Orlando Festival 2026: Bergamo Explores Sexual-Affective Geography

The 13th edition of ORLANDO, a festival of performing arts and cinema, takes place in Bergamo from May 5 to 10, 2026. Organized by Associazione Culturale Immaginare Orlando in collaboration with Laboratorio 80, the festival features around 30 artists across ten city venues. This year's theme is sexual-affective geography, inspired by Sara Ahmed's concept of 'desire lines' from her book 'Queer Phenomenology.' The program includes performances, dance, screenings, installations, workshops, and educational events. Highlights include Michael Turinsky's 'Precarious Moves,' Thomas Valerio's 'Star,' Matteo Sedda's 'Fuck Me Blind,' Gioele Peressini's 'La forma del maschio,' Aurora Bauzà and Pere Jou's 'In a Beginning,' and Diana Anselmo's 'Pas moi.' Film screenings feature 'La grotta dell’orso' by Stergios Dinopoulos and Krysianna B. Papadakis (Greece, 2025) and 'Lo sguardo misterioso del fenicottero' by Diego Céspedes (Chile, 2025). Performative readings by Giulia Scotti, Sara Garbagnoli, and Massimo Prearo are also scheduled, along with a self-managed school of sexual-affective education as a performative installation, workshops, and an urban itinerary by Collettivo Amigdala.