Aquileia Film Festival 2026 – 17th edition

The international archaeological film festival is organized by the Aquileia Foundation with Archeologia Viva and Firenze Archeofilm.

The full program is available at www.fondazioneaquileia.it

WEDNESDAY, JULY 29 - Aquileia Film Festival
Projection
In the Minds of Men. UNESCO 1945-2025
Italy, a journey into beauty
"Since war begins in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be built." These words, pronounced in the 1945 preamble to UNESCO's constitution, resonate with dramatic relevance. From the Mostar Bridge to the Buddhas of Bamiyan, from the Old City of Mosul to the monuments of Ukraine, rebuilding the cultural heritage destroyed by the fury of war continues to be one of UNESCO's core missions.

Country: Italy, Director: Eugenio Farioli Vecchioli, Brigida Gullo
Duration: 60', Year: 2025
Production: RAI Cultura, Language: Italian

Conversation
edited by Piero Pruneti, director of Archeologia Viva
with Simone Quilici
Architect and landscape designer, with a PhD in Urban, Territorial, and Environmental Planning from the University of Florence. From 2019 to 2025, he directed the Appian Way Archaeological Park, leading, among other things, the process that led to the Appian Way's inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Since October 2025 he has been Director of the Colosseum Archaeological Park, one of the most visited sites in the world.

and Alfonsina Russo
An archaeologist and director of the Ministry of Culture, she held superintendent positions in Basilicata, Molise, and Southern Etruria before becoming Director of the Colosseum Archaeological Park from 2017 to 2025. She currently heads the Ministry of Culture's Department for the Promotion of Cultural Heritage, with responsibilities ranging from site accessibility to international cooperation.

Projection
Rome Underground: A Metro Through History
Rome's archaeological subsoil is the most complex in the world, over 15 meters deep. So how could a subway line be built that cuts through the heart of the city's historic center? The film is an unprecedented journey through the Eternal City, told through sensational discoveries that have forced experts to rewrite the history of yesterday and today.

Country: Italy, France, Canada, Director: Laurent Portes
Duration: 52', Year: 2025
Production: MyMax Edutainment (Massimo My), Artline Films (Olivier Mille), Idéacom International (Josette D. Normandeau)
Scientific consultancy: Claudia Devoto, Language: Italian