The Association of Italian Film Festivals (AFIC) has presented a paper entitled “SalaFestival: An Alternative for the Region.”
Produced in collaboration with Ergo Research and with the support of Cinetel/CinExpert and the Italian University Film Consultation, the study provides an overview of Italian film festivals.
According to the data presented, between February 2025 and January 2026 festivals recorded approximately 1.84 million admissions for feature films, or 2.7% of total ticket sales, a drop of 13% compared with the previous year. This decline should be put into perspective against the sector’s overall situation, which, as Cineuropa writes, is experiencing “an increasingly complex context, characterised by funding delays, organisational down-sizing and a structural transformation of the overall festival experience.”
Young audiences nevertheless remain central to the festival system. The under-35’s account for 57% of admissions, while those aged 15-24 represent 32%.
Another striking point concerns the screening venues. As Cineuropa says: “more than 30% of festivals bring films to areas which lack dedicated cinemas, or to specially adapted alternative spaces.” This illustrates the importance of festivals as a means of access to film and, more broadly, to culture in Italy.
Source: Cineuropa
