18° River Film Festival

1 — 16 June 2024

River staircase of Porta Portello, Padua

The Festival is organized by the Cultural Association Researching Movies and it is sponsored by the Padua City Council – Cultural Office and the University of Padua.

The films selected will once again be shown on the floating screen in the middle of the 16th-century fluvial port used for trade between Padua and Venice at the city gate of Porta Portello.

This enchanting setting is just one of the many features that attract people to RiFF year after year! During the 16 days of the Festival, all the directors with their crew members will be able to show their works and talk to the audience with a special Q&A after the screen

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XVIII Edition

In 2023 River Film Festival reaches its XVIII edition, with the awareness of a cultural event which is appreciated for the originality and the authority of its choices.

Categories in the competition

There are eight categories in the competition:

  • Cinema Schools, a careful selection of works produced by some of the most renowned universities in the world;
  • Italian gazes, a journey into the new trends of Italian short film; International horizons, a careful selection of works able to show the heterogeneity of “the cinema of the other”;
  • Animation, an eclectic radiography of languages and techniques from stop-motion to drawn animation, from computer graphics to digital rendering;
  • Documentaries, real life films interpreted by a polyphony of narrative and aesthetic poetics;
  • Queer Shorts, dedicated to the theme of queer culture, here interpreted as a fluid identity in continuous movement and change;
  • Virtual Reality – Immersive and Interactive, the most engaging and innovative film technology of the moment.
  • Anthropocene, a new section dedicated to human rights and climate change.
  • Theme in Focus, a new section dedicated to travels and borders.

Besides the cinema

Concerts with popular artists or with less known collectives and emerging talents, talks and training on Virtual Reality, Q&A, art exhibitions, conferences and initiatives created on the occasion of major events, enrich the Festival.

Latest news

Giuseppe Tornatore

Regista Italiano

“La location del River Film Festival è davvero originale. Proiettare i film in concorso sulle acque di un fiume dà proprio l’idea di una manifestazione giovane e sempre in divenire, che però sa anche guardare ai segni del passato.”

David Sassoli

Ex Presidente del Parlamento Europeo

“Ho apprezzato particolarmente questa iniziativa, che si propone di promuovere, attraverso il film, dei valori europei come la coesione sociale, la tolleranza e la convivialità tra i popoli.

Il festival è una bella occasione di mettere in luce la creatività e il talento cinematografico dei giovani artisti europei. Esso contribuisce ugualmente alla messa in valore del quartiere del Portello a Padova, che ha acquisito, col tempo, una buona fama grazie a questa manifestazione culturale.”

The participants

How yo put it. This was a super great experience to be selected by River Film Festival. We received the honorable mention. Hospitality, quality of films and the venue is really splendid, on the river bank with a great story how this place was re-discovered again. I met friends there and I will never forget it. Submit your films! Truelly!

Rafał MałeckiRegista (da FilmFreeWay)

I was not able to attend due to COVID restrictions but the festival organizers were very communicative through email and social media, and I had the chance to check what my VR film's screenings looked like. Thanks for showcasing my piece!

Sina DolatiRegista (da FilmFreeWay)

we are very glad to be part of this amazing festival with our "Nuovo Cinema Para-Virus"! thank you so much!

Daniele PignatelliRegista (da FilmFreeWay)

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