The 2025 Italian Film Festival
Get ready for a week celebrating the heart, style and storytelling of Italian cinema. From glittering biopics to stories of resilience, creativity and passion. This year’s Italian Film Festival lineup brings a taste of Italy to Geelong. Join us as we showcase seven incredible films, each offering a window into the artistry and soul of Italian filmmaking.
Diamonds
Award-winning filmmaker Ferzan Özpetek returns with this Italian box office hit, a joyous and touching tribute to the costume designers and seamstresses whose great craftsmanship bring to life the magic of cinema. Inspired by Özpetek’s personal experience frequenting film and theatre tailoring shops in the 1980s, Diamonds features a dazzling all-star ensemble cast led by Luisa Ranieri (Parthenope IFF24) and Jasmine Trinca (Maria Montessori IFF24), with costumes by designer Stefano Ciammitti. In the present day, Özpetek decides to make a film about women and so gathers his favourite actresses for a lunch and script read-through, which leads to his imagination transporting them into another era. In 1970s Rome, sisters Alberta and Gabriella run a prestigious fashion house, where the noise of the sewing machines fills a workplace populated by women. When an important order arrives from an Oscar-winning costume designer client, challenges arise as the team of talented dressmakers try to fulfill the requirements. Outside and within the atelier, passions, anxieties, and unbreakable bonds intertwine as the line between reality and fiction begins to blur.
Diamonds
Award-winning filmmaker Ferzan Özpetek returns with this Italian box office hit, a joyous and touching tribute to the costume designers and seamstresses whose great craftsmanship bring to life the magic of cinema. Inspired by Özpetek’s personal experience frequenting film and theatre tailoring shops in the 1980s, Diamonds features a dazzling all-star ensemble cast led by Luisa Ranieri (Parthenope IFF24) and Jasmine Trinca (Maria Montessori IFF24), with costumes by designer Stefano Ciammitti. In the present day, Özpetek decides to make a film about women and so gathers his favourite actresses for a lunch and script read-through, which leads to his imagination transporting them into another era. In 1970s Rome, sisters Alberta and Gabriella run a prestigious fashion house, where the noise of the sewing machines fills a workplace populated by women. When an important order arrives from an Oscar-winning costume designer client, challenges arise as the team of talented dressmakers try to fulfill the requirements. Outside and within the atelier, passions, anxieties, and unbreakable bonds intertwine as the line between reality and fiction begins to blur.
Gianni Versace – Emperor of Dreams
Cleverly intertwining past and present, fiction and documentary, with this biopic director/co-writer Mimmo Calopresti tells the story of the growth and success of Gianni Versace, a fashion designer of the future. Beginning with his youth in Reggio Calabria in the 1960s, spent observing his seamstress mother and studying the classics, he took his first steps in the world of fashion. While evading the judgment of his fellow townspeople about his never-hidden and proudly lived sexuality, he immersed himself in the remnants of ancient Greece in search of identity and eventually fled to Milan to unleash his genius. In 1970s Milan, the Versace brand began to rise, with forays into theater, music, cinema, and television. Then in the United States, Versace collaborated with great photographers like Mapplethorpe, forever changing the relationship between photography and fashion. Collecting a series of interviews with his friends, colleagues and models, including Carla Bruni, as well as archival images of fashion shows and interviews, Gianni Versace – Emperor of Dreams reconstructs the world, life and creativity of Versace.
Gianni Versace – Emperor of Dreams
Cleverly intertwining past and present, fiction and documentary, with this biopic director/co-writer Mimmo Calopresti tells the story of the growth and success of Gianni Versace, a fashion designer of the future. Beginning with his youth in Reggio Calabria in the 1960s, spent observing his seamstress mother and studying the classics, he took his first steps in the world of fashion. While evading the judgment of his fellow townspeople about his never-hidden and proudly lived sexuality, he immersed himself in the remnants of ancient Greece in search of identity and eventually fled to Milan to unleash his genius. In 1970s Milan, the Versace brand began to rise, with forays into theater, music, cinema, and television. Then in the United States, Versace collaborated with great photographers like Mapplethorpe, forever changing the relationship between photography and fashion. Collecting a series of interviews with his friends, colleagues and models, including Carla Bruni, as well as archival images of fashion shows and interviews, Gianni Versace – Emperor of Dreams reconstructs the world, life and creativity of Versace.
Hold Tight Missy! Isabella Ducrot Unlimited
When Isabella Ducrot (née Antonia Mosca) began to devote herself to art at the age of 55, no one – least of all herself – could have imagined that today, at the age of 90, she would be an artist sought after by leading galleries the world over. Born in Naples in 1931 and based in Rome, Ducrot’s œuvre has been admired in Italy for three decades, since a tapestry was included in the 1993 Venice Biennale. Typically made in series, she primarily produces fresh, intimate and joyous works of collage, using paint, textiles, and paper, but it wasn’t until 2019 that she gained international recognition. In this in-depth examination of a woman who traversed the 20th century, Ducrot reveals that in her opinion “a happy life begins at sixty!” More than a portrait of an artist who rose to the top despite being self-taught and an outsider, Hold Tight Missy! Isabella Ducrot Unlimited follows Ducrot’s activity over the course of two years, amid international successes and delivering private insights.
Hold Tight Missy! Isabella Ducrot Unlimited
When Isabella Ducrot (née Antonia Mosca) began to devote herself to art at the age of 55, no one – least of all herself – could have imagined that today, at the age of 90, she would be an artist sought after by leading galleries the world over. Born in Naples in 1931 and based in Rome, Ducrot’s œuvre has been admired in Italy for three decades, since a tapestry was included in the 1993 Venice Biennale. Typically made in series, she primarily produces fresh, intimate and joyous works of collage, using paint, textiles, and paper, but it wasn’t until 2019 that she gained international recognition. In this in-depth examination of a woman who traversed the 20th century, Ducrot reveals that in her opinion “a happy life begins at sixty!” More than a portrait of an artist who rose to the top despite being self-taught and an outsider, Hold Tight Missy! Isabella Ducrot Unlimited follows Ducrot’s activity over the course of two years, amid international successes and delivering private insights.
Nineteen
Luca Guadagnino produces this electric, true-to-life tale of a young man’s discovery of sex, self and cities as he tries to understand where it is that his journeys are taking him to. Sicilian teenager Leonardo is embarking on a new life in London, staying in his expat sister’s cramped living space. But he soon finds these new environs stifling and returns to Italy, pursuing a passion for literature in a picturesque medieval Tuscan city. Bursting with confidence and a bit too self-involved, Leonardo clashes with his professors and peers. As he dives into his books, dating apps and social media, however, he moves steadily forward on his own path, always in search of something. Produced by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name, MIFF 2017) and shot on luscious 35mm in Palermo, London, Siena and Turin, Giovanni Tortorici’s playful, semi-autobiographical debut feature emerges from rave receptions at Venice and Toronto. Obsessed with stories from the past but unsure of who he is supposed to be in the present, Leonardo is a character whose mixture of bravado, curiosity and fragility is as endearing and occasionally exasperating as it is easily recognisable for anyone who can recall their young-adult years with a wince.
Nineteen
Luca Guadagnino produces this electric, true-to-life tale of a young man’s discovery of sex, self and cities as he tries to understand where it is that his journeys are taking him to. Sicilian teenager Leonardo is embarking on a new life in London, staying in his expat sister’s cramped living space. But he soon finds these new environs stifling and returns to Italy, pursuing a passion for literature in a picturesque medieval Tuscan city. Bursting with confidence and a bit too self-involved, Leonardo clashes with his professors and peers. As he dives into his books, dating apps and social media, however, he moves steadily forward on his own path, always in search of something. Produced by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name, MIFF 2017) and shot on luscious 35mm in Palermo, London, Siena and Turin, Giovanni Tortorici’s playful, semi-autobiographical debut feature emerges from rave receptions at Venice and Toronto. Obsessed with stories from the past but unsure of who he is supposed to be in the present, Leonardo is a character whose mixture of bravado, curiosity and fragility is as endearing and occasionally exasperating as it is easily recognisable for anyone who can recall their young-adult years with a wince.
Signorinella: Little Miss
Narrated by Italian-Australian actress Greta Scacchi, this fascinating documentary written, directed and produced by the creators of LYGON ST – Si Parla Italiano, Angelo Pricolo, Jason McFadyen and Shannon Swan, Signorinella: Little Miss celebrates the tenacity and spirit of Italian women who helped shape the Italian-Australian community. In the wake of WWII, a new wave of Italian immigrants arrived in Australia, seeking to rebuild their lives far from the devastation they left behind. Among them were women who embodied resilience, determination and a sense of adventure. From raising families while running small businesses, to transforming Australia’s food, fashion, media and cultural landscape, these women did more than adapt – they thrived. Capturing a legacy that still echoes through the community today and featuring interviews with a range of influential women including Allegra Spender, Carla Zampatti and Tina Arena, they share their stories of hardship, resilience and triumph. Through personal narratives and historical insights, this documentary is a tribute to the power of determination, creativity, and the enduring spirit of women who dared to dream.
Signorinella: Little Miss
Narrated by Italian-Australian actress Greta Scacchi, this fascinating documentary written, directed and produced by the creators of LYGON ST – Si Parla Italiano, Angelo Pricolo, Jason McFadyen and Shannon Swan, Signorinella: Little Miss celebrates the tenacity and spirit of Italian women who helped shape the Italian-Australian community. In the wake of WWII, a new wave of Italian immigrants arrived in Australia, seeking to rebuild their lives far from the devastation they left behind. Among them were women who embodied resilience, determination and a sense of adventure. From raising families while running small businesses, to transforming Australia’s food, fashion, media and cultural landscape, these women did more than adapt – they thrived. Capturing a legacy that still echoes through the community today and featuring interviews with a range of influential women including Allegra Spender, Carla Zampatti and Tina Arena, they share their stories of hardship, resilience and triumph. Through personal narratives and historical insights, this documentary is a tribute to the power of determination, creativity, and the enduring spirit of women who dared to dream.
The Great Ambition
Elio Germano delivers a standout performance as Enrico Berlinguer in this meticulous, intelligent biopic of a man for whom life and politics, private and collective, were inextricably linked. Italy, 1970s. Enrico Berlinguer is the Secretary of the most important Communist party in the western world, with over one million seven hundred thousand card-holding members and more than twelve million voters, united by the great ambition of achieving socialism within a democracy. Challenging the dogmas of the Cold War and a world divided in two, Berlinguer and the Italian Communist Party (PCI) sought for five years to come to power, opening a season of dialogue with the Christian Democracy and almost changing history. Covering the period from 1973 when Berlinguer escapes an assassination attempt by the Bulgarian secret services in Sofia, makes it through election campaigns and trips to Moscow, onto the front pages of newspapers worldwide and holds a risky relationship with power, until 1978, The Great Ambition is a compelling portrait of the popular leader at his peak.
The Great Ambition
Elio Germano delivers a standout performance as Enrico Berlinguer in this meticulous, intelligent biopic of a man for whom life and politics, private and collective, were inextricably linked. Italy, 1970s. Enrico Berlinguer is the Secretary of the most important Communist party in the western world, with over one million seven hundred thousand card-holding members and more than twelve million voters, united by the great ambition of achieving socialism within a democracy. Challenging the dogmas of the Cold War and a world divided in two, Berlinguer and the Italian Communist Party (PCI) sought for five years to come to power, opening a season of dialogue with the Christian Democracy and almost changing history. Covering the period from 1973 when Berlinguer escapes an assassination attempt by the Bulgarian secret services in Sofia, makes it through election campaigns and trips to Moscow, onto the front pages of newspapers worldwide and holds a risky relationship with power, until 1978, The Great Ambition is a compelling portrait of the popular leader at his peak.
The Illusion
Starring popular comic duo Salvatore Ficarra & Valentino Picone (Strangeness IFF23) and festival favourite Toni Servillo (also in La Grazia and Sicilian Letters), The Illusion is a fun re-imagining of Giuseppe Garibaldi’s 1860 campaign that unified Italy. 1860. Young idealists from all regions of Italy join Giuseppe Garibaldi (Tommaso Ragno) in Quarto, near Genoa, for the adventure of the “Mille.” With his faithful group of officers, including the loyal Colonel Vincenzo Giordano Orsini (Servillo), Garibaldi recruits volunteers for the expedition. Among the many soldiers recruited are two (fictitious) Sicilians, peasant farmer Domenico Tricò (Ficarra), and noble yet penniless trickster Rosario Spitale (Picone). Landing at Marsala, Sicily, the “Mille” begins fighting with Bourbon army, whose superior numbers are immediately evident, and it seems impossible to breach enemy lines. But when he is almost forced to retreat, Garibaldi devises an ingenious plan. Directed and co-written by Roberto Andò (Strangeness IFF23) this entertaining tale blends comedy and drama to illuminate a piece of history, exploring the paradoxes of Sicilian identity.
The Illusion
Starring popular comic duo Salvatore Ficarra & Valentino Picone (Strangeness IFF23) and festival favourite Toni Servillo (also in La Grazia and Sicilian Letters), The Illusion is a fun re-imagining of Giuseppe Garibaldi’s 1860 campaign that unified Italy. 1860. Young idealists from all regions of Italy join Giuseppe Garibaldi (Tommaso Ragno) in Quarto, near Genoa, for the adventure of the “Mille.” With his faithful group of officers, including the loyal Colonel Vincenzo Giordano Orsini (Servillo), Garibaldi recruits volunteers for the expedition. Among the many soldiers recruited are two (fictitious) Sicilians, peasant farmer Domenico Tricò (Ficarra), and noble yet penniless trickster Rosario Spitale (Picone). Landing at Marsala, Sicily, the “Mille” begins fighting with Bourbon army, whose superior numbers are immediately evident, and it seems impossible to breach enemy lines. But when he is almost forced to retreat, Garibaldi devises an ingenious plan. Directed and co-written by Roberto Andò (Strangeness IFF23) this entertaining tale blends comedy and drama to illuminate a piece of history, exploring the paradoxes of Sicilian identity.