What are the festival venues? How can you access the events? On this page, you will find useful information to help you get oriented.
Locations…and how to reach them from the Festival Center
All festival locations are easily accessible on foot or by bike. Thanks to our partnership with RideMovi, you’ll find bicycles available at key festival spots. We encourage you to leave your car at home and choose sustainable mobility: walking, cycling, or using public transport. Click here to open our map and find your way through Bologna’s charming alleys.
During the festival, anyone holding an Archivio Aperto Festival pass will be able to hire a bike from Cicli Neri at the Velostazione shop (Via Indipendenza 71/Z), with a 10% discount using the code ARCHIVIOAPERTO26.
Festival Center → Mezz’Aria Community Hub, via Frassinago 6/2
Opening hours
21.10 → 18.30 – 20.00
22–23–24–25.10 → 9:30 – 19:30
26.10 → 9:30 – 14:00
Come visit us at the Mezz’Aria Community Hub, Archivio Aperto’s meeting place! Here you can check in, browse the books in our bookshop, discover this year’s festival merch, and stop by the bar to meet the festival staff, guests, artists, and audience. A place to talk about archives, share experiences, and imagine another possible world together.
Sala Berti – Refettorio delle Monache dell’ex Convento di San Mattia → Via Sant’Isaia 20
Don’t miss the chance to visit Unsetting Genealogies by Alessandra Ferrini, curated by Alberta Romano: a brand-new exhibition designed specifically for the space hosting it.
4 minutes from to the Festival Center!
Ex Chiesa di San Mattia → Via Sant’Isaia 14
One of the main venues of the festival. Here you can follow the meetings and screenings of the Programs, including those on film.
Just a 4 minutes on foot from the Festival Center.
Sala Cervi → Via Riva di Reno 72/A
Here too, you can watch the Competition screenings, introduced by the directors. As Sala Cervi has limited seating, please reserve your place if accredited, or buy a ticket online or at the Cineteca box office.
From the Festival Center: 15 min on foot, by bus (21, D) 12 min, by bike in 6 min.
🚲 RideMovi: Via Riva di Reno 80
Cinema Modernissimo → Piazza Re Enzo 1/1
Cinema Modernissimo will host a special screening: the film Carla Lonzi. Dentro e fuori dal mondo, introduced by director Francesca Archibugi.
Dal Festival Center: about 17 min on foot, 14 by bus (14) and by bike 6 min.
🚲 RideMovi: Piazza Re Enzo
Teatro San Leonardo → AngelicA | Music Research Centre → Via san Vitale 63
As always, Teatro San Leonardo will host the live soundtrack performance of Archivio Aperto: here we will close the festival on October 25th with Oltremare. Sguardi amatoriali sull’Africa Mediterranea.
From the Festival Center: 29 min on foot, by bus (14) 24 min, by bike 9 min.
🚲 RideMovi: P.za di Porta San Vitale
Admission Information
International Competition Screenings – Sala Cervi
Access with accreditation. You can reserve your seat in the auditorium yourself. However, a reservation is not the same as receiving a free ticket: to convert it into a ticket, you’ll need to visit the box office at Sala Cervi or any Cineteca venue, including Cinema Modernissimo. You can do this at any time after making your reservation.
Access without accreditation. You can reserve your seat in the auditorium yourself. In this case too, a reservation is not the same as purchasing a ticket: to pay for and convert it into a ticket, you’ll need to visit the box office at Sala Cervi or any Cineteca box office, including Cinema Modernissimo. You can do this at any time after making your reservation. You can also buy your ticket directly at the box office without making a reservation.
✿Please note✿ In both cases, reservations must be converted into tickets no later than five minutes before the screening begins. After that, the reservation will be automatically cancelled and the seat made available again. Thank you for your cooperation: this policy helps us manage available seats and avoid leaving them unused because reservations made with accreditation have not been confirmed.
Paid-Admission Screenings – Ex Chiesa di San Mattia
An admission contribution is required for screenings in the Storie Sperimentali. Stank Brakhage and Open Frame Competition programmes.
Access with accreditation: Starting October 8, accredited attendees will receive a private link with instructions for making a free reservation. Please bring your accreditation—or the confirmation email—with you, as this will help us check people in more quickly.
Access without accreditation: You can book a ticket for a €5 contribution via the Eventbrite link (Calendar page, individual event), or purchase one at the venue.
✿Please note✿ Please arrive no later than ten minutes before the screenings begin.
Talks and screenings at the Former Church of San Mattia
All screenings and talks held here are free for the public, subject to seat availability. However, accredited guests can secure a seat in advance through a link they will receive by email, for the following programmes: Storie Sperimentali – Kenneth Anger, La Natura dell’archivio. Il cinema di Rose Lowder: ecologia, caso e necessità, Art & Experimental Film. Il sogno di un futuro: un omaggio al cinema d’artista di Andrea Granchi, Carte blanche – Cinédoc Paris Films Coop. Désirs / Déroutes, Archivio Aperto Professional, Open Frame – Student Film Program.
Special screening at Cinema Modernissimo
Cinema Modernissimo will host the screening of Toni, My Father (26 September, 9:45 pm). Tickets can be purchased through the Cineteca’s online or on-site box office. Accredited guests can purchase a reduced ticket (€5), which must be collected in person at the Cineteca’s box office by showing their accreditation (badge or Eventbrite/email confirmation). Reduced tickets cannot be purchased online.
The Festival Closing at Teatro San Leonardo
For the closing event Racconto d’estate. Nena Lavello, cent’anni fa, tickets can be purchased through the Teatro San Leonardo’s online box office (Boxerticket network). Accredited guests can also purchase a reduced ticket (€5 + fees) by following the instructions received via email from the accreditation office.
If you have any questions, you can send an email to office@archivioaperto.it
Where to eat
During Archivio Aperto, we’re delighted to share a selection of partner bars and restaurants where you can enjoy local specialities, creative dishes and a relaxing break at special rates for our audience. Show your festival badge at participating venues to receive a discount, including at the Bar at Mezz’aria Community Hub, home to our Festival Center.
Bar
Bar Antico Caffè Viola 10% discount
Il Cameo 10% discount
La Bottega de L’Ortica – 10% discount
Buccia – 10% discount
Tricheco Vineria – 10% discount
Angolo B – 10 % discount
Guero – for cocktail lovers – 1 € discount on every drink
Restourant
La Svolta 10% discount
È Cucina Leopardi discount on the complimentary basket of artisan bread, made in-house with ancient grains (€2.50 value).
Bon Ramen 10% discount
Ristorante Osteria Alle Due Porte 10% discount
Jiaozi – Ravioleria Cinese – 15% discount
Baoneki – 15% discount only at lunch (not valid for the standard menù)
Pasto Nomade – 10 % discount/ discount (vegetarian and vegan)
Il tartufo Trattoria – 5 % discount
Zoo Open Taste – 15 % discount
Piazza Martino Agricoltura e Cucina – 20% discount takeaway
Noi – Quelli del Cantina Bentivoglio (Mercato delle Erbe) – 10% discount
Vetro Bistrot – 10% discount
Various
Mercato Ritrovato (sat 9–14, wed 17–22) – 10% off purchases of €10 or more at each stall
Feeling inspired to get accredited? Visit the Accreditation page and find the pass that’s right for you.
A close-knit, independent, shared experience. Support the festival—get your accreditation!
You can get accredited online via Eventbrite or in person at the Festival Center.
