Il Cinema – Rome turns movie night into a free, high-voltage festival moment from May 28 to July 12, with outdoor screenings at three venues and a guest list that pulls in filmmakers, actors, composers, and icons—plus David Bowie and Thom Yorke making major appearances.
The argument over the “death of cinema” can wait. Every Friday night in Rome, the city is setting up a different kind of case—one made of outdoor screens, free tickets, and names that look like they were lifted from a film-dream wish list.
Fondazione Piccolo America’s Il Cinema in Piazza runs May 28 through July 12 across three open-air venues. with 95 screenings and 32 special encounters. and all screenings free to attend. The series lands across Piazza San Cosimato in Trastevere. Parco della Cervelletta in Tor Sapienza. and Parco di Monte Ciocci in Valle Aurelia.
For the Friday night crowd at the Cervelletta, the program keeps an emotional through-line. One year after David Lynch‘s passing. the full first season of “Twin Peaks” screens under the stars. followed by “Fire Walk with Me” and “Missing Pieces. ” the collection of Lynch’s deleted scenes and alternate takes.
Then comes the kind of screen-event many Italian cinephiles have only been waiting for. “Uncut Gems” arrives on a proper big screen in Rome. with the Safdie Brothers receiving their first Roman retrospective this year. The retrospective includes the Adam Sandler film “Uncut Gems. ” which was released in Italy exclusively on streaming—meaning a generation of viewers will finally get the viscerally stressful experience the way it was meant to be seen. The retrospective continues at Cinema Troisi with Benny Safdie’s “The Smashing Machine” and Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme.”.
The festival’s guest list is where last-minute flight math really starts. Jane Campion, Jacques Audiard, Oliver Stone, Pablo Larraín, and Isabella Rossellini will all appear in the mix. Rossellini will present “Casablanca” in conversation with her daughter Elettra. Josh O’Connor pays tribute to Pasolini with a screening of “Accattone,” and Ian McKellen introduces Jacques Tati. Léa Seydoux brings a surprise Carte Blanche. while Thom Yorke—presented as “Thom Yorke — Thom Yorke”—steps in to present “Children of Men” in conversation with Antonio Monda and Francesco Zippel.
Nicolas Winding Refn also has an intense schedule: a preview of his new film “Her Private Hell” at Cinema Troisi, followed the same evening by a screening of Tony Scott’s “The Hunger” at the Cervelletta. That screening is timed as a tribute to David Bowie 10 years after his passing.
Opening night, May 28, leans into Italian storytelling and courtroom-level seriousness. Marco Bellocchio presents the first three episodes of his new series “Portobello. ” about the wrongful arrest and eventual acquittal of Italian TV personality Enzo Tortora. in conversation with true crime podcaster Stefano Nazzi and Italian music iconoclast M¥SS KETA. The night continues with a reading from series star Fabrizio Gifuni.
The retrospective slate keeps stacking big names and big worlds. Elio Petri takes Wednesday nights. Alice Rohrwacher and Kenneth Anger appear at the Cervelletta. Steven Spielberg and Takashi Miike move Sundays at Monte Ciocci. Edgar Wright brings his films on Wednesdays. Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli land on Saturdays. Gabriele Muccino appears every Sunday at San Cosimato.
This year’s guest of honor is Bruce Goldstein, Founding Repertory Artistic Director of New York’s Film Forum. Goldstein curated a five-film selection that draws a line between the street life of New York and the ancient architecture of Rome—starting with Harold Lloyd’s “Speedy. ” then moving to Fellini’s “Lo Sceicco Bianco. ” and “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.”.
If you’re trying to decide what to put on your calendar. the structure is already doing the convincing: free screenings every night across three venues. Friday nights dedicated to Lynch. major retrospective momentum from the Safdies. and guest encounters with heavyweight filmmakers and artists who turn film history into something you can actually attend. The full program is at ilcinemainpiazza.it.
Il Cinema in Piazza Fondazione Piccolo America Rome outdoor cinema free screenings Twin Peaks Uncut Gems Safdie Brothers Thom Yorke Children of Men David Lynch David Bowie tribute Marco Bellocchio Portobello Enzo Tortora
Free movies outside sounds amazing but Rome is expensive anyway so are the seats really free or just “free” like they make you pay for something else?
Wait Bowie and Thom Yorke are gonna be there like physically? Or is it just their music in the background? Cuz either way that’s crazy lol.
I think they mean “outside screens” in the sense of like, film trucks? But also “Twin Peaks” after David Lynch passed, that’s kinda sad and weird timing. I just don’t get how you can have a “high-voltage festival moment” and also be mourning.
Uncut Gems on a big screen makes sense. I saw it once on streaming and thought it was already perfect, so now I’m like… is this just to get people to pay attention again? Also Florence is better but whatever, Rome doing outdoor cinema is cool. 95 screenings?? That’s basically a part-time job. I’d go but I can’t tell which park is which and Google Maps will probably send me to the wrong place.