Join us for Cinema in Piazza 2025!
Magazzino will open its central outdoor gathering space to the stars—and to the visions of Italian filmmakers—for its annual Cinema in Piazza series, starting on July 19. This year’s program will present 4 films across two weekends in July and August.
Though diverse in genre and style, this year’s film selections resonate with several themes explored in Magazzino’s current exhibitions and events, including transatlantic dialogues in art, the memory of persecution, the cultural discourse surrounding the space race, and the evolving role of women in Italian society.
All screenings will take place in the courtyard of Magazzino’s Main Building. Doors will open at 5:00pm, and screenings will begin at dusk.
Tickets are $20 for general admission; free for Amici di Magazzino. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase.
Program
Saturday, July 19, 2025
Taking Venice
by Amei Wallach (2023, 98 min.)
At the height of the Cold War, the U.S. government is determined to fight Communism with culture. The Venice Biennale, the world’s most influential art exhibition, becomes a proving ground in 1964. Alice Denney, Washington insider and friend of the Kennedys, recommends Alan Solomon, an ambitious curator making waves with trailblazing art, to organize the U.S. entry. Together with Leo Castelli, a powerful New York art dealer, they embark on a daring plan to make Robert Rauschenberg the winner of the Grand Prize. The artist’s innovative language becomes the perfect incarnation of freedom of expression against the socialist realism imposed by the Soviets. Deftly pulling off maneuvers that could have come from a Hollywood thriller, the American team leaves the international press crying foul and Rauschenberg questioning the politics of nationalism that sent him there.
Sunday, July 20, 2025
Il giardino dei Finzi Contini (The Garden of the Finzi-Continis)
by Vittorio De Sica (1970, 95 min.)
Inspired by Giorgio Bassani’s novel, The Garden of The Finzi Continis tells the story of an aristocratic Jewish family in 1930s Ferrara, when Fascism begins to enforce its first racial laws. The Finzi-Contini’s try to resist social isolation by opening the gates of their sumptuous villa to a circle of Jewish friends of their children. Among them is Giorgio, a Jewish student, of more modest origins, who is writing his degree thesis, allowed by professor Finzi Contini to consult his rich library. In love since childhood with Micol, the professor's daughter, with whom he spends long afternoons playing tennis, Giorgio has never managed to declare his feelings. As tensions rise across the country, the group's seemingly carefree gatherings become overshadowed by the looming threat of war and persecution.
With a pre-screening of:
Gilardi: Tappeto-Natura
by Domenico Palma (2022, 20 min.)
Saturday, August 23, 2025
L'uomo che comprò la Luna (The Man Who Bought The Moon)
by Paolo Zucca (2018, 102 min.)
A pair of Italian secret agents receive a tip-off from the United States: it seems that someone in Sardinia has become the owner of the moon. From the American perspective, this is unacceptable, as they were the first to set foot on the satellite and plant their national flag. To investigate, the agents recruit a soldier who, under the false name of Kevin Pirelli and with a strong Milanese accent, hides his Sardinian roots. His real name is Gavino Zoccheddu, and although he does not realize it, Sardinia runs in his blood. To solve the case and blend in, he must be re-transformed into a true Sardinian, with the help of an unconventional cultural coach. At this point, all that remains is to solve the case: who bought the moon? And why?
With a pre-screening of:
Nivola: Sandscapes
by Domenico Palma (2021, 9 min.)
Sunday, August 24, 2025
C’è ancora domani (There’s Still Tomorrow)
by Paola Cortellesi (2023, 118 min.)
Set in Rome in 1946, this comedic drama follows Delia, a woman trapped in an oppressive family and society on the verge of change. That year marks a decisive turn for Italian history as women are granted the right to vote for the first time, choosing between a republic or a monarchy, in the aftermath of World War II. Delia is a working-class woman, who struggles through various jobs to support her family – her eldest daughter Marcella, her unruly younger siblings, the bedridden father-in-law, and her abusive husband Ivano. When a mysterious letter arrives, she discovers the courage to change the circumstances of her life.
With a pre-screening of:
Bochner Boetti Fontana
by Domenico Palma (2020, 18 min.)
About Artecinema
Artecinema is an international contemporary art film festival curated by Laura Trisorio and established in Naples in 1996. Its objective is to introduce the general public to the various expressions of contemporary art through a selection of documentaries dedicated to leading artists, architects, and photographers on the international scene.
Biographies, interviews, and narratives – assembled with archival material – allow audiences to delve into the world of art and observe artists at work in their studios, behind the scenes of major projects, and during international exhibitions.
Around thirty documentaries – divided into three sections: Art and Environs, Architecture and Design, and Photography – are screened during the festival. The selection is sourced globally through directors, artists, and producers, who are invited to personally present their works, which are of the highest quality, not widely distributed, and often difficult to access.
Each October, the festival opens with an inaugural night at the Teatro di San Carlo, followed by screenings at the Teatro Augusteo in the days that follow. This year marks an important milestone: the 30th edition of the festival.
Artecinema collaborates with international institutions and fosters opportunities for education, social engagement, and cultural exchange.