By Alberto Macchione
The Italian and Arts communities gathered at Sydney’s Moore Park recently to celebrate Italian cinema as invited guests of The Palace Cinema’s Italian Film Festival 2026. Palace Cinemas Italian Film Festival Director, Elysia Zeccola arrived from Melbourne to attend the event.
She addressed a select audience prior to a preview screening of Sweetheart (Gioia Mia), starring Aurora Quattrocchi in what Festival Ambassador, Silvia Colloca described as ‘the performance of a lifetime’ as the grumpy and staunchly religious aunt Zela, who agrees to take in her nephew’s son Nico for the summer. Zeccola highlighted the cultural significance of the event and expressed gratitude for the community’s ongoing support, specifically thanking ‘Allora’ Italian Australian Newspaper for their warm words.
She emphasized that the festival offers audiences an immersive escape into the heart of Italy through a carefully curated selection of contemporary cinema, bringing together acclaimed directors, emerging talent, compelling stories and the distinctive cultural richness that continues to define Italian filmmaking.
The glamour of Italy met the heart of Sydney as Palace Cinemas kicked off a star-studded preview screening of Sweetheart (Gioia Mia). Welcomed by a flowing barrage of Prosecco, premium wine, and Rosé, a select crowd gathered to celebrate the upcoming Palace Cinemas Italian Film Festival. Among the honoured guests were Celebrity Chef Anna Simon, singing superstars The Italian Divas, and key representatives from The COMITES and The Italian Language and Culture Group. Festival Director Elysia Zeccola took a moment to warmly thank Allora for their “beautiful words” of support before treating the audience to an exclusive look at this year’s sweeping lineup.
The evening provided an opportunity for members of Sydney’s Italian community to reconnect through a shared appreciation of culture and storytelling. The relaxed atmosphere, lively conversations and anticipation surrounding the festival reflected the strong affection Australian audiences continue to have for Italian cinema. For many guests, the event was more than simply a preview; it was a celebration of Italian identity, creativity and the enduring cultural connection between Italy and Australia.
Zeccola captivated the crowd by diving into the festival’s highly anticipated highlights. She spotlighted Three Goodbyes by Isabel Coixet, describing it as “a really beautiful relationship drama starring Elio Germano and Alba Rohrwacher.” Zeccola noted, “It’s a relationship drama about a couple who break up over a very trivial thing, and it’s extremely moving and beautiful and poetic.”
The excitement escalated as Zeccola revealed a major coup for Australian audiences. “We’re also excited to announce that we have another star coming to the festival, Edoardo Leo,” she shared to ecstatic whooping from the audience. “He’s actually in two films this year: For You, which is a father-son drama, and we also have Separate Beds, which is a romantic comedy, which is really good fun.” Leo will be on the ground in Sydney to introduce selected sessions, prompting Zeccola to add, “Thank you to everyone here, the media, for getting that message out to everyone that we’ve got such a great Italian star in town.”
Turning to the finale, Zeccola unveiled the festival’s closing night choice, The Echo Chamber. “This is a coup for the festival because it’s screening in Venice just a few days later, but it will be here in the festival,” she explained. “You’re really seeing the latest and the best films from Italy. It stars Susan Sarandon, Alicia Vikander, and Luca Marinelli, so that’s really something special to see in Sydney and around the country… probably ahead of most people in the world.”
The program also boasts a vibrant mix of documentaries, including a focus on fashion with Armani: The Birth of Italian Fashion and Brunello, a look at the “king of cashmere.” These titles add another dimension to the program, showcasing the creativity, craftsmanship and cultural influence that Italian fashion has projected around the world.
Local audiences have an exclusive event to look forward to as well. “Exclusive to Sydney, we have the world premiere of Sand Roads, an Italian-Australian co-production,” Zeccola announced, describing it as “a very moving documentary about an Italian-Australian Sydney boy and a trip that he makes with his friends to travel from Europe to Africa on quad bikes.”
With special events like “Napoli Night” and a tribute to Mariangela Melato, the festival promises a packed schedule. The diverse program is designed to appeal not only to dedicated film enthusiasts, but also to families, younger audiences and members of the broader Australian community interested in discovering contemporary Italian culture.
“There’s really so many events going on in the festival, it will be hard to list them all,” Zeccola concluded, adding that the feature presentation, Sweetheart, was “a little taste for what’s to come.” For Sydney’s Italian community and film lovers across Australia, the festival promises memorable experiences, cultural connections and a vibrant celebration of Italy on the big screen.
The festival once again demonstrates the power of cinema to connect communities, celebrate heritage and introduce Australian audiences to the extraordinary stories, talent and creativity emerging from Italy today and strengthening the enduring cultural ties between Italy and Australia.