The birth of Garda Cinema
- Davide Cortese
- Feb 4
- 3 min read
Il Film Festival sulle rive del lago
Garda (VR) | 11 - 15 giugno 2025

The charm of cinema meets the magic of Lake Garda: introducing Garda Cinema, the new Film Festival directed by journalist and film critic Franco Dassisti. Organized by the Decima Musa Association, Garda Cinema will take place from June 11 to 15, 2025. The town of Garda, on the Verona shores of the lake, will host five days of screenings, talks with filmmakers, and encounters with leading figures from Italian cinema, all set against a uniquely captivating landscape.
The beating heart of the event will be five lakeside evenings dedicated to celebrating the best of the Italian film season, featuring special guests presenting their works. Enriching the festival’s cultural program is the International Short Film Competition, which includes two sections — fiction and documentary — each awarding a cash prize. A special mention for the best animated short may also be granted.
The theme of this year’s edition, serving as the guiding thread for the film selection, is “Beyond the Border” — explored in all its facets: crossing geographical boundaries, but also overcoming inner and outer barriers to discover what lies beyond ourselves.
“Building on four years of experience as director of the Bardolino Film Festival, and supported by my long-time collaborators, critics Boris Sollazzo and Alessandro De Simone, I enthusiastically accepted the proposal from the Decima Musa Association and the Municipality of Garda to lead Garda Cinema, a festival that naturally evolves from that past journey,” says Artistic Director Franco Dassisti.“This festival continues the tradition of great cinema by the lake, while expanding beyond local confines to embrace what lies beyond the horizon — everything that challenges us to engage with what is different from ourselves. That’s why this edition’s theme is Beyond the Border.”
Nica Currò, President of the Decima Musa Association, adds:
“Following my experience as a cultural affairs councillor, I founded the Decima Musa Association at the end of last year together with a group of friends and fellow enthusiasts, with the goal of organizing and managing cultural events in the area.I believe that the beauty of Lake Garda can offer an ideal setting for high-quality artistic events, enriching not only for residents but also for the many tourists.Building on the experience and relationships established over the years, we proposed Garda Cinema to the Municipality of Garda — the first event of its kind for this wonderful town, but in reality a logical evolution of the Bardolino Film Festival held over the past four years. The local administration embraced our proposal with genuine and heartfelt enthusiasm.As an association, our goal is to use cinematic art to promote themes of current interest, innovation, and sustainability — fostering collaborations even with schools — while also celebrating the vibrancy and allure of the Garda area, enhancing its artistic and scenic heritage. We are excited about this new challenge, which represents a significant step forward for a festival that is looking to an even brighter future.”
The festival will feature two main venues:
The Garda Conference Hall, equipped with state-of-the-art projection technology, will host the competing films.
The open-air gala evenings will take place in the picturesque courtyard of the Town Hall, overlooking the Regina Adelaide lakeside promenade.
“As a local government, we firmly believe in creating space for meaningful cultural events — occasions that promote dialogue, reflection, and exchange. These are things we need, both individually and collectively,” says Davide Bendinelli, Mayor of Garda.“That’s why we are truly pleased to host Garda Cinema this year, which will be the highlight cultural event of the summer season — a time for community gathering and sharing, not only for our residents but also for our many visitors.”
The festival logo, created by designer Alberto Filippini, features a shade of blue inspired by the waters of Lake Garda. It outlines a “bissa”, the traditional Garda boat — symbolizing the strong bond between the festival and its territory, but also serving as a metaphor for cinema’s journey beyond all borders, perfectly aligned with the theme of this edition.
Garda Cinema is set to become a must-attend summer event on the lakeside for all cinema lovers, in a setting of truly enchanting beauty.
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