IT
The selection of films in competition is now complete. From childhood to adulthood, 104 films from around the world explore the courage it takes to grow up, the need for belonging, and the power of new generations to imagine different futures and new horizons. A mosaic of “impossible things”, as reflected in the theme of the 2026 edition.
The selection of films in competition at #Giffoni56, taking place from 17 to 25 July 2026, is now officially closed. The lineup brings together 104 titles, 42 feature films and 62 short films, selected from thousands of submissions from around the world, to tell the present and future of new generations through the universal lens of cinema, as Giffoni has done for over half a century.
This year’s competition explores a wide range of pressing themes, including coming of age, identity formation, parent–child relationships, the search for belonging, historical memory, inclusion, mental health, environmental sustainability, and the reduction of social inequalities. A mosaic of stories that places at its centre the vulnerabilities, desires, fears, and hopes of children, adolescents, and young adults, offering an authentic and deeply contemporary portrait of the transformations affecting new generations.
“The Impossible Things,” the theme of the 2026 edition, runs ideally through the entire selection. The films invite audiences to go beyond geographical, cultural, and personal boundaries, showing how what appears unattainable can instead become a concrete possibility for change through courage, solidarity, listening, and the ability to imagine new horizons.
From adventures crafted for younger audiences to works engaging with urgent social issues, the selection will guide the jurors on a journey that covers all stages of life. The stories explore the value of family relationships, the strength of friendship, the right to self-determination, the encounter with diversity, the weight of memory, and the need to build increasingly inclusive and aware communities.
Once again this year, Giffoni reaffirms its international vocation and its role as a privileged observatory of the transformations and ongoing changes shaping the contemporary world, offering young people not only a cultural experience, but also a space for exchange, dialogue, and active participation. Cinema thus becomes a tool capable of stimulating critical thinking, fostering empathy, and accompanying young people in understanding themselves, others, and the society in which they live. Because at Giffoni, cinema does not only tell who we are, but above all, who we are becoming.
ELEMENTS +3
The films in Elements +3 take young audiences on a journey of discovery, wonder, and those first big personal milestones. Through poetic stories and animated adventures, this year’s selection explores universal themes such as self-discovery, the value of friendship, respect for nature, and learning to see the world with curiosity and imagination.
The search for one’s place in the world and the acceptance of one’s uniqueness run through many of the stories in the programme. Shy, fragile or insecure characters learn to turn difficulties into opportunities for growth, as in BUG’S STORY (Norway, directed by Natalia Malykhina Bratli), DANCING FRIEND (Croatia, Germany, directed by Elena Walf), GROUNDED (New Zealand, directed by Chris Callus), LITTLE DANDELION (Czech Republic, directed by Adéla Honová), CLOUD FISH (Belgium, France, directed by Noé Garcia), RUB (Portugal, Spain, directed by Júlia Francino) and THE LITTLE TRAIN (USA, directed by Angel Wang), where the protagonists come to understand their own worth and see the world in a new light.
The power of relationships and collaboration is another key theme in the selection. Unexpected friendships form, small conflicts are navigated, and mutual support becomes a key element in A VERY SPECIAL MEAL (Croatia, Germany, directed by Elena Walf), BACKSTREET BIRDS (Lithuania, directed by Gertrūda Nemčauskaitė), FOUND! (Belgium, France, directed by Juliette Baily), IN A FARAWAY FOREST: APPLE OF DISCORD (Croatia, Slovenia, directed by Timon Leder), JAM AND WOOD (Croatia, Germany, directed by Elena Walf), ONCE UPON A STARRY NIGHT (Portugal, Russia, directed by Masha Rumyantseva), SOMETHING GREATER THAN YOU (USA, directed by Gordon LePage), and BATTERY GRANDMA (South Korea, directed by Jeon Seungbae), where mutual support becomes the most valuable tool for facing everyday challenges.
Nature is another major presence in Elements +3 and becomes a space of discovery, balance, and wonder. Forests, wetlands, skies, snow, and small ecosystems invite children to rediscover their connection to the world around them and to respect all forms of life, as seen in ALLER & RETOUR (Italy, directed by Lucia Bulgheroni and Michele Greco), AN INCIDENT IN THE BUNNY VILLAGE (Latvia, directed by Ēvalds Lācis), BATS & BUGS (Switzerland, directed by Lena von Döhren), IN THE SHADOW OF THE HERON (France, directed by Nicolas Bianco-Levrin), SKETCHES ON ICE (Belgium, France, directed by Marion Auvin), THE STICK (Sweden, directed by Pernilla Olsson) and RIMSKY-KORSAKOV. FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLEBEE (Belarus, Russia, directed by Natalia Chernysheva).
Curiosity and imagination ultimately become privileged tools for discovering the world. Through fantastical journeys, everyday explorations, and surprising adventures, the protagonists invite younger audiences to be guided by a sense of wonder. This is reflected in GALILEO AND THE FABLE OF SOUNDS (Italy, directed by Luca Di Cecca), KONIGIRI-KUN – LET’S EAT! (Japan, directed by Mari Miyazawa), PICCOLO PICCOLO (France, Switzerland, directed Marta Gennari), THE WINTER CAT (Italy, directed by Aurora Cesarini, Silvia Sabbatini and Marta Zanoni), DERRING-DO (Croatia, Germany, directed by Elena Walf), MOUSE IN THE HOUSE (Germany, directed by Rebecca Van Houten), IDEAL (Russia, directed by Alexander Eifman), SNORRI, CATCH ME IF YOU CANDY! (Germany, directed by Thierry Marchand) and TILL THE SUN SETS (United Kingdom, directed by Charlotte White), which follows children through the final day of the dinosaurs on Earth.
With talking animals, everyday heroes, fantastical worlds, and small-scale adventures, Elements +3 reaffirms its commitment to presenting childhood as a space of constant discovery, where every experience becomes an opportunity to learn about oneself, others, and the world around us.
ELEMENTS +6
Stories of growth, courage and self-discovery accompany the young protagonists of the Elements +6 section. Through extraordinary adventures, mysteries to be solved and their first personal challenges, the films in competition invite jurors to reflect on the value of friendship, responsibility, environmental protection and the importance of finding their place in the world.
The feature films in competition are: BORN IN THE JUNGLE (Latvia, Poland, Czech Republic, directed by Edmunds Jansons, who previously took part in Giffoni in 2019 with Jacob, Mimmi and the Talking Dogs), in which a young girl ventures into the Venezuelan jungle to find her missing brother; CURLY BURLY (Denmark, directed by Jan Rahbek) the story of a curious young troll who struggles with rules and convention; GARUDA: DARE TO DREAM (Indonesia). The director brings extensive experience as a digital artist and animator, having worked on films including The Avengers, Eternals and Aquaman, to name just a few. The film tells the story of a boy dreaming of earning a place in the national football team; SMARTIE AND ME (Poland, Slovakia, the feature debut by Kacper Lisowski), in which a bond with a stray dog develops into an adventure driven by a fight against injustice; SPLISH SPLASH FOREVER! (Switzerland, directed by Natascha Beller), which highlights the value of civic engagement and friendship; and SUPER FURBALL AND THE LYING SQUIRREL (Finland, directed by Joona Tena, who previously presented Super Furball in 2018 and Super Furball Saves the Future in 2022 at Giffoni) returns with a new eco-adventure in which the young superhero sets out to protect the forest and its animals.
The Elements +6 short films also explore universal themes with sensitivity, including humanity’s relationship with nature and the protection of the planet: ALBY – THE LAST TREE (Italy, directed by Alessandro Parrello) and NORA’S ARK (Croatia, Norway, directed by Endre Lund Eriksen and Isak Gjertsen). Themes of self-discovery and overcoming personal insecurities emerge in JEANS (Italy, directed by Gaia Marotta), while fantasy, curiosity and the desire to explore the world drive COSMONAUT (Switzerland, directed by Zoltán Horváth) and THE LITTLE HOTEL DETECTIVE (The Netherlands, directed by Julia van Braak). Bonds of affection, empathy and the value of connecting with others take centre stage in CHICA (Brazil, directed by Matheus Malburg and João Victor Silva), SABA (United States, directed by Liron Topaz) and SAHBI (Italy, directed by Ivana Esposito).
A selection that moves between fantastical adventures, intimate stories and first experiences of active citizenship, encouraging younger audiences to look at the world with curiosity, sensitivity and courage, while reminding them that growing up means learning to care for themselves, for others and for the planet that surrounds us.
ELEMENTS +10
The films in the Elements +10 section accompany audiences through the delicate transition from childhood to pre-adolescence, exploring profound and universal themes such as the construction of identity, the value of family and friendship, human vulnerability, the courage to embrace change, and the ability to look at the world with awareness and hope.
Among the feature films in competition is BACK TO TOTTORI (Norway, directed by Arild Østin Ommundsen and Silje Salomonsen, who previously presented Sisters: The Summer We Found Our Superpowers at Giffoni in 2020). The film is an intense story about the bond between two sisters searching for a renewed sense of strength together. BARRY & ME (Germany, Switzerland, directed by Markus Welter) is a grand adventure set in the Alps that tells the story of the legendary Saint Bernard dog through a tale of friendship and solidarity. The film will be distributed in Italy by Bim Distribuzione. CHILDREN OF THE RESISTANCE (France, directed by Christophe Barratier, who was a guest at Giffoni in 2004 with Les Choristes, Oscar-nominated film) brings to the screen the courage of three young people involved in the French Resistance during the Nazi occupation.
Themes of personal vulnerability and growing up are explored in JUST CALL ME FRIDA (Germany, directed by Katja Benrath who previously attended Giffoni with the short film Where Have You Been in 2016 and the feature Rocca Changes the World in 2019). The film is a sensitive story about anxiety, illness and discovering life. Also addressing these themes is KING OF THE WANDERERS (The Netherlands, directed by Janne Schmidt), which explores the relationship between a daughter and her father, who is living with schizophrenia.
At the heart of the transition from childhood to adolescence is MIRA (Denmark, the feature debut by Marie Limkilde), dedicated to friendship, first insecurities and the search for one’s identity. Also in competition is OLIVIA AND THE INVISIBLE EARTHQUAKE (Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Chile, France, the feature debut by Irene Iborra) a story of resilience that explores economic hardship and solidarity with imagination and tenderness.
The short film selection also tackles issues of great relevance to contemporary society and close to the experiences of pre-adolescents. Inclusion, acceptance of diversity and the value of friendship are at the heart of 9 MILLION COLORS (Norway, Germany, directed by Bára Anna Stejskalová), while AMÉRICA (Peru, directed by Javier Arias-Stella) tells the story of a young girl’s determination to pursue her dreams despite everyday challenges.
The courage to face illness and the ability to transform vulnerability into strength are central themes in BALDIES – WHAT ABOUT MY HAIR? (Czech Republic, directed by Eliška Soffer Podzimek). CAPTAIN NO 10 (Iran, directed by Masoud Mansoori) shines a light on child labour while portraying football as a space of freedom and redemption.
Sport, cinema and culture become instruments of social change in THE CHAMPION’S MURAL (Italy, directed by Massimiliano Pacifico) set in Naples among the murals dedicated to Diego Armando Maradona.
Relationships between siblings, social pressure and the challenges of growing up emerge in DREAM TEAM (Norway, directed by Tone Andersen) and RABBIT HEART (Germany, directed by Stella Fachinger). Meanwhile, THE FLOWERS OF MALVA (France, directed by Anna Lys, Rémy Berlemont, Alice Hamel, Chen-Yun Hu, Ludivine Lebourg, Estelle Martin and Agathe Ribout) delicately addresses the tragedy of war through the protective gaze of a grandmother caring for her granddaughter.
A selection that accompanies audiences on a journey shaped by courage, awareness, imagination and responsibility, demonstrating how cinema can offer young people invaluable tools to better understand themselves, others and the world around them.
GENERATOR +13
The films in Generator +13 portray the delicate transition from childhood to adolescence, exploring young people’s need to find their place in the world and to build their own identity amid complex family relationships, social inequalities, and profound emotional vulnerabilities.
The relationship with adults and the search for role models run through many of the selected films: THE ALTAR BOYS (Poland, directed by Piotr Domalewski), winner of the Grand Prix at the Gdynia Film Festival, follows a group of teenagers who, disillusioned by the passivity of the adult world, set out to confront social injustice through methods that are as idealistic as they are dangerous; HOLD ONTO ME (Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, United States), the debut feature by Cypriot filmmaker Myrsini Aristidou, tells the story of a young girl trying to rebuild her relationship with an absent father; while RISA & THE WIND PHONE (Argentina, directed by Juan Cabral) explores grief through a story that moves between realism and the fantastical.
The selection also focuses on social inequality and the desire for emancipation. BROS (Spain, Mexico, Belgium, directed by Carol Rodríguez Colás and Marina Rodríguez Colás) follows three teenagers from the outskirts of Barcelona as they navigate the invisible boundaries imposed by economic and cultural differences, while EVERYONE’S SORRY NOWADAYS (Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, directed by Frederike Migom), adapted from the novel by Bart Moeyaert, tells the story of a thirteen-year-old girl struggling to find her place within a fragmented family.
Family bonds, memory and a sense of belonging are at the heart of GUGU’S WORLD (Brazil, directed by Allan Deberton), which explores the relationship between a boy and his grandmother against the backdrop of a transforming landscape, and TRAD (Ireland, directed by Lance Daly), a journey across the country celebrating traditional Irish music as a vehicle for identity, sharing and cultural transmission between generations. The cast also includes Aidan Gillen, best known for his role as Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish in the TV series “Game of Thrones”.
Overall, Generator +13 presents stories about growing up, loss, friendship, identity and responsibility, offering a deep and contemporary perspective on the challenges of the transition into adolescence.
GENERATOR +15
A clear common thread runs through the films in this section: the delicate transition into adulthood, portrayed through adolescents called upon to confront the weight of responsibility, the construction of their identity, and the complexity of family, emotional and social relationships. The protagonists often face situations that force them to redefine their place in the world, balancing a desire to belong, a need for emancipation and the search for a new awareness of themselves.
Family dynamics play a central role in 22 LENGTHS (Germany, directed by Mia Maariel Meyer); A FAMILY (The Netherlands, Belgium, directed by Mees Peijnenburg), which will be distributed in Italy by Wanted Cinema; and MORTEN (Estonia, Lithuania, the feature debut by Ivan Pavljutškov). In each of these films, the young protagonists are confronted with domestic fragility, parental absence and the difficult search for emotional balance.
The discovery of romantic and sexual identity lies at the heart of LEMONADE BLESSING (United States, the feature debut by director Chris Merola), and SKIFF (Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden, directed by Cecilia Verheyden). Both films explore the experience of growing up through relationships that challenge beliefs, desires and family bonds.
A distinctly contemporary perspective defines NIPSTER (Sweden, the feature debut by Sunniva Eir Tangvik Kveum), which reflects on the processes of radicalisation and the need for belonging that can make adolescents particularly vulnerable to extremist movements.
Finally, SAD GIRLZ (Mexico, Spain, France, the feature debut by director Fernanda Tovar) tackles urgent issues such as consent, gender-based violence and the profound value of female friendship with remarkable sensitivity, portraying the complex process of identity formation during adolescence.
A selection that offers a powerful and timely portrait of a new generation navigating personal and collective vulnerabilities, while also finding the courage to imagine its future and discover new forms of belonging, understanding and freedom.
GENERATOR +18
The Generator +18 section offers an intense and deeply contemporary journey through the vulnerabilities, anxieties and challenges that often characterise the transition into adulthood. The protagonists of the selected films are young people and adults striving to find their place in the world, confronting urgent and universal issues such as mental health, bullying, violence, guilt, social reintegration, the need for belonging and the construction of their identity.
The films in competition, coming from different countries and cultures, share a sensitive and realistic perspective on the consequences that individual and collective choices can have on people’s lives. They tell stories of vulnerability but also of resilience, in which the desire for a new beginning is constantly weighed against the burden of the past and the difficulties of the present.
Many of the stories focus on characters seeking a second chance: adolescents forced to come to terms with their sense of responsibility towards others, young women striving to rebuild meaningful emotional connections, young people searching for their identity, and individuals attempting to regain confidence in themselves and in the future. The section once again confirms its role as a space for reflection on the vulnerabilities of younger generations and on the need to build relationships founded on listening, empathy and mutual care.
The seven selected films are 3 WEEKS AFTER (Serbia, Italy, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Croatia, directed by Miroslav Terzic and distributed in Italy by Nightswim); THE GIRLS FROM ABOVE (France, Belgium, the feature debut by Bérangère McNeese); HEARTS ON FIRE (France, the feature debut by Aurélien Peyre); RAIN FELL ON THE NOTHING NEW (Germany, the feature debut by Steffen Goldkamp); ROSEMEAD (United States, the feature debut by Eric Lin, featuring Lucy Liu); WEIGHTLESS (Denmark, the feature debut by Emilie Thalund); and YOU BELIEVE IN ANGELS, MR. DROWAK? (Germany, Switzerland, the feature debut by Nicolas Steiner).
In this edition, six of the seven selected titles are feature debuts, further confirming Giffoni’s commitment to championing new authorial voices and promoting a cinema capable of interpreting the social and cultural transformations of our time through the sensitivity and perspective of new generations.
GEX DOC
The documentaries in this section offer an intense and deeply contemporary perspective on younger generations, tracing the delicate process of building personal identity and a sense of belonging through experiences of growth, transformation and change. The titles in the programme follow their protagonists through pivotal moments in their lives, highlighting the central role of family relationships, friendship, and wider communities in shaping their identities.
Many of the films explore the theme of identity formation and the search for a balance between individual autonomy and the need for acceptance. ADAM’S APPLE (United States, directed by Amy K. Jenkins) follows the coming-of-age journey of a transgender teenager and the value of family support in navigating change; ALMOST FOREVER (Sweden, Finland, directed by Lia Hietala and Hannah Reinikainen) observes five years in the lives of a group of teenagers as they navigate friendship, love and the construction of identity in a society increasingly shaped by social media; ONE IN A MILLION (United States, United Kingdom, Germany, directed by Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes) follows the long journey of a young Syrian refugee between exile, integration and the search for her roots.
Family relationships and the meaning of belonging are explored with particular intensity in THE BEAUTY OF ERRORS (Finland, Norway, Sweden, directed by Jukka Kärkkäinen), a tender reflection on the bond between a father and son as they face the necessity of letting go, and in ON MY OWN TERMS (Poland, the feature debut by Tadeusz Chudy), which follows two stepbrothers raised in an orphanage as they move towards independence and face the demands and responsibilities of adult life.
Other documentaries explore the relationship between personal vulnerability, resilience and the ability to imagine new horizons. BUGBOY (Greece, France, Denmark, directed by Lucas Paleocrassas) turns a teenager’s passion for insects into a poetic coming-of-age story about self-acceptance, while THE FABULOUS TIME MACHINE (Brazil, directed by Eliza Capai) follows a group of young girls in the Brazilian sertão who, through play and imagination, engage with universal themes such as gender differences, social inequality and the shaping of their future.
Taken as a whole, the documentaries in this section form a mosaic of experiences across countries, cultures and generations, showing how the search for identity and a place in the world is a universal challenge. The selected films highlight young people’s capacity to reinvent themselves, to build new forms of belonging and to see the future as a space of possibility, turning vulnerability and change into opportunities for personal and collective growth.
PARENTAL EXPERIENCE SHORT FILMS
The selection of Parental Experience short films offers an intense journey through family relationships, identity formation and the vulnerabilities that accompany the transition from childhood to adulthood. The films invite parents and children to engage with highly contemporary themes, offering a deep insight into the challenges of growing up, the need for belonging and the search for a balance between protection and autonomy.
Family dynamics and the complexity of parent–child relationships run through BOWL CUT (France, directed by Tamara Vittoz), THE STRANGER (Italy, directed by Federica Corti), RAGE (Spain, directed by Fran Moreno Blanco and Santi Pujol Amat), ONE, TWO, ONE HUNDRED (Italy, directed by Emanuele Gallo), THE STREAK (Italy, directed by Gian Piero Rotoli) and WHERE WE SIT TOGETHER (Taiwan, directed by Joshua Yang), works that reflect on emotional distance, absence, misunderstandings and the universal need to feel accepted within the family.
The construction of personal identity and the delicate transition into adulthood are at the centre of SISTER OF MINE (Sweden, directed by André Vaara), TWO MINUTES (Germany, directed by Yael van Altena), ULTRA STRONG (Canada, directed by Catherine Lepage) and STRONG AS A LION (France, directed by Nathan Villanneau), which explore themes such as sibling rivalry, bullying, self-esteem, the judgment of others and the difficult search for their place in the world.
Historical memory, the protection of cultural identity and the consequences of discrimination emerge strongly in JULKA (Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy and Slovenia, directed by Valeria Cozzarini) and RUKELI (Italy, directed by Alessandro Rak), two works that bring painful chapters of European history back to light and invite reflection on the value of freedom, the protection of minorities and the need to preserve collective memory.
The scars left by conflict, the theme of displacement and the capacity to endure adversity are explored in IT’S QUIET NOW (Kosovo, directed by Flaka Kokolli), while A SPARROW’S SONG (Germany, directed by Tobias Eckerlin) addresses grief and the restorative power of empathy, showing how even the smallest act of care can become a symbol of renewal.
Finally, SUMMER DELIVERY (China, directed by Lam Can-zhao) celebrates the value of tradition and the power of small everyday gestures, suggesting that it is often the simplest experiences that hold the deepest meaning in emotional bonds and shared life.
This selection, through diverse languages and sensibilities, offers an authentic portrait of younger generations and their relationship with the adult world, inviting reflection on the value of listening, memory and openness, and on how relationships can become a space for growth, protection and mutual understanding.
