At the ICC Rinascimento Gala celebrating 45 years of the Italian Cultural Center of San Diego (ICC), our Artistic Director Antonio Iannotta received the Arts & Letters Rinascimento Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the cultural life of the Italian American community in San Diego.

SDIFF invites you to an evening dedicated to Women & the Arts. We’ll start with a panel discussion about the relationship between American and Italian cinema, theatre, and the broader arts, with a special focus on the role of women. 

As SDIFF looks ahead to its 20th anniversary in 2026, the Festival is pleased to announce Stefania Bruschi and Fabrizio Scippa as its new Board Co-Chairs, stepping into shared leadership to guide the organization into its next chapter.

As it works to expand its programming and reach, the San Diego Italian Film Festival (SDIFF) has hired Valentina Cartareggia as its new Executive Director. Born and raised in Milan, Italy, Cartareggia relocated to San Diego with her family in 2023.

The San Diego Italian Film Festival, led by bold programmer Antonio Iannotta, was spotlighted among the best film festivals in San Diego by Beth Accomando, Arts & Culture Reporter at KPBS.

The San Diego Italian Film Festival (SDIFF) announces the sixth annual SDIFF Ristretto Awards, dedicated to short narratives either by Italians or about Italian culture, Italian-American identity, or more broadly for the Italian community.

The San Diego Italian Film Festival presents its 18th annual feStivale, a showcase of the best new Italian cinema with a series of premieres varying from dramas and comedies to documentaries. The theme of this year’s festival is Core, a play on words between the English meaning, and the Southern Italian word for Heart. 

Our hearts are full of sadness and grief as we announce the passing of the Founder, President and Executive Director of the San Diego Italian Film Festival, Victor Laruccia. 

SDIFF’s Artistic Director Antonio Iannotta was interviewed on April 16 by Marco Werman on Public Radio International’s show “The World,” which airs locally on KPBS FM weekdays at 1:00pm.

Antonio is a trainee lawyer who dreams of joining his mentor’s prestigious firm. But his boss, Salvatore “Toti” Bellastella, the Prince of the Forum, is also an exploitative tyrant.

Stunning cliffs rise from sandy beaches and rocky shores, topped by centuries-old castles that forever gaze out over impossibly azure seas.