Nuovo Cinema Coraggioso

Stories from reality to understand the present

“Nuovo Cinema Coraggioso” is a nationwide project led by Zalab in collaboration with Progettomondo, Biografilm Festival, Luce Cinecittà, and a wide network of partners. It is funded within the framework of the National Plan for Cinema and Images for Schools, promoted by the Italian Ministry of Culture (MIC) and the Ministry of Education (MIM).

Now in its third year of activity, during the 2024/25 school year the project used film screenings and in-class workshops with teachers and industry professionals to transform students from simple spectators into cultural creators. Young participants designed and produced a final audiovisual output (a short film or an interview) starting from socially relevant themes explored in films selected from the catalogue (documentaries or animations).

In each participating region—Trentino, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Abruzzo, Campania, Sicily, Calabria, Apulia, Umbria and Friuli—final public events were held in May to present the students’ work and screenings, offering them back to the wider community. During these events, students introduced both the selected films and their own projects to the audience.

This year’s edition, titled “Dreaming the Present”, focuses on the most urgent issues of contemporary society through a curated film catalogue designed to explore values such as courage, emotions, relationships, nature, and respect for others. Featuring a selection of Italian and international short and feature films, the project encourages imagination, critical thinking and action, inviting students and teachers to explore contemporary challenges and the emotional landscape of our time through cinema.

The final event takes place during the 21st edition of the Biografilm Festival in Bologna: on Tuesday, June 10 at 7:30 PM at Cinema Lumière (Sala Scorsese). A delegation of high school students from the participating regions presents the short films created during the workshops. This is followed by the Italian premiere screening of Mr. Nobody Against Putin by David Borenstein and Pavel Ilyich Talankin, and a post-screening discussion with the directors moderated by the students, who also conduct the interview and lead the debate in the theatre.

In Emilia-Romagna, participating schools include the Istituto Superiore Arrigo Serpieri in Bologna and the I.I.S. Bartolomeo Scappi in Castel San Pietro Terme (BO).

For more information and to view all the project outputs, visit the official website