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Rome Film Fest has unveiled its full 2026 lineup, which includes the world premiere of Oscar and Palme d’Or winner Bille August’s Me, YouandAlexandre Castagnetti’s contemporary take on 19th-century classic The Phantom Of The Opera.
Me, You and The Phantom Of The Opera both play in Rome’s non-competitive Grand Public section. Rome Film Fest runs from October 13-25.
Set in post-Second World War Italy, Me, You is the story of shy 16-year-old Marco who falls in love with 20-year-old Caia while on holiday with his father. When she reveals her painful childhood caused by the SS during the war, Marco decides to avenge her pain on a group of rude German tourists. Among the cast of the Italian-French co-production are Brian Cox and Tim Roth.
Danish filmmaker August won the Palme d’Or twice for 1989’s Pelle The Conqueror – which also won an Oscar – and for 1992’s The Best Intentions.
Castagnetti’s The Phantom Of The Operais a French-language reimagining of Gaston Leroux’s novel and stars Deva Cassel, Julien De Saint-Jean and Romain Duris alongside acclaimed ballet stars Guillaume Diop and Dorothée Gilbert.
Rome’s Progressive Cinema international competition comprises 18 titles, including UK director Clio Bernard’s I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning and US filmmaker Tim Blake Nelson’s The Life And Deaths Of Wilson Shedd.
Scroll down for full Progress Cinema lineup
I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning won the Directors’ Fortnight audience award this year at Cannes, while The Life And Deaths Of Wilson Sheddrecently world premiered at Toronto.
Elsewhere, there are world premieres for Swedish filmmaker Lisa Forslund’s debut Clementine Orangein the Freestyle Film section, andseries two of Hulu’s Ryan Murphy legal drama All’s Fair, whose cast includes Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts and Glenn Close.
High-profile international films also launching into Italy in the festival’s non-competitive sections include Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut, Diego Luna’s Ashes, Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s The Beloved, French epic De Gaulle, Simon Stone’s Elsinore, Peter Farrelly’s I Play Rocky, Taika Waititi’s Klara And The Sun, Fatih Akin’s Ghost Song,Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi’sLa Bola Negra, and Pawel Pawlikowski’sFatherland.
As previously announced, the world premiere of Paolo Genovese’sIl Rumore Delle Cose Nuovewill open the festival.
Javier Bardem and UK producer Tessa Ross will both receive lifetime achievement awards in Rome.
Alongside its non-competitive sections, Rome presents a best first feature award, selected from films across the programme, as well as a best documentary prize, a music award and an audience award.
Paola Malanga is the festival’s artistic director, supported by a selection committee comprising Giovanna Fulvi, Alberto Libera, Enrico Magrelli, Emanuela Martini and Alberto Pezzotta.
Progressive Cinema international competition lineup 2026
- Brianza, dir. Simone Catania
- Ashes, dir. Diego Luna
- Closure , dir. Michał Marczak
- Congo Boy, dir. Rafiki Fariala
- Dua, dir. Blerta Basholli
- Eurotrash, dir. Frauke Finsterwalder
- The Guest, dir. Mads Mengel
- Giorni felici, dir. Susanna Nicchiarelli
- I Love Boosters, dir. Boots Riley
- I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning, dir. Clio Barnard
- The Life And Deaths Of Wilson Shedd, dir. Tim Blake Nelson
- Mustang, dir. Kasia Smutniak
- Sants, dir. Mikel Gurrea
- Skateboarding Is Not For Girls, dir. Dina Duma
- Fruit Gathering, dir. Aung Phyoe
- Ulya, dir. Viesturs Kairišs
- Voilà, C’est Fini, dir. Gustave Kervern
- Yesterday The Eye Didn’t Sleep, dir. Rakan Mayasi
Five talking points from 2026 TIFF
- Festivals
- Italy
- Rome
