LOS ANGELES, August 1st, 2025 – Months after its dazzling 20th edition, Los Angeles, Italia – Film, Fashion and Art Festival continues to resonate as one of the most impactful cultural events of the year. Held in the days leading up to the 2025 Academy Awards, the festival once again turned Hollywood into a stage for Italian cinema, fashion, and music, celebrating the deep and enduring bond between Italy and the United States.

As we move into the second half of 2025 and a new awards season begins to unfold, it’s the perfect moment to look back on the highlights of LA, Italia 2025 — and to start the countdown to Los Angeles, Italia 2026.

A Star-Studded Celebration

The 2025 edition honored outstanding figures in international and Italian cinema with the LA, Italia Excellence Awards, presented to:

• Ralph Fiennes

• Julian Schnabel

• Edward Berger

• Pupi Avati

• Jack Huston

• Diane Warren

• Nick Vallelonga

• Sergio Castellitto

• Antonio Avati

• Mauro Borrelli

• Marco Belardi

• Fabrizio Mancinelli

• Francesco Merola

• Francesca Ceccarelli

One of the most acclaimed films of the year, Conclave by Edward Berger, was awarded Best Movie, with Ralph Fiennes receiving Best Actor and Berger also honored as Best Director. The film’s Italian set decorator Cynthia Sleiter is also an Academy Award nominee, highlighting Italy’s excellence behind the scenes.

Premieres, Tributes, and Cultural Highlights

From the emotional U.S. premiere of “The American Backyard” by Pupi Avati to the world premiere of “Champagne”, the long-awaited Peppino di Capri biopic, the festival offered a rich and diverse program across multiple venues including the TCL Chinese Theatre and the Italian Cultural Institute.

Special screenings included:

• The Return by Uberto Pasolini with Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche

• The Last Supper by Mauro Borrelli, which closed the festival

• The Voice of Naples by Massimo Ferrari, honoring Mario Merola

• The Opera! – Arias for an Eclipse by Davide Livermore and Paolo Gep Cucco

Documentaries, Short Films, and New Voices

The Los Angeles, Italia Special Contest celebrated emerging talent with:

• Best Documentary: Tineret by Nicolò Ballante

• Best Short Film: Figli dell’arroganza by Anteros Marra

Groundbreaking works like I Am Crazy and You? by Dario D’Ambrosi brought together cinema and therapeutic theater, while over 80 screenings gave space to bold Italian and international storytelling.

Italy Shines on the World Stage

LA, Italia 2025 was organized with the support of:

• Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC)

• Intesa Sanpaolo

• ENIT, ICE, Italian Cultural Institute, Consulate General of Italy in LA

• SCABEC, Adamantis Europe Ltd, Givova, Riflessi – Made in Italy

Under the leadership of Pascal Vicedomini and chairperson Raffaella De Laurentiis, the festival welcomed major names including Franco Nero, Nick Vallelonga, Diane Warren, Jack Huston, Frank Grillo, and many others who joined hands in celebrating the global impact of Italian creativity.

Looking Ahead: Los Angeles, Italia 2026

The 20th edition of Los Angeles, Italia was more than a milestone — it was a promise of the future. With its unmatched blend of tradition, innovation, and international flair, the festival set a high bar for what’s to come.

Mark your calendars and stay tuned for Los Angeles, Italia 2026, as the journey continues and Italian excellence once again takes center stage in Hollywood.

Follow updates at www.losangelesitalia.com and on all official social platforms.

The celebration goes on. See you next year.

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Friday Feb 28th, the Nominee Gala at the Italian Institute of Culture. Expecting the Oscars’ Gala.

American painter and filmmaker Julian Schnabel has been honored with the ‘LA, Italia – Marina Cicogna Award,’ in tribute to the late Oscar-winning producer Marina Cicogna. She was one of the pioneers of the Italian Film Festival on the eve of the Oscars, alongside Lina Wertmüller, Franco Nero, Tony Renis, and festival founder Pascal Vicedomini.

Franco Nero himself will present the award to the extraordinary New York artist (whose latest film In The Hand of Dante is highly anticipated this year) during the classic Nominee Gala on Friday, February 28, at the Italian Cultural Institute. Many other key figures of the Italian showcase in Hollywood (organized by the Capri Institute with MiC and Intesa Sanpaolo, along with Adamantis Europe Ltd, Enit, Scabec, Givova, and Riflessi) will also attend. Among them are Cynthia Sleiter (Academy Award nominee for the production design of Conclave), director Mauro Borrelli (creator of the highly anticipated The Last Supper, which will close the 20th LA, Italia festival on Saturday afternoon), composer Fabrizio Mancinelli (who scored Anuja, nominated for Best Live Action Short Film), and Francesco Merola (representing his late father Mario Merola, beloved by the Italian community on the West Coast). Other honored guests include Sergio Castellitto (awarded on Monday night along with Ralph Fiennes and Conclave director Edward Berger), Oscar winners Mira Sorvino and Nick Vallelonga, and many other festival friends.

Julian Schnabel made his mark in cinema with Before Night Falls, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Director. He later directed The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, winning Best Director at Cannes and receiving another Academy Award nomination. His other films include Miral and At Eternity’s Gate about Van Gogh. His latest work, filmed mostly in Italy (Sicily, Rome, Florence, and Venice), features a star-studded cast including Gerard Butler (in two roles), Al Pacino, Jason Momoa, John Malkovich, Gal Gadot, Oscar Isaac, and Martin Scorsese, alongside Franco Nero, Fortunato Cerlino, Sabrina Impacciatore, Lorenzo Zurzolo, and many others. This special film is being sought after by both the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival.

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American painter and filmmaker Julian Schnabel has been honored with the LA, Italia – Marina Cicogna Award, a tribute to the late, Oscar-winning producer Marina Cicogna, one of the true pioneers of the Italian Film Festival on the eve of the Academy Awards, alongside Lina Wertmüller, Franco Nero, Tony Renis and festival founder Pascal Vicedomini.

The award will be presented by Franco Nero himself to the celebrated New York artist — whose highly anticipated new film In the Hand of Dante is set for release this year — during the traditional Nominee Gala on Friday, February 28, at the Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles. The evening will also bring together many of the key figures of the Italian showcase in Hollywood, organized by the Capri Institute with the support of MiC and Intesa Sanpaolo, alongside Adamantis Europe Ltd, ENIT, Scabec, Givova and Riflessi.

Among the distinguished guests will be Cynthia Sleiter, Academy Award nominee for the production design of Conclave; director Mauro Borrelli, whose eagerly awaited film The Last Supper will close the 20th edition of LA, Italia on Saturday afternoon; composer Fabrizio Mancinelli, who scored Anuja, nominated for Best Live Action Short Film; and Francesco Merola, representing his late father Mario Merola, a beloved icon of the Italian community on the U.S. West Coast. Also in attendance will be Sergio Castellitto, recently honored alongside Ralph Fiennes and Conclave director Edward Berger, as well as Academy Award winners Mira Sorvino and Nick Vallelonga, together with many long-time friends of the festival.

Schnabel made his mark as a filmmaker with Before Night Falls, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director, before going on to direct The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, winning Best Director at Cannes and receiving another Oscar nomination. His acclaimed filmography also includes Miral and At Eternity’s Gate, dedicated to Vincent van Gogh.

His latest work, filmed largely in Italy between Sicily, Rome, Florence and Venice, boasts an extraordinary international cast including Gerard Butler (in a dual role), Al Pacino, Jason Momoa, John Malkovich, Gal Gadot, Oscar Isaac and Martin Scorsese, alongside Franco Nero, Fortunato Cerlino, Sabrina Impacciatore, Lorenzo Zurzolo and many others. The film is already being closely courted by both the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival, confirming its status as one of the most eagerly awaited titles of the year.

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