The feature-film competition awarded Best Film to Still Alive by Yasumasa Konno. Smell of Burnt Milk by Justine Bauer received Best Director, while Another German Tank Story by Alexander Kiefer received Best Screenplay. Centomila miliardi by Virgil Vernier received awards for Best Cinematography and Best Performer for Zakaria Bouti.

The documentary competition recognised works including Widows! by Sonia Pastecchia, which received Best Director and the Streeen! Distribution Award. I Had Sex, But… by Ang Li received Best Editing, while Buda by Raphael Kaddour and Cobra by Lucia Magnifico received special mentions.

The 2025 edition also introduced the Cinema Futuro Award, which recognised screenwriter Zelia Zbogar for her work and contribution to contemporary Italian cinema.

Billets officiels et accréditation

The official Torino Underground Cinefest website provides the 2026 programme and ticketing access for the 13th edition. Cinema Baretti is the principal festival venue.

The festival’s professional and cultural access is separate from filmmaker submission fees. Professional participants, filmmakers, press and cultural workers should follow the accreditation instructions provided by the organisers.

For general information, ticketing and accreditation enquiries, the festival can be contacted at info@systemout.org.

The festival is organised by Associazione Culturale SystemOut in collaboration with Associazione Baretti, with Mauro Russo Rouge as founder and general manager and Alessandro Amato as artistic director.

Localisation

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