Festival
Profile
Since 1995, the Film Festival della Lessinia has served as a “cinematic stage” for directors who recount the life, history, and traditions of the mountains through their films.
This has been the Festival’s chosen theme since its founding: a program devoted entirely to mountain stories—excluding those focused solely on sports and mountaineering—with a preference for themes that explore the relationship between humans and the environment, reflecting on the legacy of the past, the challenges of the present, and the possibilities of the future.
Deeply rooted in its territory (Lessinia) and its history (beginning in Bosco Chiesanuova in 1995), the Festival has cultivated an increasingly international outlook. These two guiding principles have helped shape its identity and earn international recognition, centered around three core missions: environmental awareness, outreach to new generations, and social engagement.
Each year, the Festival presents around 90 films across its various sections: the International Competition (for the Lessinia d’Oro and Lessinia d’Argento awards), FFDLgreen (focused on environmental issues), Italian Mountains (dedicated to Italy’s mountain regions), FFDL+ (films for children and young adults), as well as Retrospectives and Special Events. The call for entries opens annually on January 1 and closes on April 30. Films of any genre and length may be submitted for consideration, both for competition and non-competition screenings. A selection committee reviews the submissions, and some films may be invited directly by the Festival. The total prize fund is €14,000.
The Festival takes place annually during the last ten days of August in Bosco Chiesanuova (Verona), in the Lessini Mountains. Screenings are held at the Teatro Vittoria, in the Festival Square, and at other venues throughout the town, with the support of the Bosco Chiesanuova municipal administration, the event’s main partner. The Festival Square hosts the Festival Trattoria and Osteria, the Mountain Bookshop, the Higher Words program space, and a stage for concerts and special events.
The film program is enriched by a wide array of cultural events that expand upon the themes explored in the films. These include the “Higher Words” program (book presentations, author talks, and roundtables), children's workshops, culinary sessions, guided hikes and experiential walks, exhibitions, art residencies, cultural camps, concerts, performances, and food and wine events.
In celebration of its 30th anniversary in 2024, the Festival launched the FFDLpro industry section, in collaboration with the five film commissions of the Triveneto region, as well as the H.A.D.A.MO. project: the Hub and Multimedia Digital Archive of the Mountain.
A member of the organizing team since the Festival’s inception, director and writer Alessandro Anderloni has served as the artistic director since 1997.
HISTORY
The Festival began in 1995 in Bosco Chiesanuova under the name Premio Lessinia, initiated by the Curatorium Cimbricum Veronense association from an idea by Piero Piazzola and Mario Pigozzi. It was held in Erbezzo in 1996 and moved to Cerro Veronese from 1997 to 2006, where it evolved from a national to an international competition. Since 2007, Bosco Chiesanuova has been the Festival’s permanent home.
Initially focused solely on the Lessini Mountains, the Festival’s scope gradually expanded to encompass the mountains of Italy—particularly their communities and linguistic minorities—and eventually, mountains worldwide. Its unifying theme became mountain life, history, and traditions.
Over time, the Festival’s programming has continually evolved, responding to changes in the film industry and global issues. From a single competition section in its first year, the second edition introduced a section on environmental films, particularly those about national parks. By the third edition, the International Competition was firmly established, and subsequent years saw the addition of sections for children and young audiences (now FFDL+), Italian mountain films, and environmental films (FFDLgreen), along with retrospectives and special events.
Over the years, the Festival has hosted numerous prominent filmmakers. Italian directors have included Mario Brenta, Franco Piavoli, Pupi Avati, Giorgio Diritti, Edoardo Winspeare, Michelangelo Frammartino, Marcello Baldi, Alessandro Comodin, and Massimiliano and Gianluca De Serio, as well as Andrea Marfori. International guests have included Gideon Bachmann, Fredi Murer, Pawo Choyning Dorji, Rúnar Rúnarsson, Tamara Kotevska, Ljubomir Stefanov, Fulvio Mariani, Gerhard Baur, Jeremy Comte, Sonthar Gyal, and Marianne Chaud.
Among the writers, essayists, and philosophers who have taken part are: Paolo Rumiz, Maurizio Maggiani, Luca Mercalli, Benedetta Tobagi, Adriana Cavarero, Telmo Pievani, Paolo Di Stefano, Annibale Salsa, Marco Albino Ferrari, and Enrico Camanni. Musicians, singers, and actors have included: Massimo Bubola, Gigliola Cinquetti, Moni Ovadia, Etta Scollo, Kyartan Sveinsson, Fabio Testi, Marco Paolini, Lucilla Giagnoni, Mauro Ottolini, Bepi De Marzi, Mauro Palmas, Ricky Gianco, and Michele Lobaccaro. The Festival has also hosted explorers and mountaineers such as Luca Parmitano, Fausto De Stefani, and Francesco Sauro.
