This year sees the return, with its second edition, of the International Scledum Film Festival, the first festival to showcase the importance of costume and fashion in film, highlighting that these are not merely aesthetic elements but fundamental narrative tools, capable of defining characters, eras, identities and psychological dimensions.
Promoted and organised by the STANZA PERFETTA APS association, with the patronage and support of the Municipality of Schio and the patronage of the Veneto Region, the festival will take place from 30 July to 2 August 2026 in the historic centre of Schio, which for four consecutive days will become a meeting place for cinema, art, fashion, craftsmanship and contemporary culture.
Artistic direction is once again entrusted to director and screenwriter Alessandro Carrieri, who co-organises the festival with local actor and entrepreneur Filippo Dorigato.
The first big change for the 2026 edition is the expansion of the event itself: no longer three but four days of events, meetings, screenings, masterclasses, exhibitions and artistic performances.
The ISFF is a festival that puts the costume designer centre stage: professionals whose work shapes the characters, makes them unique, outlines their psychological traits and, in many cases, turns them into true icons of cinema.
Strongly rooted in the area of Schio and the Alto Vicentino – historically known for its major textile and manufacturing businesses linked to fashion – the International Scledum Film Festival was also created with the aim of building networks, connections and dialogue between professionals, artists, companies and young talents, working with a cultural, social and anthropological purpose aimed at the growth of the area and the development of a collective cultural awareness.
In the words of Mayor Cristina Marigo: “The International Scledum Film Festival is a fine example of how culture can become an opportunity for growth, for coming together and for promoting the local area. An original way of building new opportunities, bringing our manufacturing tradition into dialogue with the innovation of the film world. It is wonderful to see this project grow and consolidate as early as its second edition.”
Deputy Mayor Barbara Corzato adds: “Last year we had the courage to believe in a new, high-quality project, and the response we received rewarded us. That is why we are particularly happy to present a second edition that is even richer, more intense and more stimulating.
Schio is a city that, by tradition, knows how to combine art and production, creativity and manufacturing, ingenuity and industriousness. Cinema, and costume in particular as a form of storytelling and artistic expression, is a natural meeting point with our history and our identity.
The International Scledum Film Festival aims to be a place of dialogue between culture, businesses, young talents and professionals, capable of generating opportunities and new connections. It is a new, contemporary event that helps strengthen Schio’s image as a city open to national and international exchange.”
In the words of artistic director Alessandro Carrieri: “The International Scledum Film Festival is a project that Filippo Dorigato and I believe in deeply. In a very short time we have managed to grow, make a name for ourselves and build a recognisable identity, thanks to constant work and total dedication that the public has understood and rewarded.
This result was also made possible by the support of the institutions and of our partners: the Municipality of Schio, the Veneto Region, Veneto Film Commission and all those who chose to accompany us on this journey.
The International Scledum Film Festival aims to be an opportunity for growth for the local area, for the professionals involved and for the new generations. Special thanks go to our Main Sponsors Famila, Performa Srl and Banca delle Terre Venete, who believed in the value and vision of the project from the very start.
Running an independent cultural festival requires commitment, responsibility and a large network of collaboration. That is why we believe culture is a fundamental tool for creating dialogue, participation and a sense of community. The response from the city of Schio confirms that there is a strong desire for initiatives capable of bringing people together, stimulating exchange and generating shared value.”
Each year the festival pairs its programme with a social theme, not with the intention of teaching or giving definitive answers, but with the desire to prompt reflection and raise awareness. While last year’s edition focused on gender-based violence and the condition of women, the theme accompanying the 2026 edition will be “The Human Mind”.
Over the four days, through films, meetings and first-hand accounts, the festival will address themes such as autism, isolation and youth distress, anxiety, madness, obsessions, but also genius, sensitivity and all the infinite nuances and potential hidden in the human mind.
The festival will open on 30 July with an evening dedicated to short films, during which guest director Fabrizio Benvenuto will present his debut film Il Protagonista, produced by MG Production and distributed by Giampietro Preziosa’s Emozioni Distribution.
Confirmed guests also include Catherine Buyse, a Veneto-born costume designer with extensive international experience who has worked with world-famous artists, followed Laura Pausini on tour and created costumes for commercials and international film productions. On the morning of 31 July she will also lead a meeting in the Sala Affreschi of Palazzo Toaldi Capra, dedicated to young people and enthusiasts, exploring the work and complexity of the costume designer’s profession.
The festival days will feature numerous events and art exhibitions. Artist Leonardo Ottoni will present some of his works at the Shed space alongside maestro Stefano Nicolao, who will bring a selection of creations made for the cinema. There will also be an exhibition by the Liceo Artistico A. Martini of Schio in the exhibition hall of Palazzo Toaldi Capra, and a display of vintage posters of the great films in cinema history.
The 2026 edition will see the participation of film industry professionals from Italy and abroad. As of this year the festival is twinned with the “Festival du Cinéma Fantastique de Menton” in France and with the International Sound Music and Film Festival of Varaždin, Croatia – the latter will be represented in Schio by its artistic director Ozren K. Glaser.
Among the most eagerly awaited guests will be special effects master Sergio Stivaletti, who will receive a lifetime achievement award and, on 1 August from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, will hold a masterclass in the Sala Affreschi of Palazzo Toaldi Capra.
Ample space will also be devoted to professional development, thanks to two panels dedicated to the audiovisual and film sector.
The 31 July session, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm, will be devoted to the “Cinema & Imprese” panel, with the participation of Fabio Saccuzzo (chartered accountant specialising in film tax credit), Diana Rulli (lawyer specialising in film law), Andrea Sanità (corporate taxation expert), Marco Caberlotto (film producer and President of CNA Veneto Audiovisivi) and Giampietro Preziosa (producer)
The 2 August session, from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm, will instead be devoted to the panel organised together with APIC – Associazione Produttori Indipendenti Cortometraggio, attended by its president Alessandro Costantini and by speakers Martina Borzillo (producer, Movi Production), Alessandro Tartaglia Polcini (producer, Own Air) and Riccardo Papa (distributor, CortoCircuito).
Confirmed guests for the 2026 edition also include Mark Grosy, the French actor known to Italian audiences for the role of Sarkar in the Rai series “Sandokan”, while Florinda Bolkan, an icon of Italian and international cinema, will be presented with a special lifetime achievement award.
For the entire closing day on 2 August the festival will also welcome actress and director Valeria Golino and the director Marco Simon Puccioni, two of the most acclaimed figures in contemporary Italian cinema.
The heart of the festival nonetheless remains costume and its extraordinary communicative power. On the evenings of 31 July and 1 August the audience will attend two fashion performances featuring cinema-inspired outfits from Sartoria Lara Cossèr, from Tramando Progettazioni Sartoriali di Elisa Menin and from seamstress Eliodora Barolli, three highly talented professionals who are working with the festival for the second year running. Joining them this year is creative designer Venucia De Russi.
Also on 1 August there will be a travelling theatre performance through the streets of Schio’s historic centre staged by the theatre company SCHIO TEATRO 80 and inspired by the figure of Alda Merini, with the participation of the poet’s daughter, Emanuela Carniti, who will collect an award dedicated to the memory of her mother.
Many more surprises, meetings and guests will be announced in the coming weeks.
The International Scledum Film Festival is promoted and organised by the Associazione Stanza Perfetta. Main Sponsors: Famila Supermercati & Superstore; Banca delle Terre Venete – Gruppo BCC Iccrea; Performa. With the contribution of: City of Schio. With the support of: Confcommercio Imprese per l’Italia – Provincia di Vicenza Mandamento di Schio; Confartigianato Imprese Vicenza – Area Alto Vicentino; Confindustria Vicenza – Raggruppamento Alto Vicentino; Artigiani Imprenditori d’Italia; Coldiretti Vicenza; Agritour; AVIS Provinciale Vicenza. Under the patronage of: Veneto Region; CNA – Artigiani Imprenditori d’Italia; Veneto Film Commission. Local sponsors: Laser Tech; Xacus; Zermiglian Costruzioni; BVR – Banca Veneta Centrale. Supporters: Generali – Agenzia Generale di Schio; Sella Farmaceutici. In collaboration with: Cinema & Imprese; API Cortometraggio. Twinned with: FIFF Menton – Festival International du Film Fantastique de Menton; International Sound and Film Music Festival. Technical sponsors: Xacus; Zermiglian Costruzioni; Elegy; I Fiori di Mauri; Lara Cossér; Trattoria Altura; Ecozema; Marco Pettinà; Latterie Vicentine; Lion Plus Distribution; Claire Hair Extensions; Estetica Delia & Sabrina; Follie Sonia; Livia Bogdan; La Conchiglia di Venere. Technical services: ALA Events; MB Production.
To keep up to date with events, guests and the official programme, follow the festival’s social channels: ISFF_SCHIO (Instagram and Facebook).
