Pompei International Film Festival launches in June 2025

The first edition of the International Film Festival of Pompei will take place from June 3 to 8, 2025, under the artistic direction of 76-year-old filmmaker Enrico Vanzina and project management of Annarita Bonelli. The festival focuses on cultural identities, blending cinema with tourism, fashion, and visual arts. The program includes international feature films from the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe, while short films pay homage to the Campania region and Italy. A new section dedicated to vertical-format films (social media style) explores contemporary visual languages. A creative lab will produce a real-time film involving the public and professionals. The festival also hosts talks on three themes: Cinema and Language (with Accademia della Crusca scholars, university professors, and Italian cinema experts), Cinema and Tourism (involving ministries, regional institutions, and academics), and Cinema and Fashion (celebrating the link between Italian fashion, design, and visual storytelling). The opening night is June 3, and the closing gala on June 8 awards the best works. Bonelli stated that Pompei, a place of memory, serves as a metaphor for preserving roots against globalization. Vanzina emphasized balancing contemporary global and technological dimensions with deep local roots.