Cinecittà Italian Doc Season

The 5th edition of Cinecittà Italian Doc Season supported by the Italian Cultural Institute of London runs across the weekend of 4-5 July at London’s Bertha DocHouse. Comprising of three compelling documentaries that collectively focus on the Italian family - but each one taking its own unique approach. From a touching exploration of the impact of early-onset Alzheimer’s, to a darkly comic look of a feuding southern Italian family, to a story focusing on the renowned Rossellini filmmaking dynasty told via archive footage, these acclaimed docs explore the different facets and veracities of the Italian family.

UK Premiere: STORIES FOR SANDRO (Storie per Sandro) + Q&A

Dir: Giacomo Boeri (Italy) Sat 4 July, 3:30pm 

Sandro has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, a revelation that disrupts his life and that of his family. Sandro has always possessed a highly imaginative, curious intelligence. But now, the memories he cherishes so deeply are slipping away. How can they be saved? 

UK Premiere: I WANT HER DEAD (Il quieto vivere) + Q&A

Dir: Gianluca Matarrese (Italy/Switzerland) Sat 4 July, 6pm

A darkly comic and emotionally charged tale of a Southern Italian family on the verge of implosion. Luisa, a fierce and unruly woman at war with her sister-in-law Imma, fuels a bitter feud that consumes their entire household. As tensions spiral, three eccentric aunts stage a surreal family "trial" in a last-ditch effort to restore peace. 

UK Premiere: ROBERTO ROSSELLINI, LIVING WITHOUT A SCRIPT (Roberto Rossellini, più di una vita) + Q&A

Dir: Ilaria de Laurentiis, Raffaele Brunetti, Andrea Paolo Massara (Italy/Latvia) Sat 4 July, 6pm

In 1956, Roberto Rossellini is in the midst of a personal and artistic crisis. His recent films with Ingrid Bergman have failed, their marriage is unravelling, and the press is relentless. When Bergman returns to Hollywood, Rossellini accepts an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Nehru to document India’s progress. Made entirely of archive footage and interviews. Winner of the 2026 David di Donatello Award for Best Documentary.

Also screening is a rare chance to see in a cinema Roberto Rossellini’s debut documentary short film FANTASIA SOTTOMARINA (1940), featuring a love story between two fish threatened by an octopus. Sun 5 July, 3pm

From the ISTITUTO LUCE ARCHIVE

Each screening will be preceded by a short package of rare and precious footage from the film archive of Istituto Luce (today Cinecittà)

Where: Bertha DocHouse, London WC1N 1AW

When: 4 July - 5 July

Further Information: Italian Doc Season 2026

Venue details