Florence's Le Festival dei Popils showcases 86 documentaries, including tributes to Barbara Kopple and Haile Gerima, and world premieres like Who Cares.
Festival highlights international documentary cinema
Le Festival dei Popoli, a major event in documentary filmmaking, is set to take place in Florence from 31 October to 8 November. This year marks the 67th edition of the festival, with Roberto Ferrari as chair, Ken Loach as honorary president, and Alessandro Stellino as artistic director. Festival honors notable figures in documentary
This year’s festival includes tributes to three influential documentary filmmakers: Barbara Kopple, Haile Gerima, and Lech Kowalski. Each tribute highlights their significant contributions to the genre, ranging from workers' rights to Ethiopian history and the punk movement. Opening film presents a documentary history
The festival will open with The Story of Documentary Film, directed by Mark Cousins. This film traces 130 years of documentary history, showcasing both classic works and newly discovered films. It will be shown in its Italian premiere at the event. International competition features diverse entries
Ten films are competing in the International Feature Film Competition, judged by a panel of experts. Most of these films are European co-productions, with the exception of the Turkish film For Life by Ahmet Seven. Notable films include varied themes and styles
Among the selected films is La Belle Année, an autobiographical documentary by Angelica Ruffier that won a Special Jury Award. Other films include Candidates of Death, a horror-themed film about a father and his friends making an amateur horror movie, and The Price of the Sun, a western-style film set in Morocco. Festival includes science fiction and social commentary
Other standout films include Like Any Other Mortal, a science fiction documentary about a robot searching for life on a distant planet, and Revolutionaries Never Die, a film about Lebanese director Jocelyne Saab. The documentary Amazomania explores the impact of colonialism on the Korubo people. Italian films focus on personal and societal themes
The Italian Competition includes seven films that explore family histories, environmental issues, and social struggles. These include Foam of Worlds by Anna Marziano and Il grande buco by Davide Crudetti, among others. Festival includes a range of additional sections
The programme also features Doc Highlights, which showcases films with major international impact, and Popoli Next Generation, aimed at introducing younger audiences to documentary cinema. Other sections include Feminist Frames and Future Campus, which focuses on training and networking for emerging talents.
