50 days of cinema in Florence

Autumn is on its way, and with it comes the Florence film festival known as 50 Days of Cinema.

From October 7 to December 10, 2026, spanning screens across different countries, geographic regions, and thematic areas, the 50-day festival is a must-see event for all fans of off-mainstream cinema.

The festival’s “headquarters” will be the Teatro della Compagnia, located on the very central Via Cavour, which will host nine internationally focused programs, including retrospectives, short and feature-length films, animations, and documentaries. Here is the schedule for the 2026 edition:

• Middle East Now October 6–11 Films, documentaries, visual arts, food, and events exploring the contemporary world of the Middle East and North Africa. “Radical Movements” is the main theme of this edition: steps that cross borders, bodies that unite, and reactions to the present (censorship, patriarchy, personal traumas, and more) to transform it.
   
• FánHuā Chinese Film Festival  October 14–18. A window into contemporary China and beyond, featuring classics from the past alongside works by emerging directors.
   
• Women’s Film Festival  October 21–25. A selection curated entirely by women. A comprehensive retrospective will be dedicated to the great New Zealand director Jane Campion, featuring films such as “The Piano” and “The Portrait of a Lady” (the latter partially filmed in Florence).
   
• France Odeon  October 28–November 1. The best of French cinema premieres in Florence at one of the longest-running festivals (held in Florence for 35 years). Special awards ceremonies featuring directors, actors, screenwriters, and prominent figures from the Francophone cultural world.
   
• Festival dei Popoli November 2–8. The “International Documentary Film Festival” was founded in 1959 (the oldest of its kind in Europe) with the goal of fostering understanding among peoples and cultures, with a strong focus on contemporary issues.
   
• Lo Schermo dell’arte (The screen of the Art) November 11–15. An international event presenting a selection of the best recent artist films and documentaries on contemporary art.
   
• Florence Queer Film Festival November 18–22. A festival dedicated to the queer world without stereotypes. A showcase of feature-length and short films inspired by the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people.
   
• River to River Florence Indian Film Festival December 3–8. A look at Indian cinema past and present. Featuring a selection of the best films in competition, accompanied by directors and actors.
   
• N.I.C.E. City of Florence Award  December 10. The Association (an acronym for New Italian Cinema Events), founded with the aim of promoting cultural exchanges between countries, presents a selection of high-quality Irish films.