Aqua Film Festival 2026 is ready to plunge into a deep cinematic understanding of Water.

There are a few drops left before the eleventh edition of Aqua Film Festival the international film event, conceived and directed by Eleonora Vallone, most popular Italian actress and Water Gymnastics pioneer. Starting from its first edition 2016, the year of the first edition held in Rome, at the Casa del Cinema in Villa Borghese, this iconic kermesse has changed locations several times, from the island of Elba - Tuscany, Italy - to the Principality of Monaco, from Milan to Bari, Matera, Ariano Irpino and Finale Ligure (Western Liguria), twinning with Paris, Lugano and Dolceacqua (sister city of Monaco).

The international Aqua Film Festival was designed as a visionary celebration of our most vital resource, elevating Water as a source of life, energy, and well-being. Using the moving image from all over the world, it aims at raising environmental awareness, promoting respect, and fostering a deep, unifying love for the Planet Earth's Blue heritage.

This year's Awards Ceremony will be held on June the 6th, 2026, at the Casa del Cinema in Villa Borghese in Rome, and will be streamed from June the 4th to the 7th on MyMovies. The rendezvous, in partnership with the Fondazione Roma and organised by ETS UNIVERSI AQUA Association, celebrates two Italian cities that in their thousand-year history have had Water as a driver of their economic, social, and cultural growth: Rome and Venice, known as the "Queens of Water". Under the main theme "Roma et Venetiae Reginae Aquarum – L'acqua unisce le Civiltà" (Roma et Venetiae Reginae Aquarum – Water unites Civilisations), will showcase the best short films as divided into two sections: Corti (max 25 minutes) and Cortini (max 3 minutes). The special section AQUA & STUDENTS will award the best Cortini on Water, in all its forms and functions, directed and edited by students from schools and universities, worldwide.

Photo >> Official poster of 2026 Aqua Film Festival Under the main theme "Roma et Venetiae Reginae Aquarum – L'acqua unisce le Civiltà" (Roma et Venetiae Reginae Aquarum – Water unites Civilisations) © Aqua Film Festival aquafilmfestival.org 

The 2026 technical is led by Pier Francesco Aiello, film producer and distributor, who will coordinate a group of experts, notably: Marco Amenta, film director, Massimiliano Buzzanca, actor, Giulia Elettra Gorietti, actress, Riccardo Grandi, film director, Rossella Izzo, film and dubbing director, Stefano Lorenzi, screenwriter and film director, Enzo Monteneone, film director and screenwriter, Monica Nappo, actress and film director, Arianna Ninchi, actress, Giacomo Scarpelli, screenwriter, and Anna Testa, author and film director.

The Jury will award the Premio ROMA et VENETIAE REGINAE AQUARUM to the Best Film of this edition, bearing the most impactful message of cultural union, plus some Special Mentions. The Menzione Speciale Aqua & Turismo (Aqua & Turismo Special Mention) for the best work combining Tourism, Culture, and History; the Menzione Speciale Aqua & Ambiente (Aqua & Environment Special Mention) for the best outcome on Environmental issues and Sustainability; the Menzione Speciale Aqua & Sport (Aqua & Sport Special Mention) for the best short film celebrating a Water Sport; the Menzione speciale Aqua & Terme (Aqua & Spa Special Mention) for the best short movie set in a Spa; the Menzione speciale Aqua & SOCIAL(E) (Aqua & SOCIAL(E) Special Mention) for the best short film focused on relevant social issues or marginalisation; the Menzione Speciale Aqua & Music (Aqua & Music Special Mention) for the production which best represents Water and the Sea through music videos and the Menzione Speciale Fratello Mare (Brother Sea Special Mention) for the best short film devoted to the Mediterranean Sea and the Oceans to safeguard their vital environmental and cultural role.

Photo: Eleonora Vallone, Founder and President of © Aqua Film Festival aquafilmfestival.org 

Eleonora Vallone, Founder and President of Aqua Film Festival highlights the strengths and DNA of the event: « 'If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water'

as Loren Eiseley, great American philosopher and anthropologist, used to say. And then following many others spoke of this vital liquid element including Zygmunt Bauman (note: internationally renowned Polish sociologist and philosopher, naturalised British) who even claimed that our society is liquid. In the world of Cinema you can represent all of this. Water is not wet but becomes something cosmic, it transforms itself into horizon, into an infinite dimension. (...) Water is a suitable element for the camera. Thus, we would like to accept all types of footage, even from Smartphones, because it is very important for people to notice their territory and capture it in their cell phone. (...) Water flows and nourishes our life, Cinema is our life flowing, and the liquid element becomes dream and lightness. The Festival therefore refers not only to physical Water but also to water outside of any physical scheme. I am in love with Water and I wish everyone to be inspired by it and find this essential resource in life ». ***

✒️ Maurice Abbati

• Strategic Communication Specialist, Editor in Chief, Journalist, Executive.

• Lecturer and Author in English in the field of Environmental Communication to foster Circular and Blue Economy