The River Film Festival celebrates its twentieth anniversary with 138 works from around the world and support from the highest institutions. Among the novelties: the debut of feature films in competition and a section dedicated to artificial intelligence.
From May 24 to June 20, 2026, the historic floating screen anchored on the waters of the Piovego, at the Scalinata di Porta Portello, will once again be the beating heart of international independent cinema, under the artistic direction of Emilio Della Chiesa.
Organized by the Cultural Association Researching Movie, the festival celebrates two decades of life with unprecedented institutional prestige. The 2026 edition is supported by the Municipality of Padua – Department of Culture, and enjoys the patronages of UNESCO, the University of Padua, the Veneto Film Commission, and the Fondation Tamayouz Cinema.
The festival will open on Sunday, May 24, at the Auditorium of the Altinate San Gaetano Cultural Center and will close on Saturday, June 20, at 9:30 p.m. at the Scalinata del Portello with the award ceremony and the delivery of handmade awards created by Murano glass masters.
All events are free of charge.
