Contemporary Art, Cinema, Media, & Culture at ‘Lo Schermo dell’Arte’ 2025

November 12 – 16, 2025. LO SCHERMO DELL’ARTE, Cinema & Contemporary Art  Festival.

Talks and screenings take place from 10 am to 11 pm. Tickets:  €6 for afternoons or evenings, €10 day pass, or €35 for a season ticket.

Venues: Cinema La Compagnia, Palazzo Strozzi, NYU Florence, Institut Français  Firenze, Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz, Max-Planck-Institut, Palazzo Grifoni Budini Gattai, Palazzo Gucci.

Free admission for under-30s. Specific times of screenings and programs are available on the program’s official website.  

It is important to remember that in our darkest days, art has no fixed face or position; rather, it is shaped by what we make of life itself. Lo Schermo dell’Arte Festival is not only a celebration of contemporary art but also serves as a platform for deepening our understanding of contemporary art, cinema, media, and culture. Having the opportunity to explore this facet of society and the creative processes that reside within all of us, at the depth this festival reaches, is an incredible privilege in itself.

Supported by the Fondazione CR Firenze, the 18th edition of the Lo Schermo dell’Arte Festival brings art films, exhibitions, residency projects, documentaries, and talks to the city of Florence. The festival will feature a diverse lineup of international films, highlighting artistic voices from around the world, including works from Morocco, France, Italy, China, and beyond.

The Compagnia, the Tuscany Region’s Cinema House, will once again host the screenings this year. Although the festival centers on the works of several artists, it will feature a dynamic mix  of entries by both established and emerging talents. Lo Schermo dell’Arte will spotlight the acclaimed films of Randa Maroufi, winner of the Leitz Cine Discovery Prize at the latest Cannes Film Festival, alongside works by a new generation of rising talents.  

The festival will open on Wednesday at 6:30 pm with the live documentary Non-Aligned  Newsreels: Fragments, a work created especially for the occasion by Serbian artist and filmmaker Mila Turajlić, following that evening at 9 pm with the Italian premiere of The Tree of Authenticity, the first feature film of Sammy Baloji.  

If you’re looking for films presented in English, a selection will be available on specific days. On Thursday at 5 pm, Another Light on the Road: Robert Frank & June Leaf’s Canadian Home will  be screened, a film that explores the lives of artists Robert Frank and his partner and fellow artist June Leaf, showing how the isolation of their environment in Nova Scotia profoundly influenced the narrative of their work. On Friday at 3 pm, Stand-By Office will be shown, an explorative slice-of-life documentary. Later that evening at 6:15 pm, Weaving Anni Albers will be shown, which features a visual hypnotic journey from the mind of Anni Albers, a German Bauhaus figure key in revolutionizing the roles of textiles in contemporary art. On Sunday at 7 pm, writer’s Linda  Rosenkrantz’s Peter Hujar’s Day will be presented. Capturing the vibrant art scene of 1970s New York City, the film offers a glimpse into a day in the life of celebrated artist Peter Hujar. 

In collaboration with the Palazzo Strozzi Foundation, the festival has organized two exhibitions. One at the Palazzo Strozzi, titled Eating the Planet, features virtual reality installations by Valentina Furian and Claudia Losi, exploring the artistic interplay between  humans, animals, and their environment. The second at the Palazzo Grifoni Budini Gattai, in partnership with the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz – Max Planck Institute, is titled  Armin Linke: The City as Archive. This show offers a unique perspective on Florence, showcasing pieces from the city’s archives, museums, and photographic collections that provide a view beyond that of a typical tourist.  

The 14th edition of the VISIO–European Programme on Artists’ Moving Images will also  be held during the festival. Curated by Leonardo Bigazzi, the initiative serves as a platform for  emerging Europe-based artists working with moving images, combining research, residency, and  production opportunities. This year, eight promising artists were selected from over 150  applicants representing 54 countries. Invited to Florence, they will unveil their works and engage  with an international network of artists and producers on the streaming channel on the platform  MYMovies ONE of Lo Schermo dell’Arte from November 12 to 23. The program promises to be an inspiring experience for both participants and art professionals alike.  

Throughout the festival, each program and screening will be accompanied by engaging talks and  discussions, ranging from lectures by professors at NYU Florence to roundtable conversations  with artists from around the world. These sessions offer a unique opportunity to gain a deeper  insight into contemporary art and the processes of creation behind the minds of the artists.  

Over five days, Lo Schermo dell’Arte will showcase a selection of international works centered on  contemporary art, engaging local communities and diverse audiences throughout the city.  Founded in Florence in 2008, the event positions itself as a platform for sharing,  exploring, and strengthening the relationship between contemporary art, images, media, and cinema. With the support and sponsorship of Gucci, the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, New  York University Florence, and many others, this festival promises to be a remarkable opportunity to deepen your engagement with contemporary art across diverse regions and cultures. 

For official times, tickets, locations, program schedule, and all further information, please visit  Lo Schermo dell’Arte’s official website. (Bernice Nguyen)