From 24 to 26 October 2025, Castiglione del Lago will host the 7th edition of the Festival Ars Contemporanea, directed by Gianluca Brundo, an established event on the Umbrian cultural scene. With the theme “Cultural Perseverance”, the festival celebrates culture as a force for growth, memory and hope, connecting visual arts, music, literature and cinema through a contemporary lens.

The programme opens on Friday 24 October at Palazzo della Corgna with Viaggio all’Inferno, a world premiere inspired by the first cantos of Dante’s Divine Comedy, followed by the screening of Scimmia libera tutti by Ugo Frosi, exploring artificial intelligence and the cinema of the future, and the first Caffè Contemporaneo in tribute to Riccardo Regi.

Saturday 25 October will focus on dialogue between music, literature and film. Pianist Francesco Attesti will perform Introspezione, a solo piano concert featuring works by Bach and Chopin. The day will continue with the presentation of the book Il vento seduttore by Carla Romanelli Crowther, an encounter with voice actor Pasquale Anselmo, and a celebration of director Sam Peckinpah, curated by Umberto Berlenghini from RAI, with screenings of some of his most famous films.

On Sunday 26 October, the festival concludes with the screening of Amore, piombo e furore by Peckinpah, marking the centenary of the director’s birth, and with Ars Contemporanea Kids – Halloween Party, featuring screenings, activities and a costume contest for children.

For more information: Festival Ars Contemporanea