Moonlit Movie Nights in Rome
Nothing says summer in the Eternal City like a movie under the stars (preferably with a gelato in hand). This month, piazzas, and lush villas transform into open-air cinemas, showing everything from classic flicks, to kid-friendly favorites.
Read on for our top picks of outdoor flicks in the city.
Cinema in Piazza 2023
From June 2nd to July 16th, Rome’s piazzas are once again being transformed into a movie theater, as the free outside movie festival, “Il Cinema in Piazza,” has returned to Rome for its 9th year. Just like last year, it will be hosted in three locations: Piazza San Cosimato (June 2 – July 16), Monte Ciocci (June 10 – July 16), Casale della Cervelletta (June 8 – July 16). The ninth edition of the festival offers a very rich program; special attention devoted to screenings in the original language (with Italian subtitles) honors the culture of the films by maintaining their authenticity, while simultaneously catering to the diverse tourists and residents living in Rome.
Till July 16, 2023
Piazza San Cosimato); Monte Ciocci; Casale della Cervelletta in Tor Sapienza
Films shown at 9.15pm
Free entry – no reservation required
Casa del Cinema
The summer programming returns to Casa del Cinema, curated by the Fondazione Cinema per Roma. Every day, starting at 9:30 PM, the Teatro Ettore Scola, the large open-air arena located in the Villa Borghese Park, will host a free screening. All films are in their original language with subtitles.
From June 6th to June 30th, the program will feature three cycles with a total of nineteen films: “Bianco&Noir” (June 6th-11th) will present famous classics of Italian and international cinema, “On the road” (June 12th-22nd) will follow the trajectories of iconic journeys on the big screen, and “Siamo donne” (June 23rd-30th) will showcase extraordinary female characters and unforgettable actresses.
The outdoor programming at Casa del Cinema will continue in July and August, while in September and October, “Carta Bianca” to Martin Scorsese will resume: Casa del Cinema and the Cineteca di Bologna will once again offer the audience a wide range of films, a total of twenty-two, personally selected by the renowned filmmaker. The format will be similar to before, as each film chosen from Scorsese’s extraordinary filmography will be paired with a work that inspired his own creations.
till October 2023
Largo Marcello Mastroianni,1 (Villa Borghese)
Films shown nightly, from 9.30pm
Free entry
Sotto le Stelle dell’Austria
The eleventh edition of “Sotto le Stelle dell’Austria” dedicated to the best of contemporary Austrian cinema, awaits you in the beautiful garden of the Austrian cultural institute from June 20th to July 5th. Reservations mandatory via email.
The Programme:
- 20 June, 9pm, Alma & Oscar;
- 21 June, 9pm, Sonne;
- 27 June, 8.30pm, Serviam;
- 28 June, 9pm, Matter our of place;
- 4 July, 9pm, Breaking the ice;
- 5 July, 8.30pm, Vera
From June 20 to July 5, 2023
Forum Austriaco di Cultura – Via B. Buozzi 113
8.30, 9pm
Free entry, mandatory reservation via email at prenotazione.forumaustriaco@gmail.com
Notti di Cinema a Piazza Vittorio
At Piazza Vittorio in Esquilino, the 23rd edition of “Notti di Cinema a Piazza Vittorio” (Cinema Nights at Piazza Vittorio) returns. From June 23rd to September 16th, a captivating series of events will take place at Piazza Vittorio in conjunction with the outdoor cinema. Every evening at 9:30 PM, the season’s greatest successes will be projected on the historic giant screen, offering a refined selection of films. The cycle, curated by film critic Franco Montini, will feature the participation of renowned actors and directors such as Roberto Andò, Pupi Avati, Giuseppe Battiston, Marco Bocci, Alessandro Borghi, Gianni Di Gregorio, Ivano Di Matteo, Beppe Fiorello, Riccardo Milani, Rocco Papaleo, Edoardo Pesce, Michele Placido, Carlo Verdone, and Daniele Vicari.
from June 23 to September 16, 2023
Piazza Vittorio
9.30pm
€3,50-5,00
Monteverde Il Cinema sotto le Stelle
The open-air cinema in Monteverde, organized by CineVillage, will enliven the evenings of the Roman citizens throughout the summer with screenings of recently released successful films. Additionally, there will be encounters with cinema personalities, presentations, live performances, all complemented by a food area where one can enjoy pleasant evenings with friends or family.
from June 24 to September 10, 2023
Largo Alessandrina Ravizza
9.30pm
€3,50-5,00
Cinema al MAXXI
On Wednesday, July 5th, at MAXXI, there will be a screening of “Metropolis” by Fritz Lang, a masterpiece of expressionist cinema and a precursor to science fiction films from 1927.
Thursday, July 13th, is dedicated to families with “Zootropolis,” an animated film produced by Walt Disney and winner of the 2017 Oscar and Golden Globe Awards. It tells a story of tolerance and acceptance in a city unlike any other, designed and inhabited by animals.
The timeless masterpiece by Ridley Scott, “Blade Runner,” will be screened in its original language on Thursday, July 20th, at MAXXI. This is the director’s definitive version, crafted with complete artistic freedom. The “Invisible Cities” series of the Summer at MAXXI concludes on Thursday, July 27th, with Woody Allen’s unmistakable film “Manhattan,” screened in its original language.
5, 13, 20, 27 July, 2023
Piazza del Maxxi, Via Guido Reni, 4a
9pm
free entrance
Isola del cinema – International Festival of Cinema and Culture (TBC)
This year, L’Isola del Cinema’s annual film festival – one of the capital’s summer peak cultural events in the heart of the historic center – returns in presence to entertain Rome and its visitors in the picturesque setting of the Tiber island. From 21 June to 3 September, in an arch of 75 evenings, the International cinema festival proposes an exciting review of Italian and foreign titles.
The Festival, conceived and directed by Giorgio Ginori, celebrates its 28th edition with previews, unpublished works, awards, competitions, thematic reviews, debates, masterclasses, exhibitions, screenings in original language and many other unmissable events.
TBC
Isola Tiberina
Everyday from 9.15pm
price vary
Roma Cinema Arena – Parco degli Acquedotti
From 12th to 28th July, a large summer arena will be held at the Parco degli Acquedotti with a daily review of restored masterpieces, presented every night by special guests. Three free-entry film reviews are scheduled, presented by directors, authors, actors, and critics: the first will offer a special tribute to the city of Rome, the second will host a series of masterpieces in restored versions, and the third will celebrate the birthdays of great cinema figures and films that have made their mark in the history of the seventh art. Each film will be presented in its original version.
12-28 July 2023
Via Lemonia (corner Via Appio Claudio)
9.15pm
Free entrance
Quo Vadis?
Appointment with cinema dedicated to the history of Rome with QUO VADIS?, the initiative that sees two Italian cultural institutions of excellence united for the second time: the CSC – National Film Archive, among the largest international film archives, and the Archaeological Park of the Colosseum. From July 4th to 16th, a series of films featuring great cities of the world will be screened in the Temple of Venus and Rome (entrance from Piazza del Colosseo): Rome, New York, Cairo, Mariupol, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Dakar, Naples, Paris, Taipei, Tokyo, and Istanbul.
Check out the program: ERoma (Tuesday July 4, Roma by Federico Fellini); New York (Wednesday July 5, Manhatta by Paul Strand e Charles Sheeler and Manhattan by Woody Allen); Taipei ThursdayJuly 6, Taipei Story by Edward Yang); Berlino (Friday July 7, One, two. three! di Billy Wilder); Tokio (Saturday July 8, Lost in Translation by Sofia Coppola); Istanbul (Sunday July 9, Topkapi by Jules Dassin); Nzpoili (Monday July 10, Le mani sulla città by Francesco Rosi); Silent City (Tuesday July 11, Aurora (Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans) by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau); Dakar and Il Cairo (Wednesday July 12, Borom Sarret by Ousmane Sembène and Cairo Station by Youssef Chahine); Mariupol (Thursday July 13, Mariupolis by Mantas Kvedaravičius); Parigi, (Friday July 14, C’était un rendez-vous by Claude Lelouch’ and Cléo dalle 5 alle 7 by Agnès Varda); Los Angeles (Saturday July 15, Vivere e morire a Los Angeles by William Friedkin); Londra (Sunday July 16, Blow-up by Michelangelo Antonioni).
4-16 July 2023
Tempio di Venere e Roma, Piazza del Colosseo
9pm
Free entrance, booking recommended on eventbrite.it
Floating Theatre (TBC)
From August 24 until September 25, The Floating Theatre, the only eco-friendly, zero-impact floating arena immersed in an urban setting, with 150 seats and sound broadcast through wireless headphones, returns for the third consecutive year. Films will be shown in original language with subtitles and will be accompanied by special guests. This year, however, there will be a change of location: if in past years the festival took place at the Laghetto dell’Eur, now the lake of Villa Ada will host the festival. Floating Theatre is conceived by Alice nella Città and produced by AC Playtown Roma in collaboration with Fondazione Cinema per Roma, and is directed by Fabia Bettini and Gianluca Giannelli. Let’s start on August 24 with the Italian premiere of Bullet train, directed by David Leitch. Program includes screenings of The Humans by director Stephen Karam and Memoria by Apichatpong Weerasethakul; and then again, among others, a meeting with former soccer player Beppe Signori, who will present the documentary Fuorigioco – Una storia di vita e di sport, and the premiere of the animated film DC League of superpets, directed by Jared Stern and Sam Levine, introduced by Lillo and Maccio Capatonda, the film’s Italian voice actors.
TBC
Villa Ada
Daily from 8.30pm
€6
floatingtheatre.it
Effetto notte
Effetto notte is back: 11 days dedicated to the Italian cinema of yesterday, today and tomorrow, accompanied by a rich programme of concerts and guided visits to the Archaeological complex of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. The 2023 edition is dedicated to Roberto Perpignani, one of the greatest international film editors, who has edited numerous films for the most famous Italian and foreign directors, from Orson Welles to Bernardo Bertolucci, from Gianni Amelio to Francesca Archibugi and Nanni Moretti. Perpignani will be present to introduce the titles he has edited. From 20 July, all feature films will be preceded by the screening of short films made by the students of the CSC – National Film School.
July 20-30
Area Archeologica di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, Piazza di S. Croce in Gerusalemme
Every day at 9:30pm
Free entry
Arena Teatro India
From July 6th to July 23rd, 2023, the outdoor area of Teatro India will host a summer arena with approximately 400 seats, featuring an Italian film festival titled “July under a Starry Curtain at Teatro India.” The festival will take place over three consecutive weekends, from Thursday to Sunday (at 9:00 PM), with a total of twelve screenings that are free of charge.
The programme:
THURSDAY, JULY 6, 9 PM
TEATRO DI GUERRA
by Mario Martone, Italy, 1998, 110′ | Introduced by Mario Martone
FRIDAY, JULY 7, 9 PM
IL GIOVANE FAVOLOSO
by Mario Martone, Italy, 2014, 135′
SATURDAY, JULY 8, 9 PM
IL SINDACO DEL RIONE SANITÀ
by Mario Martone, Italy, 2019, 115′
SUNDAY, JULY 9, 9 PM
QUI RIDO IO
by Mario Martone, Italy, Spain, 2021, 133′
THURSDAY, JULY 13, 9 PM
VIVA LA LIBERTÀ
by Roberto Andò, Italy, 2013, 94′ | Introduced by Toni Servillo
FRIDAY, JULY 14, 9 PM
LA RAGAZZA DEL LAGO
by Andrea Molaioli, Italy, 2007, 95′
SATURDAY, JULY 15, 9 PM
LA GRANDE BELLEZZA
by Paolo Sorrentino, Italy, 2013, 180′
SUNDAY, JULY 16, 9 PM
5 È IL NUMERO PERFETTO
by Igort (Igor Tuveri), Italy, Belgium, France, 2019, 100′
THURSDAY, JULY 20, 9 PM
ROMA CITTÀ APERTA
by Roberto Rossellini, Italy, 1945, 103′
FRIDAY, JULY 21, 9 PM
MAMMA ROMA
by Pier Paolo Pasolini, Italy, 1962, 105′
SATURDAY, JULY 22, 9 PM
ROMA
by Federico Fellini, Italy, France, 1972, 119′
SUNDAY, JULY 23, 9 PM
RISATE DI GIOIA
by Mario Monicelli, Italy, 1960, 106′
From 6 to 23 July
Lungotevere Vittorio Gassman, 1,
From Thursday to Sunday, 9pm
Free entry
Villa Medici Film Festival
The Villa Medici Film Festival is back, from 13 to 17 September 2023, and it will be divided into three sections: The International Competition, the parallel program Focus, featuring non-competitive films by artists, masterclasses, and exceptional encounters, and the Piazzale screenings, which gather the audience for outdoor screenings of new films, including premieres and restored classics. Programme will be published in the coming weeks.
From 13 to 17 September
Viale della Trinità dei Monti, 1
9pm
Arene di Roma
Many locations throughout Rome:
ARENA NUOVO SACHER
From June 29th to July 31st
Largo Ascianghi, 1
9.30pm
Entry Fee €3,5 – 6
ARENA TIZIANO
From June 30th to September 30th
Via Guido Reni, 2
9.30pm
Entry fee €3 – 4
www.facebook.com/Cinema-Tiziano-sito-ufficiale-159721814065333/
ARENA GARBATELLA
From July 1st to September 10th
Piazza Benedetto Brin
9.20pm
Entry fee €5 – 6
Hi guys – last night we bought tickets for the Floating Theatre, partly on the strength of the text on this site which reads “The festival will light up the Roman summer with a rich programming of guests, previews, thematic days, screenings of great classics and debuts, films of any genre from all over the world with Italian subtites.” Upon our arrival the movie was dubbed – no subtitles were available. We ended up leaving. Can I recommend you update the page please? Lots of effort for a family to travel out to EUR for no reward. Thanks. Ilse.