From October 15 to 26, 2025, Alice nella città returns — an independent and parallel section of the Rome Film Fest dedicated to younger generations — along with the Onde Corte competition, focused on short films. This year, the jury president and the one who will award the prize for Best Short Film will be Kenneth Lonergan, director of the Oscar-nominated film Manchester by the Sea and screenwriter of Gangs of New York. During the festival, the director will also hold a masterclass open to the public and accredited attendees.

Gianluca Gianelli and Fabia Bettini, Directors of Alice nella città, stated:
“Being in Lonergan’s cinema means observing life without psychoanalytical complications or moral judgments. His films generate sparks that help us free our gaze from the symmetrical patterns through which teenagers and adults interact with the world. These are encounters that are not always easy—and never indifferent. They define a personal cinematic style, born of attentive and honest listening by an Author who is never interested in making cinema without also living life. That’s why we’re thrilled to welcome him as head of the short film jury, which represents the first step for a generation of filmmakers exploring short cinema as a viable horizon—one where they can experiment with new ideas without fear of failure.”

Short and feature films can be submitted for pre-selection to the upcoming edition of Alice nella città until August 22 through the following link.

Photo Credits: Pexels