Fare Cinema 2025 Returns to the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre in New Delhi: A Celebration of Italian Cinema and Cultural Exchange

The Italian Embassy Cultural Centre, New Delhi, is thrilled to announce the return of the 8th edition of Fare Cinema, an annual international celebration of Italian cinema, presented in partnership with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Launched in 2018, Fare Cinema (“To Make Cinema”) is a curated showcase that reflects the evolution, depth, and vibrancy of contemporary Italian filmmaking.

The 2025 edition promises a compelling selection of films that explore Italian identity, history, and society through intimate storytelling, biographical reflection, and bold cinematic language. This year’s lineup includes feature films and one acclaimed short, all screened every Tuesday at 6:30 PM from June 10 to July 1 at the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre, New Delhi.
A Platform of Cultural Synergy

Speaking about the evolving Indo-Italian cultural ties, Andrea Anastasio, Director of the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre, emphasized the role of cinema in building bridges:

“Most of the work we do is aimed at generating a beautiful platform where India and Italy can know each other in a deeper way. Culture is the most organic and honest way to do this. The relationships we’ve cultivated with Indian institutions, filmmakers, and writers have created a shared sense of trust, which keeps motivating us to go ahead.”

Andrea revealed that the cultural centre is already planning exhibitions and collaborative programs for late 2025 and 2026, including a major exhibition at the Humayun’s Tomb Museum and a public lecture series with eminent speakers like Romila Thapar and Naman Ahuja, exploring Indo-Roman connections through Gandhara and maritime trade.

Curating the Contemporary Italian Lens

The films showcased in Fare Cinema 2025 represent a mix of award-winning biopics, socially relevant dramas, and debut features:

• Enrico Piaggio – Un Sogno Italiano narrates the inspiring post-WWII story of the man behind the Vespa, resonating strongly in India where Piaggio vehicles remain iconic.
• Settembre, described by Anastasio as a romantic tale that “picks up serious themes under gentle layers,” explores how contemporary relationships and society have evolved in modern Italy.
• Stranizza d’amuri, a deeply intimate debut by Giuseppe Fiorello, is set in conservative Sicily in 1982 during Italy’s World Cup victory. It sensitively portrays the coming-of-age and sexual awakening of two boys in a rigid society — a film that has already won critical acclaim, including the David di Donatello award for Best First Film.

“These works show how Italian cinema is evolving after its classic, experimental, and Renaissance phases,” said Anastasio. “Today, young directors and actors are not just aware of the past—they’re reshaping it. Even TV serial culture has entered the cinematic language in nuanced ways.”

The Stolen Caravaggio – A Cinematic Mystery Rooted in Reality

Opening the festival is Una storia senza nome (The Stolen Caravaggio), a thrilling tale inspired by the real-life disappearance of a Caravaggio painting from a church in Palermo in the 1960s — a painting never recovered and widely believed to have been stolen by the mafia.

“This story keeps the intrigue alive around Caravaggio, an artist whose dramatic life and unorthodox style still stir the imagination,” said Anastasio. “The mystery surrounding his lost works and their rediscoveries is like a living myth, and this film dives straight into that world.”

He also hinted at a major Caravaggio exhibition planned for 2026, following the resounding success of bringing Caravaggio’s ‘Mary Magdalen in Ecstasy’ to India that has seen widespread engagement.

A Special Moment for Sholay and Shivendra Singh Dungarpur

In a fascinating Indo-Italian parallel, Anastasio revealed that while Fare Cinema 2025 is running in New Delhi, he will be in Bologna during Il Cinema Ritrovato, the internationally acclaimed festival of restored films. On June 27, the festival will host the first public screening of the fully restored version of Sholay at Piazza Maggiore, Italy — marking a historic moment in Indian cinematic restoration.

This screening will coincide with a special recognition being awarded to Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, the founder of the Film Heritage Foundation, for his relentless work in film preservation. The Cineteca di Bologna will honor him for his contribution to the restoration of Indian classics and cross-cultural archival collaboration.

“This is an incredibly proud moment for both India and Italy. We’re not just showcasing Italian films here in Delhi, but we’re also celebrating India’s cinematic legacy in Bologna. Sholay being screened in its restored glory is nothing short of historic,” said Anastasio.

He also shared that plans are underway to bring restored Italian and Indian classics to Delhi in the upcoming year, enhancing the cross-cultural cinematic dialogue.

Looking Ahead

With Fare Cinema 2025, the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre continues its mission of building nuanced cultural ties between Italy and India through cinema, literature, and visual arts.

“We invite all cinema lovers in Delhi to join us for this carefully curated series,” said Anastasio. “These are films you won’t get to see anywhere else on the big screen. It’s a rare opportunity to engage with stories that are deeply Italian, yet speak a universal language.”

PROGRAMME:

·         Tuesday, 10 June – 6:30 PM
Una storia senza nome (The Stolen Caravaggio) – Directed by Roberto Andò

·         Tuesday, 17 June – 6:30 PM
Domenica Sera (Sunday Evening) – Directed by Matteo Tortone
Enrico Piaggio – Un Sogno Italiano – Directed by Umberto Marino

·         Tuesday, 24 June – 6:30 PM
Settembre (September) – Directed by Giulia Steigerwalt

·         Tuesday, 1 July – 6:30 PM
Stranizza d’amuri (Fireworks) – Directed by Giuseppe Fiorello

Please note: Entry is free and based on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 6:00 PM and close at 6:45 PM. Attendees must carry a valid photo ID. Children below the age of 12 will not be allowed.