The Rome Film Festival has released the lineup for its 21st edition, set to run from 13 to 25 October in the Parco della Musica Auditorium and other locations in Rome. This year's event will highlight 18 competing films in the Progressive Cinema Competition, six of which are directed by women. Salvatore Nastasi, the festival’s president, highlighted the event's goal of providing diverse cinematic experiences, especially for younger audiences, to help them form a more critical understanding of the world. Artistic director Paola Malanga outlined the program, which includes 150 films from 55 countries. Among the competition entries are Giorni felici by Susanna Nicchiarelli, adapted from a graphic novel, and Mustang by Kasia Smutniak, which tells the story of her efforts to build a school in Nepal. Another Italian film in the running is Brianza by Simone Catania, inspired by a real-life story about a family-owned gun shop. International films include Eurotrash by Frauke Finsterwalder, Skateboarding Is Not for Girls by Dina Duma, and Ashes by Diego Luna, focusing on the experiences of female migrants. Other notable entries include Fruit Gathering by Aung Phyoe, which won the Karlovy Vary Crystal Globe, and Ulya by Viesturs Kairiss, a previous winner of the 2022 Progressive Cinema Prize. The competition also features debut films such as The Guest by Mads Mengel, starring Trine Dyrholm, and Sants by Mikel Gurrea, with Victoria Luengo in the lead role. Documentaries in the running include Closure by Michal Marczak and two U.S. titles, I Love Boosters by Boots Riley and The Life and Death of Wilson Shedd by Tim Blake Nelson. The festival will also showcase feature film debuts competing for special awards, such as 7 anniversari by Sabrina Iannucci and Cambogia by Valerio Lundini. A world premiere, Clementine Orange by Lisa Forslund, is also included. The Best Documentary Award contenders are A Russian Winter by Patric Chiha and To Hold a Mountain by Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić. The Grand Public section will feature anticipated international films like Klara and the Sun by Taika Waititi and Elsinore by Simon Stone, alongside Italian titles such as È andata così by Gianni Zanasi and Il ministero dell'amore by Giacomo Ciarrapico and Luca Vendruscolo. The Freestyle section will present works in various formats and styles, while the Best Of section will highlight films that have previously been recognized at major festivals. The festival will also include special tributes and restored films. Javier Bardem will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Paolo Sorrentino during the screening of The Beloved by Rodrigo Sorogoyen. The Industry Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to Tessa Ross, a London-based producer known for films such as Billy Elliot and The Zone of Interest.