Giffoni Film Festival 2025: cinema that speaks to young people

The Giffoni Film Festival, also known today as Giffoni Experience, is one of the most important and innovative cultural events in Italy and the world, dedicated entirely to cinema for children and young people. Born in 1971 from a visionary idea of Claudio Gubitosi, it is held annually in Giffoni Valle Piana, in the province of Salerno, and has established itself as the most prestigious international film festival aimed at the younger generation.

What makes Giffoni unique is its special jury: judging the films in competition are not experts or critics, but children, teens and adolescents from all over the world. Every year thousands of young jurors, aged 3 to 18, meet in the Citadel of Cinema, a modern, multifunctional space, to experience screenings, meetings, debates and creative workshops.

The Festival is not just a film festival, but a real laboratory for discussion and growth, where young people dialogue directly with actors, directors, musicians and personalities from culture and entertainment. International guests who have walked Giffoni’s “blue carpet” include the likes of Robert De Niro, Johnny Depp, Susan Sarandon, Richard Gere, Meryl Streep, and many others.

Each edition revolves around an inspiring theme, such as “connections,” “impact,” and “invisible,” addressing current issues such as the environment, human rights, identity, the future of the planet, and the role of technology. The festival has thus become a cultural bridge between generations and countries, where cinema becomes a universal language.

Rounding out the offerings are concerts, side events, exhibitions, street art and festive moments that involve the entire town, transforming Giffoni into an open-air stage. With more than 50 years of history, the Giffoni Film Festival today represents a global reference point for the promotion of youth film culture, but above all a place where kids’ ideas really count.