Biografilm’s programme on Monday, June 8, explores collective memory, evolving identities, and the transformative power of art. From the great masters of Italian screenwriting to stories of people seeking new possibilities beyond prison walls, passing through reflections on time, family, and the making of Hollywood legends, the day’s selection reaffirms the festival’s commitment to telling extraordinary lives and human journeys that shed light on the present.
The day also marks the opening of Bio to B – Industry Days, Biografilm’s professional platform dedicated to documentary filmmaking and new stories for cinema and television series. Through training sessions, international meetings, and networking opportunities, writers, directors, producers, and publishers come together to discuss the transformations shaping the industry and the emerging forms of contemporary audiovisual storytelling.
Opening the day’s film programme is Riusciranno i nostri eroi – Il cinema di Age & Scarpelli (Will Our Heroes Make It? – The Cinema of Age & Scarpelli), Marco Spagnoli’s new documentary dedicated to one of the most influential creative partnerships in the history of Italian cinema. Through films, characters, and stories that shaped more than half a century of Italy’s cultural and social life, the documentary pays tribute to the legacy of Agenore Incrocci and Furio Scarpelli, writers who portrayed Italy with intelligence, irony, and depth. The screening, scheduled for 6:00 pm at Cinema Modernissimo in the presence of the director and co-authors, will be preceded by the closing presentation of Biografilm Generazioni Digitali, an educational programme that uses cinema as a tool for inclusion, citizenship, and combating discrimination.
At 6:45 pm at Cinema Lumière, in collaboration with Associazione Antigone, Ross McClean’s Magilligan tells the story of Ryan, a man caught between the burden of a family history marked by imprisonment and his desire to build a different future. An intimate and moving portrait that reflects on human bonds, the legacy of personal choices, and the meaning of freedom.
The evening continues at 9:00 pm at the Biografilm Hera Theatre | Pop Up Cinema Arlecchino with the Biografilm Podcast Award ceremony, a new initiative exploring the intersections between different languages and forms of storytelling. A special event featuring live listening sessions, conversations, and performances that celebrates the creative vitality of contemporary podcasting.
At 9:15 pm in the Scorsese Hall of Cinema Lumière, Rachel Taparjan’s Something Familiar takes audiences on an emotional journey through memory and belonging. Beginning with a search for her origins in Romania, the director intertwines her own story with that of Mihaela, creating a deeply personal narrative that questions identity, adoption, and family histories.
At 9:30 pm, the programme branches into three different paths, all united by a profound reflection on individual and collective transformation. At Cinema Lumière, Alberto Gemmi’s Il Labirinto (The Labyrinth) leads audiences into the German Military Cemetery of the Futa Pass, transforming one of the most symbolic sites of European memory into a poetic meditation on time, death, and the traces left by history.
At the same time, in the cloister of the Santa Cristina “della Fondazza” Complex, Elsa Amiel’s Dentro (Inside) recounts the extraordinary experience of Armando Punzo and the Compagnia della Fortezza. For nearly forty years, the theatre director has worked inside Volterra prison, transforming incarceration into a space of imagination, artistic creation, and possibility. A powerful story about theatre as a tool for freedom and self-reinvention, presented in the presence of both the director and Punzo himself.
The day concludes at Cinema Modernissimo with Bonnie (Bonnie: storia della madrina di Hollywood) by Simon Wallon, dedicated to legendary casting director Bonnie Timmermann. Responsible for discovering some of the most celebrated talents in contemporary cinema, Timmermann helped reshape the face of Hollywood through her remarkable ability to recognise talent before anyone else. Biografilm will present her with the International Celebration of Lives Award 2026, honouring a career that has left an indelible mark on the history of international cinema.
From the great figures of Italian culture to stories of people searching for new forms of freedom and belonging, Biografilm offers a day rich in encounters, cinematic discoveries, and unexpected perspectives.
