Embedded Files
PROGRAM
Official Program 2026
M9 – Museum of the 20th Century – Mestre (Venice)
May 22 · 23 · 24, 2026
Three days dedicated to Deaf cinema, featuring screenings, talks, workshops, and moments of exchange with directors, artists, and industry professionals. An immersive and accessible experience designed to celebrate Deaf culture and create new connections between audiences and the world of cinema.
Festival activities are accessible in Italian Sign Language (LIS), Italian, International Sign, and through respeaking. All films, both in competition and out of competition, include captions in Italian and English.
Friday, May 22
Friday, May 22
Friday, May 22
5:30 PM | Welcome Office Opening
Location: Foyer – Museo M9
PASSES ARE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH ONLINE BOOKING HERE. Limited seats available!
Friday, May 22
7:30 PM | Opening Ceremony
Duration: 30 min
Location: Auditorium Cesare de Michelis - Museo M9
Festival opening with greetings from festival partners and a Visual Vernacular (VV) performance by Nicola Della Maggiora
Friday, May 22
from 7:30 PM to 11:00 PM | Activities for Children: Games and Screenings by Lago Visual Short Films
in collaboration with Lago Film Fest
Location: Sala Orizzonti – Museo M9
A space dedicated to children featuring games and visual screenings in collaboration with Lago Film Fest. An opportunity to introduce kids to the world of cinema!
Throughout the day, a children’s corner will be available in Sala Orizzonti, where all the other events will also take place.
Friday, May 22
8:00 PM | Opening Screening: Le fobie del guardrail by Marco Capelacci
Duration: 15 min
Location: Auditorium Cesare de Michelis - Museo M9
The story is a raw mimesis of a child’s mental escapes. The two enigmatic, absorbed figures lean anxiously over the guardrail, a metaphorical representation of the child’s inner universe—the projection of the dark upheavals within his psyche. The images reveal his secret: a shadowy hidden realm made of cries and sounds.
Friday, May 22
8:15 PM | PROGRAM 1 and 2: Screening of the International Competition Short Films Ritmi Visivi Competition
Duration: 2 hours and 30 min
Location: Auditorium Cesare de Michelis - Museo M9
First section of international Deaf cinema short films in competition, with inclusive subtitles in English and Italian.
Friday, May 22
11:00 PM | Late Night Screening – Out of Competition (18+)
Duration: 15 min
Location: Auditorium Cesare de Michelis - Museo M9
A special out-of-competition screening for general audiences. Not suitable for viewers under 18.
Friday, May 22
From 11 PM | Party
Location: Corte dei Matti - Chiostro Museo M9
A moment to close the evening, meet, have fun, and celebrate the beginning of the festival.
Saturday, May 23
Saturday, May 23
Saturday, May 23
9:00 AM | Welcome Office Opening
Location: Foyer – Museo M9
PASSES ARE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH ONLINE BOOKING HERE. Limited seats available!
Saturday, May 23
10:30 AM | Screening of the documentary Je Vous Aime with Daniel Bongioanni & Diana Anselmo
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Sala Orizzonti – Museo M9
A documentary by Daniel Bongioanni and Diana Anselmo that tells intimate and universal stories exploring identity, relationships, and culture.
Saturday, May 23
12:00 AM | Sign: Festival Stories
Duration: 1 hour and 15 min
Location: Sala Orizzonti – Museo M9
A sharing space in Italian Sign Language (LIS) where experiences, anecdotes, and perspectives on the world of festivals take shape through direct storytelling.
Saturday, May 23
2:30 PM | Seminar: Deaf Cinema with Daniele Le Rose
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Sala Orizzonti – Museo M9
With Daniele Le Rose, an in-depth exploration of Deaf cinema: its history, languages, aesthetics, and new perspectives.
Saturday, May 23
4:00 PM | Workshop: Ritmi Visivi – Cinema through Deaf Art with Fabio Zamparo, Anna Chiara Carlet & Nicola Savoldi
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Sala Orizzonti – Museo M9
A hands-on workshop with Fabio Zamparo, Anna Chiara Carlet, and Nicola Savoldi exploring cinema through the body, rhythm, and Deaf visual culture.
Saturday, May 23
6:30 PM | Sign: Meeting with the Jury
Duration: 45 hour
Location: Auditorium Cesare de Michelis - Museo M9
An open dialogue with the festival’s expert jury to explore the criteria, sensitivities, and perspectives behind artistic selection.
Saturday, May 23
7:30 PM | Out-of-competition screening: Oltre Lo Specchio by Signplicity in collaboration with Cooperativa Terra Fertile
Duration: 30 min
Location: Auditorium Cesare de Michelis - Museo M9
Special screening curated by Signplicity, in collaboration with Cooperativa Terra Fertile, exploring new narratives and inclusivity.
Saturday, May 23
from 7:30 PM to 11:00 PM | Activities for Children: Games and Screenings by Lago Visual Short Films
in collaboration with Lago Film Fest
Second event dedicated to children, featuring activities in Italian and LIS (Italian Sign Language), along with screenings of short visual films. Throughout the day, a special space inside Sala Orizzonti will be dedicated to children, managed by the festival volunteers, where they can draw, play, and take part in creative activities.
Saturday, May 23
7:45 PM | PROGRAM 3 and 4: Screening of the International Competition Short Films Ritmi Visivi Competition
Duration: 2 hours and 30 min
Location: Auditorium Cesare de Michelis - Museo M9
Second selection of films in competition, featuring visual experimentation and innovative storytelling.
Saturday, May 23
10:30 PM | Awards Ceremony: Audience Award and Official Jury Award (Ritmi Visivi Award)
Duration: 30 min
Location: Auditorium Cesare de Michelis - Museo M9
Presentation of the Audience Award and the Jury Award (Ritmi Visivi Award), celebrating the most significant works of the festival.
Saturday, May 23
11:00 PM | Party
Location: Ca' di Mat - chiostro Museo M9
An evening of celebration and networking for artists, guests, and audiences, featuring a special performance by Maurizio Scarpa, also known as Pallina Rossa.
Sunday, May 22
Sunday, May 22
Sunday, May 24
9:00 AM | Welcome Office Opening
Location: Foyer – Museo M9
PASSES ARE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH ONLINE BOOKING HERE. Limited seats available!
Sunday, May 24
10:30 AM | Roundtable: International Deaf Cinema Manifesto
With Deaf film directors and film industry professionals
Duration: 1 hour and 30 min
Location: Sala Orizzonti – Museo M9
A meeting with international directors and professionals to discuss the future of Deaf cinema and the creation of a shared manifesto.
Sunday, May 24
11:00 AM | Screening of the film Salt & Pepper by Norwegian director Con Mehlum
Duration: 1 hour 30 min
Location: Auditorium Cesare de Michelis - Museo M9
In an elegant apartment in Oscars gate, Oslo, three couples gather for dinner on an early winter evening. All the guests are between 40 and 50 years old, and five of them have known each other since childhood. It is a special occasion, as the pandemic has finally ended after keeping them apart for a long time.
Sunday, May 24
From 1:30 PM to 6:30 PM | Activities for Children: Games and Screenings by Lago Visual Short Films
in collaboration with Lago Film Fest
Duration: 3 hours
Location: Sala Orizzonti – Museo M9
Third event dedicated to children, featuring activities in Italian and LIS (Italian Sign Language), along with screenings of short visual films. Throughout the day, a special space inside Sala Orizzonti will be dedicated to children, managed by the festival volunteers, where they can draw, play, and take part in creative activities.
Sunday, May 24
1:30 PM | Presentation of the CineBIL Torino Project in collaboration with the Foundation of the Institute for the Deaf of Turin
Duration: 30 min
Location: Chiostro Museo M9
Presentation of an innovative project dedicated to accessibility and inclusion in cinema, in collaboration with the Institute for the Deaf of Turin.
Sunday, May 24
2:00 PM | Presentation and Workshop: Become a Subtitles Nerd! with Sudtitles & Signplicity
Duration 30 min
Location: Chiostro Museo M9
A hands-on workshop with Sudtitles & Signplicity exploring techniques and creativity in the production of accessible subtitles.
Sunday, May 24
3:30 PM | Sign: Special Guest Session Emilio Insolera
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Chiostro Museo M9
An encounter with a special guest exploring artistic and personal journeys in depth.
Sunday, May 24
4:30 PM | Sign: Meeting with the Filmmakers: Towards the International Manifesto of Deaf Cinema
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Chiostro Museo M9
A collective discussion with film industry professionals to envision new directions for Deaf cinema on a global scale.
Sunday, May 24
6:00 PM | Sign & Talk – Who Watches, Who Tells the Story: Gaze and Power in Cinema and Artistic Practices
Duration: 1 hour and 15 min
Location: Chiostro Museo M9
A discussion on stereotypes, representation, and intersectionality in contemporary cinema.
Sunday, May 24
7:30 PM | Feature Film Screening: We Don’t Need Words in collaboration with Netflix Italia
Durata: 1 hour and 30 min
Location: Sala Orizzonti – Museo M9
Incontro con un ospite d’eccezione per approfondire percorsi artistici e personali.
Sunday, May 24
9:15 PM | Screening of the Award-Winning Films (Audience Award & Ritmi Visivi Jury Award) from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd editions of the festival
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Sala Orizzonti – Museo M9
Screening of the films awarded by the audience and the jury, celebrating together the best works of the festival.
Sunday, May 24
10:30 PM | Closing Party
Location: Corte dei Matti – chiostro Museo M9
Final event to close and celebrate the festival!
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse