Welcome to the LAVAZZA ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2006 website. 

This year's Festival will present an award-winning programme of contemporary films at Greater Union Manuka, including an exciting Michelangelo Antonioni retrospective.

The Festival will open on Thursday November 23 with the Canberra premiere of popular actor and director Carlo Verdone's MY BEST ENEMY, the delightful smash-hit generational comedy that re-unites Verdone with his Manual of Love co-star Silvio Muccino, followed by an official reception.

Other contemporary film highlights include: Cannes Palme d'Or winning director Nanni Moretti's THE CAIMAN; Academy Award-winning director Gabriele Salvatores' slick thriller QUO VADIS, BABY?; Christina Comencini's moving 'family-secrets' drama THE BEAST IN THE HEART starring the luminous Giovanna Mezzogiorno; Michele Placido's absorbing gangster epic CRIME NOVEL from the writers of the acclaimed The Best Of Youth; and renowned auteur Marco Bellocchio's THE WEDDING DIRECTOR starring Sergio Castellito.

The Antonioni retrospective includes his biggest success: the trilogy THE ADVENTURE  (1960), THE NIGHT (1961) and THE ECLIPSE (1962) and his most famous international English-language films BLOW-UP (1966) and ZABRISKIE POINT (1970).

We look forward to seeing you soon. Ciao!