Film enthusiasts in London are in for a treat as the 4th CINECITTÀ ITALIAN DOC SEASON brings a compelling lineup of bold and genre-defying Italian documentaries to Bertha DocHouse, Curzon Bloomsbury, on July 5th and 6th, 2025. This bi-annual season showcases three remarkable films that have garnered acclaim at prestigious international festivals, promising a fresh perspective on the art of documentary filmmaking.
Curated to challenge conventional narratives, the selection includes an enthralling docu-encyclopaedia, a powerful human-interest story, and a beautifully unobtrusive observational piece. Each film, while distinct in its approach, collectively pushes the boundaries of the documentary craft. The source material spans from intimate first-person interviews to invaluable archival footage sourced from the Istituto Luce film archive, an immense collection of Italy’s cinematic and photographic heritage that celebrated its centenary in 2024.
Enrico Bufalini, director of Archivo Luce-Cinecittà, emphasized the burgeoning strength of Italian documentaries. "The Italian documentary... has become one of the most emerging original genres in our country, conquering festivals worldwide with a new generation of authors," he stated. He highlighted Cinecittà's mission to promote these works internationally, praising the collaboration with Bertha DocHouse as a significant platform to introduce British audiences to the diversity and vibrancy of contemporary Italian reality cinema.
Jenny Horwell, Bertha DocHouse director and programmer, added, "We’re excited to continue celebrating Italian non-fiction... The upcoming 4th edition... represents a rich programme of empathetic, observational cinema and extremely fine filmmaking, which we think audiences will love discovering.”
The season features:
UK Premiere: THE CASTLE (Dir: Danny Biancardi, Stefano La Rosa, Virginia Nardelli) – Nominated for the CPH:DOX Award, this observational documentary follows four 11-year-olds transforming a believed-to-be-haunted abandoned kindergarten into their secret hideaway in Palermo. (Sat, July 5th, 3:30 PM)
London Premiere: GEN_ (Dir: Gianluca Matarrese) – A champion at Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival and a Sundance nominee, this film follows a maverick Milanese doctor championing fertility treatments and gender transitions. (Sat, July 5th, 6:00 PM)
UK Premiere: BESTIARES, HERBARIA, LAPIDARIES (Dir: Massimo d’Anolfi, Martina Parenti) – Premiering at Venice and IDFA, this epic docu-encyclopaedia explores life’s essential elements through three distinct acts: animals, plants, and stones, offering a poetic reflection on our existence. (Sun, July 6th, 3:00 PM)
Each screening will be accompanied by a Q&A session with the filmmakers, offering unique insights into their creative processes. Additionally, in celebration of the Istituto Luce’s centenary, each film will be preceded by a short package of rare archival footage, specially curated to complement the features.
For tickets and more information, visit dochouse.org.
