March 27-30, 2026
The Italian Cultural Institute of Washington presents the inaugural Italian and French Film Festival at the University of Richmond and the historic Byrd Theatre in Richmond, Virginia.
Free and open to the public, the festival features eight contemporary Italian and French films, plus Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers marking its 60th anniversary. Opening and closing receptions will offer Italian and French cuisine, with scholar and filmmaker roundtables on March 28–29. All screenings will be introduced by an expert.
While all screenings are free, advance registration is required for Sirât at the Byrd Theatre on March 30.
The festival is organized by Anthony Russell, Sonja Bertucci (University of Richmond), and Luca Peretti (University of Cambridge).
Info & Schedule: click here
- Screenings of nine films from Italy and France on the University of Richmond campus and at the historic Byrd Theatre.
- Two round-tables with filmmakers and guest scholars.
- An opening and a closing reception celebrating French and Italian cuisine.
- A special 60th-anniversary screening of Gillo Pontecorvo’s masterpiece The Battle of Algiers (1966).
- A closing night screening and reception at the Byrd Theatre on Monday, March 30.