Bay of Plenty cinephiles can immerse themselves in la dolce vita when the Italian Film Festival returns to Tauranga this July.

The festival marks its 10th anniversary with a bold new programme, 25 films and a nationwide tour stretching from April 2025 to January 2026. Tauranga audiences can catch the cinematic celebration from 10 July to 3 August.

Since launching in 2015, the festival has screened more than 200 Italian films across Aotearoa. This year, Artistic Director Paolo Rotondo has curated a lineup that blends contemporary storytelling with iconic classics, including Il Postino, The Talented Mr Ripley and The English Patient.

“This year’s festival is not just a celebration of cinema, but a celebration of the connections we’ve built over the past decade,” Rotondo said.

The Opening Night film is Gloria!, a vibrant musical drama by filmmaker and musician Margherita Vicario, praised for its bold storytelling and infectious energy. Rotondo said it’s a perfect way to launch the festival’s milestone season.

The programme is also getting a glow-up, shifting to a larger A4 format with more in-depth content, including stories on sponsors and the people behind the scenes. The design, inspired by the sun-drenched colours of an Italian summer, aims to capture the warmth and passion of the films themselves.

Italy’s new ambassador to New Zealand Cristiano Maggipinto has thrown his support behind the event. “The Italian Film Festival is a testament to the strong cultural ties between Italy and New Zealand,” Maggipinto said.

Rotondo, who recently hosted major Italian street festivals in Auckland and Nelson, said the goal remains to deepen those cultural ties through cinema.

The Tauranga leg of the festival will screen Luxe Cinemas in Tauranga, https://www.luxecinemas.nz/tauranga and is part of a national tour that also includes stops in Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Arrowtown.

Audiences can expect everything from laugh-out-loud comedies to moving dramas, all with the signature flair and emotion that Italian cinema is known for.

For full programme details, dates and tickets, visit www.italianfilmfestivalnz.com.