The Villerupt Italian Film Festival is one of the major cultural events in the Greater Region, dedicated to Italian cinema. Held every fall in Villerupt, in Meurthe-et-Moselle, it attracts a large audience.
The 2026 edition will take place from Friday, October 23, to Sunday, November 8, 2026. For more than two weeks, the festival will feature screenings of Italian films, panel discussions, competitions, retrospectives, and tributes celebrating Italian cinema.
The festival is aimed at film enthusiasts, families, lovers of Italian culture, residents of the Greater Region, and expatriates living in Luxembourg. It’s a wonderful opportunity to discover Italy through its stories, landscapes, social issues, and way of life—all without leaving Luxembourg.
The full program for the 2026 edition will be released by the organizers before the festival opens. As in previous years, the Villerupt Italian Film Festival is expected to offer a rich lineup, including the official competition, out-of-competition films, previews, documentaries, retrospectives, and meetings with film industry professionals.
The Villerupt Film Festival is, above all, a journey through Italy. It showcases the diversity of Italian cinema, from social dramas to popular comedies, from arthouse films to socially conscious documentaries.
Many of the films screened in Villerupt receive limited distribution through traditional channels or are unavailable in Luxembourg cinemas. For audiences in the Greater Region, the festival is therefore a rare opportunity to discover Italian films in their original language with subtitles.
For its 49th edition, the festival will highlight the figure of the father in Italian cinema. This retrospective will explore the evolution of the paternal role in Italian society, from the authoritative figures of the postwar era to the more fragile, complex, or misplaced portrayals of the contemporary father.
This thematic focus will offer a cultural and social perspective on Italy through several generations of films. It will also provide a deeper understanding of how Italian cinema reflects the country’s familial, economic, and social transformations.
The 2026 edition will also pay tribute to Monica Vitti, a leading actress in Italian cinema. Known for her collaborations with Michelangelo Antonioni and for her role in Italian-style comedies, she has left a lasting impression on several generations of audiences.
This tribute will allow audiences to rediscover an actress whose presence, voice, and acting have profoundly influenced Italian and European cinema.
The films in competition vie for the Amilcar Awards, the prizes of the Villerupt Film Festival. These awards recognize diverse perspectives on Italian cinema.
The festival takes place primarily in Villerupt, in Meurthe-et-Moselle, right next to the Luxembourg border. Some screenings may also be held at other partner venues in the Greater Region, depending on the program for that year’s edition.
In previous years, screenings have taken place in Villerupt, Audun-le-Tiche, Esch-sur-Alzette, and Dudelange, among other locations. The Kulturfabrik in Esch-sur-Alzette and the Starlight CNA Cinema in Dudelange have already hosted part of the program. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Ticket sales generally open shortly before the festival begins. Audience members can purchase tickets or passes according to the terms and conditions posted on the official website. General admission tickets are usually sold at the venue, subject to availability.
Screening venues, showtimes, and ticketing details may vary from year to year. Before traveling from Luxembourg, check the official program and verify the venue, showtime, subtitle language, and ticket purchase terms.
| Location | Deadline | Procedure |
|---|---|---|
| Choose a screening | As soon as the program is published | Check out the films, venues, showtimes, and subtitling information. |
| Buy a ticket or a pass | Before or during the festival | Check ticketing details on the official website or at Villerupt City Hall. |
| Traveling from Luxembourg | Before the screening | Plan your trip to Villerupt, Esch-sur-Alzette, or Dudelange, depending on the venue you’ve chosen. |
| Watching multiple films | Before the festival | Compare the prices of individual tickets and pass options. |
Founded in 1976 by a group of passionate young people, the Villerupt Italian Film Festival first took root at the Maison des Jeunes et de la Culture in Villerupt. The first festival featured about twenty Italian films in their original language with subtitles.
This context was significant. Italian immigration has long shaped the economic, social, and cultural life of Lorraine and Luxembourg. Many Italian workers toiled in the region’s iron mines and steel mills, particularly around the Lorraine and Luxembourg mining basins. This legacy can still be seen today in several sites of historical significance, such as those associated with the Belval blast furnaces.
After a hiatus between 1983 and 1998, due to the crisis in the Italian film industry and organizational challenges, the festival managed to relaunch itself. It has gradually established itself as a major cultural event for lovers of Italian cinema in Europe.
Today, it attracts more than 40,000 attendees and relies on the dedication of numerous volunteers. This human touch is a key part of its identity: the Villerupt Film Festival remains a popular, welcoming event deeply rooted in its local community.
One of the strengths of the Villerupt Festival is the closeness between the audience and the filmmakers. Each year, directors, actors, critics, and film professionals come to present their films and engage with the audience.
These encounters provide a deeper understanding of the themes explored in the films, the directorial choices, the subjects addressed, and the transformations taking place in contemporary Italian society. They also give the festival a more human dimension than mere screenings in a theater.
The audience is diverse: seasoned film buffs, families, Italians from the Greater Region, residents of Luxembourg, students, the curious, and enthusiasts of European culture. This diversity contributes to the festival’s friendly atmosphere.
To get the most out of the festival, start by identifying the films you want to see as soon as the program is released. Certain screenings—particularly previews, Q&A sessions, or highly anticipated films—can draw large crowds.
If you’re coming from Luxembourg, choose your theater based not only on the film but also on travel time. Villerupt is close to the border, while some screenings may be more accessible from Esch-sur-Alzette or Dudelange, depending on where you live.
Also check the language of the subtitles. Most Italian films are shown in their original language with subtitles, but the languages of the subtitles may vary depending on the theater and screening.
Finally, if you want to experience the spirit of the festival beyond just a screening, opt for screenings accompanied by Q&As, discussions, or presentations. These events allow you to delve deeper into the world of Italian cinema.
The Villerupt Italian Film Festival is one of the major cultural events accessible from Luxembourg. It complements the rich cinematic offerings in the Greater Region, which include festivals, independent theaters, themed screenings, and events centered on the art of film.
To extend your cinematic experience, you can also explore the Luxembourg City Film Festival, another major film event in Luxembourg, or the CinEast Festival, dedicated to the cinema of Central and Eastern Europe.
From Italian cinema and European films to meet-and-greets with directors and screenings in the original language, these events offer wonderful opportunities to discover the cultural diversity of Luxembourg and the Greater Region.
The 49th edition of the Villerupt Italian Film Festival will take place from Friday, October 23, to Sunday, November 8, 2026.
The festival takes place primarily in Villerupt, in Meurthe-et-Moselle, near the Luxembourg border. Some screenings may also take place at partner venues throughout the Greater Region.
The 2026 edition will highlight the figure of the father in Italian cinema, with a retrospective dedicated to this theme.
The 2026 festival will pay tribute to Monica Vitti, a leading figure in Italian and European cinema.
Most films are screened in their original Italian version with subtitles. We recommend checking the subtitle language for each screening.
Yes. Villerupt is located right next to Luxembourg, and some editions also feature screenings at partner venues in Luxembourg, notably in Esch-sur-Alzette and Dudelange.
Films in competition are eligible for the Amilcar Awards, including the Jury’s Amilcar, the Audience’s Amilcar, the Critics’ Amilcar, and the Youth Jury’s Amilcar.
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