San Diego Italian Film Fest Offers Film Fans Cinema with an Italian Perspective

The San Diego Italian Film Festival returns Tuesday with in-person and online screenings of movies, many of which are making their San Diego debuts.

This year’s fest, which runs through Oct. 14, will show films at the Museum of Photographic Arts and San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park, as well as La Paloma in Encinitas and Digital Gym at UC San Diego’s Park & Market. 

The event slate includes romantic comedies, independent films, dramas, documentaries and other Italian films and will conclude with the fun-filled Festa, a celebration with award-winning Italian food and wine and live music, at MOPA.

The opening film, on Thursday, is Siccità. The 2022 satirical ensemble drama, set in Rome, is about a drought and subsequent water shortage that take their toll on the city’s population, perhaps suggesting the imminent end of days.

The closing film, Beata te, screening on Oct. 13, focuses on a theater director who receives a divine visit that she challenges, prompting the angel to stay with her for a while.

Festival passes start at $75, while admission to individual screenings is $16.

The festival’s theme, “Forward” represents the organizers desire to re-imagine its offerings for a growing and evolving audience and community.

Antonio Iannotta, the festival’s artistic director, said the goal of this year’s feStivale is to expand the film festival’s reach with a diverse offering of films and locations so that more people will be exposed to cutting-edge Italian cinema and an Italian perspective.

Organizers also are keeping the legacy of festival founder and former president, Victor Laruccia, in mind. He died in March 2021. 

“This is our first feStivale without Victor’s guidance, and so we chose to preserve his vision with the movies and events that will move the organization forward, while still being true to our values and mission,” Iannetta said. “Victor’s goal was always to build a piazza of sorts where the community could enjoy Italian films and culture while also sharing their perspectives and insights with each other.”

The organization also has reshaped their annual celebration and fundraiser to be a more casual and livelier affair.

The 2023 Festa will feature food from the Ciccia Osteria, a Michelin-recognized restaurant in Barrio Logan, Italian wines, hand-made desserts from Gelato Love and the music of S.T. Cats, a a local Italian cover band.

Festa also will feature the 5th Annual Ristretto Awards, the festival’s short films competition, which features submissions from around the world that explore the themes of Italian culture and identity.

Note: Photo credit, Still from San Diego Italian Film Festival, @SanDiegoItalianFilmFestival via YouTube