The N.I.C.E. Italian Film Festival returns to Latvia for its third edition, celebrating the best of contemporary Italian cinema. Organized by the Embassy of Italy in Riga in collaboration with New Italian Cinema Events (N.I.C.E.), the festival will take place from December 13 to 15, 2024, at the prestigious Splendid Palace cinema.

This year’s program features five screenings showcasing debut and sophomore works by emerging Italian filmmakers. The festival offers audiences a unique opportunity to experience the creativity and diversity of Italy’s new cinematic voices.

Festival Program:

• December 13, 18:00 – Zamora
• Director: Neri Marcorè
• Genre: Drama
• Year: 2023
• Synopsis: The 1960s. Walter Vismara is a thirty-year-old man who works as an accountant in a small factory in Vigevano. When the company he works for closes without warning, Walter finds a new job at another company in the bustling city of Milan.

The screening is preceded by a welcome drink and an exclusive conversation between Italian actress Marta Gastini and Latvian director Matīss Kaža, moderated by film critic Dārta Ceriņa, as part of the Caffè Young Italy series.

December 14, 18:00 – Romantic Girls

• Director: Pilar Fogliati
• Genre: Romantic Comedy
• Year: 2023
• Synopsis: This light-hearted film follows the misadventures of four girls navigating love, heartbreak, and the quirks of modern dating in contemporary Rome.

December 14, 20:30 – Vittoria

• Directors: Alessandro Cassigoli and Casey Kauffman
• Genre: Drama
• Year: 2024
• Synopsis: A woman's world turns upside down after her father's death, as she experiences a recurring dream of a little girl, compelling her to dive into international adoption, risking her marriage, family stability, and moral compass.

December 15, 18:00 – Gloria!

• Director: Margherita Vicario
• Genre: Historical / Musical
• Year: 2024
• Synopsis: The year is 1800; the place, Saint Ignazio College, a decrepit old musical institute for girls, somewhere near Venice. Here lives “the Mute”, a silent, solitary maid tasked with the humblest chores. No one knows that her name is Teresa; no one suspects that she possesses an extraordinary talent that enables her to sense the harmony of the universe and reshape reality through music. Gloria! is about the imagination and talent of all the many female composers who, like pressed flowers, are hidden away in the pages of history.

December 15, 20:30 – Desiré

• Director: Mario Vezza
• Genre: Drama
• Year: 2024
• Synopsis: Desiré is a sixteen-year-old Neapolitan girl of Senegalese origins who lives from day to day. When she is arrested and sent to a young offender institution, Desiré finds herself on a gradual journey of self-knowledge that she didn’t think was possible.

The public conversation on December 13 between Italian actress Marta Gastini and Latvian director Matīss Kaža is part of the Caffè Young Italy event series organised by the Embassy of Italy. The initiative aims at fostering interaction between young creative professionals from Italy and Latvia, reinforcing cultural and artistic ties between the two nations. The project is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy in the framework of its “Festival of Italian Creativity” initiative.

All screenings are in Italian with English subtitles; Latvian language voice-over is also available.

Tickets for all screenings are free and can be reserved online via the Splendid Palace website starting December 9 or picked up in person at the cinema’s box office from the same date.

Join us at the N.I.C.E. Italian Film Festival and explore the vibrant world of Italian cinema! For more information, visit the official Splendid Palace website or contact the Embassy of Italy in Riga.