The programme of the 21st edition of Alice nella città has been unveiled. The festival, which is autonomous and parallel to the Rome Film Festival, aims to promote independent and quality films and to create new opportunities for exchange and encounters with different audiences.

This year the events will take place not only in the Auditorium Parco della Musica and at the Auditorium Conciliazione, but also in Palazzo Delle Esposizioni.

The event will open on 18 October and will feature Molly Manning Walker’s film, How To Have Sex, as the opening film. The director and co-star Mia McKenna-Bruce will be present at the festival. One Life, by James Hawes instead, with Helena Bonham-Carter and Anthony Hopkins in the cast, will be the film that will close the event on 29 October.

Among the many titles that will premiere during this edition, there are two highly anticipated screenings: the first two episodes of the fourth season of Mare fuori, and Miyazaki’s new film The Boy and the Heron, titles premiered in co-production with the Rome Film Festival.

Like the opening film, How To Have Sex, there will be 10 other first films in the festival programme, including Io e il secco, by the only Italian director in Competition Gianluca Santoni.

The choice of the opening film also reflects the intention to focus more on the female gaze. Among the news of this edition is the WomenLands line-up of meetings, in collaboration with Expo 2030: four debate events on the evolution of the role of women in today’s world, which will close with the presentation of the first WomenLands Excellence Awards.

Two occasions will be aimed at the world of short films, such as the Onde Corte competition and the first edition of Short Film Days.

For further information and programme details see XXI edition of Alice nella città’s website.

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