ICFF is the biggest festival celebrating Italian film outside of Italy, welcoming over 25,000 filmgoers last year. The 4th Edition of the Italian Contemporary Film Festival runs between June 11 to the 19th is a great celebration of the art of Italian cinema and culture. This year a special Toronto tribute to Italy’s most beloved screen pair, Roberto Begnini and Nicolette Braschi, starts ICFF celebrations on June 4th.

ICFF is ranked one of America’s Top 10 FilmFestivals by USA Today’s online journal 10Best. Films will be showcased at TIFF Bell Light Box in Toronto and at Vaughan’s Colossus, with over 90 screenings including 25 short films, being presented throughout Ontario and Quebec including Mississauga, Hamilton, Montreal (Cinematheque Quebecoise, Cinema Guzzo) and Quebec City (Cinema Cartier).

The Parties

Legendary opening and closing parties held at Roy Thompson Hall and The Ritz Carlton will be sellouts once again. Prepare for Gala events with star studded lineups, amazing food, a very fashionable crowd, fine entertainment and music to dance the night away.

Industry Day

ICFF Industry Day will celebrate Animation this year with interactive presentations at SIRT’s Stage 10 at Pinewood Toronto Studios. The lineup of international industry experts include those working behind the scenes of the hit TV series ‘Ulysses, My Name is Nobody is a 24-part TV series (RAI); and AMBI’s animated ‘Arctic Justice’ (James Franco, Alex Baldwin, Heidi Klum). SIRT (Sheridan’s Screen Industry Research and Technology) and Animatrik Film Inc with Zero Hour’s Steve Lucescu will demonstrate real time motion capture stunt work and animation technologies. Register here.

Roberto Benigni & Nicoletta Braschi: A Beautiful Life, A Film Retrospective June 4 – June 9

The Italian Contemporary Film Festival (ICFF) and TIFF celebrate Italy’s most beloved cinematic couple with a retrospective of their work together. Roberto Benigni & Nicoletta Braschi: A Beautiful Life, a film retrospective, features several in-person events including an onstage conversation about their lives and creative collaboration; joint introductions and Q&A sessions for a selection of the acclaimed films they have made together, opening with the Academy Award-winning Life is Beautiful (1997) on June 4th. There will be a free, daytime screening of the hilarious mistaken-identity farce Johnny Stecchino (1991) for University of Toronto post-secondary students and faculty. A sold out June 4th VIP event at Rosewater Room in Toronto’s tony business district launches the retrospective. Catch the retrospective’s closing film Johnny Stecchino (1991) this Tuesday.

ICFF2015 Jury Members

Li Glasner, is the national arts correspondent for CBC Radio and a film critic with the CBC. He is returning for his second season as a panelist for CBC’s Short Film Face Off this summer.

R. Bruce Elder, is a filmmaker and writer based in Toronto, Canada. In 2007, Mr. Elder was a recipient of a Governor General’s Award for lifetime achievement in visual and media art and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

Sarah Gadon is a Canadian actress whose breakthrough role came when director David Cronenberg cast her opposite Michael Fassbender as Emma Jung in A Dangerous Method. Gadon’s other film credits include Universal’s Dracula Untold and Belle. Gadon will also star opposite James Franco in Hulu’s nine-part miniseries 11/22/63.

The ICFF 2015 Awards

ICFF Audience Award - presented to the audience pick for the best narrative feature. The winners receive a statuette created by renowned artist Silvio Mastrodasci.

The Presenting Sponsor Award – awarded to the film that has made the greatest contribution to Italian social and cultural values.

The Best Short Film Award goes to one of the participating filmmakers in recognition of the importance of the engaging storytelling of short films, along with $1,000 CAD.

The Toronto Film Critics Association will present an award to their choice for best film.

The Lifetime Achievement Award goes to an individual in recognition of their contribution to Italian cinema in the world. Director Carlo Verdone won the award in 2014.

The festival will let you experience a wide selection of Italian-themed contemporary films, documentaries, panel discussions, workshops and events.

Stay tuned to for our list of films not to miss at this year’s festival!