Asolo Art Film Festival

From 12 to 14 June 2026, Asolo will host a new edition of the Asolo Art Film Festival, the world’s oldest film festival dedicated to the relationship between cinema, art and audiovisual languages. Founded in 1973 on the initiative of the critic and essayist Flavia Paulon as an offshoot of the Venice Biennale, the festival is now one of the most prestigious international events dedicated to visual research and artistic experimentation.

Set in the picturesque village of Asolo, considered one of the most charming places in the Veneto region, the festival attracts directors, artists, scholars and enthusiasts from all over the world, offering a space for dialogue between cinema, the visual arts, new technologies and contemporary creativity. For over fifty years, the event has promoted dialogue between different artistic disciplines, highlighting the audiovisual language as a tool for research, cultural expression and innovation.

The 2026 edition confirms the festival’s international character with over 500 entries from more than 70 countries. The selected films will be screened mainly at the Teatro Duse in Asolo, where the public will be able to watch the finalists’ works and attend the award ceremonies that will present the competition’s most prestigious prizes.

The competition categories include Films on Art, Art Films, Anthropica, First Expressions, Video Art and Animation. Many of the selected works stand out for their ability to blend different artistic languages, experiment with new narrative forms and offer innovative interpretations of the relationship between image, art and contemporary society.

Alongside the official competition, the festival offers a packed programme of fringe events spread across the most evocative locations in Asolo’s historic centre. Among the most eagerly awaited events are talks exploring the relationship between art and censorship, exhibitions, artistic performances, special screenings, European and world premieres, and opportunities for cultural exploration.

Of particular significance will be the presence of Andy, a long-standing member of Bluvertigo, who will be the star of an art exhibition and a DJ set in the garden of Caterina Cornaro’s Castle. The Sale Beltramini and the Loggia della Ragione will also host further screenings and talks that will help bring the village to life throughout the weekend.

Among the special events of the 2026 edition is the presentation of the prestigious Duse Award to the actress and artist Lina Sastri, an accolade dedicated to figures who have made a significant contribution to Italian culture and the performing arts.

The Asolo Art Film Festival thus reaffirms its status as an international benchmark for art cinema and audiovisual experimentation, capable of transforming the village of Asolo for a few days into a creative laboratory open to the world, where images, ideas and languages come together to narrate the present and imagine the future.