“The Long Summer of the Arena Borghesi 2026”: the 45th season of open-air cinema in Faenza kicks off
Il Raggio Verde Film Club presents “The Long Summer of the Arena Borghesi Cinema”, the 45th open-air cinema season in Faenza. The 2026 edition will place the theme of summer at the center of its program: historically conceived as the season of adventure, the unexplored, and escaping from routine, the beautiful season will be explored in all its artistic facets through 77 evenings of screenings, scheduled from June 12 to September 6, 2026.
Big news: Caffè Nove100 arrives at the Arena
Starting this year, the Arena gates will open earlier at 7:00 PM thanks to the partnership with Caffè Nove100. Next to the historic bar, a relaxation area with tables and chairs will be set up, designed to welcome spectators before the show for an aperitif, an ice cream, or a refreshing drink, encouraging socialization before dark or after the film.
The program: from restored masterpieces to the year’s hits and original language
The artistic program of the Cineclub Il Raggio Verde combines the great cinema of the past with the best films of the past season:
- Great Classics and Restorations: Films in which heat and summer become metaphors for tensions or passions, such as Big Wednesday, Do the Right Thing, Dog Day Afternoon, Monica and Desire, up to the restorations of Still Walking and Criminali da caso.
- Successes and Surprises of the Season: Space is given to critically acclaimed titles such as Sentimental Value (awarded at Cannes and the Oscar), Sirāt (Jury Prize at Cannes) and No Other Choice. There will also be plenty of family-friendly animated films such as Sheep Undercover and the new Pixar Jumpers – A Leap Among the Animals.
- Original Language Screenings: Given the great success of recent years, the programming of many foreign titles in the original version with subtitles is confirmed.
Special screenings, guests, and local productions
The Arena Borghesi confirms its role as a cultural hub thanks to important local collaborations:
- It Happened Tomorrow (FICE Emilia-Romagna): Special evenings with guests in the theater, including the directors and authors of the films, including Virgilio Villoresi (for Orfeo), Matteo Oleotto (for Ultimo Schiaffo), and Pierpaolo Capovilla (for Le città di plains).
- Order of Architects of Ravenna: A series of 5 events focusing on the connection between cinema, urban planning, and architecture (including Miralles and E.1027 – Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea), also valid for the professional training of members.
- Partner Festivals: Special screenings of the short films of Sedicicorto and the winning films of the NOAM Faenza Film Festival (Sorry, Baby and Rebuilding).
- Action! Learning: On Monday, June 29th, the short film “Il baule – Una finestra sul mondo” (directed by Gabriele Randi) will be screened for the first time. The film was written and produced entirely by students from the Torricelli-Ballardini High School in Faenza as part of a workshop on human rights.
Promotional Initiatives and “Cinema Revolution”
This year, the Arena Borghesi is once again participating in Cinema Revolution, the campaign promoted by the Ministry of Culture: from June 19th to September 20th, all tickets for Italian and European films (including those from the United Kingdom) will have a single discounted price of just €3.50.
Useful information and ticket prices
- Screening times: In June and July, films will start at 9:30 PM; in August, at 9:15 PM. Films will be shown without an intermission.
- Gates open: 7:00 PM.
- Standard admission prices: Full price €7.00 | Reduced price €6.00 (over 65, Biblioteche di Romagna card holders, and accompanying persons under Law 104) | ARCI members €5.00.
- Free admission: Every Monday of the season for the “Classics” series; the opening night on June 12th; almost the entire festival with the Order of Architects; the evening of July 3rd with Faenza Scrive; the family festival on July 29th (screening of Rango). Entrance is always free for disabled people and children 6 years old.
- Note for bad weather: In case of rain, screenings will be rescheduled for the end of the season (in the last dates of September).
The Calendar for the first part of the season (June – July 2026)
| Date | Film Title and Notes |
|---|---|
| June 12 | Roman Holiday (Inauguration – Free Entry / Original Language) |
| June 13 | 100 liters of beer |
| 14 June | Sirāt (Original Language) |
| June 15 | Big Wednesday (Monday Classic – Free Entry / Original Language) |
| June 17 | Rebuilding (NOAM Winner – Original Language) |
| June 18 | One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Original Language) |
| June 19 | The Colors of Time (Cinema Revolution promotion starts at €3.50) |
| June 20 | Father Mother Sister Brother (Original Language) |
| June 21 | Filmlovers! (Original Language) |
| June 22 | Do the Right Thing (Monday Classic – Free Entry / Original Language) |
| June 24 | Miralles (Architects’ Review – Free Entry / Original Language) |
| June 25 | Breathless (Original Language) |
| June 26 | Nouvelle Vague (Original Language) |
| June 27 | My Brother Is a Viking |
| June 28 | The Blackmail Thread (Original Language) |
| June 29 | Dog Day Afternoon (Monday Classic – Free Entry / Original Language) *Preceded by the short film by the students of the Torricelli-Ballardini High School |
| June 30 | The Cities of the Plain (Architects’ Review / FICE – Guest in the room Pierpaolo Capovilla) |
| July 1 | Sheep Undercover |
| 2 July | Small-Time Criminals |
| July 3 | The Flame of Sin (In collaboration with Faenza Scrive – Free Entry) |
| July 4 | Orpheus (FICE Festival – Guest director Virgilio Villoresi) |
| July 5 | My Joy |
| July 6 | O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Monday Classic – Free Entry / Original Language) |
| July 8 | E.1027 – Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea (Architects’ Review – Free Entry) |
| July 9 | The Last Slap (FICE Review – Guest director Matteo Oleotto) |
| July 10 | Heads or Tails? |
| July 11 | I Write in the Morning |
| July 12 | Hundreds of Beavers |
| July 13 | Monica and the Desire (Monday Classic – Free Entry / Original Language) |
| July 15 | The Lover (Architects’ Review – Free Entry) |
| July 16 | They Called Him Trinity… |
| July 17 | Sentimental Value |
| July 18 | No Other Choice (Original Language) |
| 19 July | Sorry, Baby (NOAM Winner – Original Language) |
| July 20 | Wheat Harvest Time (Monday Classic – Free Entry / Original Language) |
| July 22 | The Stranger of the Great Arch (Architects’ Review) |
| July 23 | Some Like It Hot (Original Language) |
| July 24 | Young Mothers |
| July 25 | The Secret Agent (Original Language Original) |
| July 26 | A year of school |
| July 27 | I knew her well (Monday Classic – Free Entry) |
| July 29 | Rango (Family Festival / Zibaldone di via Cavour – Free Entry) |
| July 30 | Still walking (Original Language) |
