CINEITALIANO – Italian cinema, all year round. Online and in person.

The Italian Cultural Institute of Prague, thanks to the forward-looking vision of its Director, Dr Marialuisa Pappalardo, launches a new model of cultural outreach dedicated to Italian cinema: a permanent festival, running throughout the year, combining in-person screenings and online programming in collaboration with Netfest, which has developed the dedicated digital platform.

The goal is simple and ambitious: to bring Italian cinema beyond the city limits, making it accessible to a wider audience throughout the Czech Republic thanks to online viewing. A contemporary model that pairs the collective experience of the theatre with the flexibility of streaming, expanding the audience and strengthening the initiative’s cultural impact.

A hybrid experience: live gatherings, nationwide online viewing

The project unfolds on a monthly basis:

In-person preview at the Italian Cultural Institute of Prague: each new title is introduced with a live screening, conceived as a moment to meet and engage with the local audience.

Online programming: afterwards, the film remains available for the following 15 days on the platform, allowing viewing also for those living outside Prague and in other regions of the country.

This “hybrid” structure preserves the value of the on-site cultural event (participation, dialogue, community) while also extending access nationwide, offering a more inclusive and modern way to experience auteur cinema and Italian film production.

A forward-looking cultural initiative CINEITALIANO is rooted in the awareness that today cultural promotion requires new tools: online distribution, when integrated with curated programming and in-person events, becomes an effective means to increase the circulation and visibility of Italian films, encourage continuous engagement throughout the year, reach diverse audiences (students, cinephiles, Italian communities, and lovers of Italian language and culture), and highlight cinema as a way to discover our country’s language, history, imagination, and identity.

In this sense, the initiative represents a pioneering approach: cultural programming that is not limited to the Institute’s premises alone, but opens up to the entire country, building a bridge between in-person and digital experiences.

The first screenings: “On the Paths of Francis”

The first two screenings launched the programme with a focus dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, a central figure in Italian culture and in his representation across the arts.

Already presented:

Francesco – Liliana Cavani, (1989) – starring Mickey Rourke.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon – Franco Zeffirelli, (1972) – released in Italy on 3^rd March 1972.

Coming soon: a year dedicated to Italian comedy.

In the coming months, the dates and the full programme will be announced: the current edition will be dedicated to Italian comedy, with a selection of around 10 titles that will accompany audiences through the end of the year, offering a broad look at one of the most representative languages of our cinema.