Festival dei Popoli 2026 Runs Through November 8 in Florence with 86 Films
The 67th edition of the Festival dei Popoli is underway in Florence, running through November 8. The documentary film festival features 86 films, numerous premieres, and a slate of international and Italian guests exploring historical memory, labor rights, and modern social movements across the 20th century and the present.
This year’s program spans contemporary politics, European transformations, and countercultures. Festival organizers have structured the lineup around three international and Italian competitions, alongside specialized sections including Feminist Frames, the Doc at Work professional platform, and the Future Campus training space for filmmakers under 35.
Barbara Kopple Receives Trailblazer Award for Half-Century of Documentaries
American filmmaker Barbara Kopple serves as a central guest of the 67th festival, marking 50 years in documentary filmmaking. Kopple, the first woman to win an Oscar for a documentary feature and winner of two statuettes, will receive the Women Trailblazers in Documentary Cinema Award in Florence. The festival showcases her trilogy on labor rights, consisting of Harlan County, U.S.A., American Dream, and her recent work Union Town, which examines new forms of collective organization among delivery and logistics workers.
Haile Gerima Premieres Nine-Hour Ethiopian Resistance Epic
Ethiopian director Haile Gerima brings Black Lions – Roman Wolves to the festival for its Italian premiere. The monumentally scaled, five-part work totals nine hours and represents thirty years of labor. The documentary chronicles Ethiopia’s resistance against the 1935 Italian invasion, utilizing archival material, documents, testimonies, songs, poetry, and theatrical staging to challenge colonial narratives.
Florence Marks Historic Anniversaries and Local Memory
The festival marks the 60th anniversary of the flood on November 4 with the world premiere of Marco Spagnoli’s Angeli del fango – La meglio gioventù europea. The film honors international volunteers who traveled to Florence to rescue books and artwork after the disaster. Gianmarco D’Agostino’s Finché resta il tuo nome also screens, recounting the actions of German consul Gerhard Wolf during the Nazi-fascist occupation of the city to protect persecuted residents.
Local figures also feature in Adamo Antonacci’s Io sono l’assente, a portrait of Alessandro Benvenuti. The documentary traces the career of the actor, director, and author from his beginnings with I Giancattivi to contemporary projects, featuring commentary from colleagues including Carlo Verdone and Stefano Fresi.
Lech Kowalski and Mark Cousins Explore Counterculture and Cinema History
Punk counterculture reaches its 50th milestone at the festival through a retrospective dedicated to Lech Kowalski. Screenings feature his documentaries on the Sex Pistols, Johnny Thunders, and Dee Dee Ramone, alongside his autobiographical film East of Paradise, which Kowalski will discuss in a masterclass. Documentary history receives attention through Mark Cousins, whose The Story of Documentary Film makes its Italian premiere, charting 130 years of non-fiction cinema.
Special Screenings Address Contemporary Crises and Overtourism
Alex Gibney’s Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie features in the special events lineup, documenting the author’s recovery following the 2022 attack, alongside Douglas Gordon’s self-titled portrait Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon. Gar O’Rourke’s The Siege of Paradise shifts focus to the Cinque Terre, examining the strain of overtourism on a region populated by fewer than 3,000 residents that attracts over four million visitors annually.
New Sections Focus on European Policy and Youth Participation
The festival introduces Visioni d’Europa, a new section developed with the European University Institute. Four documentaries address European security, press freedom, food crises, and big tech regulations. Meanwhile, the Popoli Next Generation project, supported by Fondazione CR Firenze, engages youth as active participants rather than passive viewers. This initiative includes the world premiere of Serena Mannelli and Federico Micali’s Le cose che posso cambiare, filmed in Florentine schools to address gender stereotypes, consent, and toxic masculinity.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 67th Festival dei Popoli conclude?
The festival runs through November 8 in Florence, featuring 86 films and multiple international premieres.
What is the subject of Haile Gerima’s featured film?
Haile Gerima’s nine-hour, five-part work Black Lions – Roman Wolves documents Ethiopia’s resistance to the 1935 Italian invasion using archival records, poetry, and theatrical scenes.
Which filmmaker receives the Women Trailblazers in Documentary Cinema Award?
American director Barbara Kopple receives the honor to celebrate 50 years in documentary filmmaking, alongside screenings of her labor rights trilogy.
How does the festival address local Florentine history?
The program includes Marco Spagnoli’s Angeli del fango – La meglio gioventù europea, premiering on the 60th anniversary of the flood to honor international volunteers who saved city artwork.
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