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• Educational Travel Program to MODENA : April 11-25, 2026

  • Start
    27 Oct 2025
  • End
    25 Apr 2026
  • Location
    Modena, Italy
  • Spaces left
    2

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  Improve your Italian language skills while exploring Modena and the Emilia Romagna region!  

  Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its extraordinary architectural masterpieces, Modena is also celebrated for its rich culinary traditions, iconic sports cars, and world-class opera heritage.

  Your 2 week-stay will include daily language classes (Mon-Fri) at Romanica, Accademia Italiana di Lingua e Cultura, an accredited School for the teaching of Italian, recognized by Italian Ministry of Education, where you will improve your grammar and conversation skills.

  On this exclusive itinerary created for a small group (max 14 people), you will discover the history and culture of Modena and nearby jewel towns, including Bologna, Parma, and Mantova.

  You will explore the region's artistic masterpieces, experience Modena's love for music and fast cars and savor and learn about its culinary excellences, including traditional balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano Reggiano, tortellini, and Lambrusco wine.

  I am excited to be your tour leader again in 2026 and look forward to traveling with you! For questions, please email astrid@theitalianculturalcenter.org.

  Astrid Garino, MD

  President of ICC 

  For detailed information on the itinerary and package, click HERE
  
  

  Rates:

  • $5,400 per person (single room occupancy)
  • $4,260 per person (double room occupancy)

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• SPONSOR the 17th Italian Film Festival of Minneapolis / St. Paul

  • Start
    04 Nov 2025
  •  
    6:00 PM
  • End
    15 Mar 2026
  •  
    10:00 PM
  • Location
    The Main Cinema, 115 SE Main St, Minneapolis, MN 55414

  Register

  

  Contribute to the Vibrant Arts and Cultural Scene of the Twin Cities

  Step into the spotlight and help us bring the Italian Film Festival of Minneapolis/St. Paul to life! From February 26 to March 1, 2026, at The Main Cinema, we’ll celebrate the artistry and passion of Italian storytelling through contemporary masterpieces alongside timeless classics.

  Event Details

  When: February 26 - March 1, 2026

  Where: The Main Cinema, Minneapolis (with easy parking access!)

  All films are in Italian with English subtitles, offering an authentic and accessible experience.

  Why Sponsor?

  Whether you're an organization or an individual, your contribution enriches the Twin Cities cultural landscape while allowing you to be part of a prestigious and meaningful cultural event.
  
  Benefits of Sponsorship Include:

  • Complimentary access and preferred seating.
  • Fast lane entry and exclusive moments with guest filmmakers.
  • High-visibility recognition in festival materials.

  
  

  How to Become a Sponsor:
  Explore the Sponsorship Package (View  package HERE).

  To Complete your Sponsorship:
  Click on the Register button and select the sponsorship level at which you’d like to support the festival.

  For sponsorships of $1,000 or more, we prefer payment by check or Zelle to help us avoid transaction fees. If this works for you, please select ‘Invoice Me’ when prompted so we know to expect your check or Zelle.

  Please make your check payable to Italian Cultural Center (250 Third Ave. N, Suite 625, Minneapolis, MN 55401) and include “IFF” in the memo line.

  To send money directly into our Wells Fargo account, you can use any of the following three Zelle recipient options:
  

  • astrid@theitalianculturalcenter.org
  • ronlattin@gmail.com
  • 612-272-5312

  
  

  
  Presented in Partnership

  The Italian Film Festival of Minneapolis/St. Paul is proudly presented by the Italian Cultural Center in partnership with MSP Film Society and The Main Cinema. 

  
  

  
  

  Join us in celebrating Italian cinema and making a lasting impact on the arts community.

  
  
  
  
  Grazie ai nostri sponsor e sostenitori!
  

  
  

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  Produttore d’Élite

  

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  Produttore Esecutivo 

  

  
  

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  Assistente di Produzione

  
  

  Brian Balleria & Joan Bechtold

  Ann Burns

  Matt & Amber Christian

  Albert & Susan Colianni

  Astrid Garino & Massimo Costalonga
  

  Ron Curran

  
  

  ........................................

  
  

  Regista

  
  

  Catherine Allan
  

  Anthony & Giada Nucera

  
  

  ........................................

  
  

  Aiuto Regista

  
  

  Deborah Pile & Jack Flynn
  

  Corby & Ginny Kistler

  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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• IL CIRCOLO LETTERARIO: Introducing Goliarda Sapienza, a literary lead-up to the 17t Italian Film Festival

  • When
    18 Jan 2026
  •  
    11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    The Italian Cultural Center, 250 Third Ave N., Suite 625, Minneapolis, MN 55401
  • Spaces left
    20

  Register

  

  In our last Circolo Letterario, we explored the work of Jhumpa Lahiri, focusing on her profound relationship with the Italian language and her choice to write and create in Italian.

  In this new Circolo Letterario, presented in English by Pieranna Garavaso, professor emerita at the University of Minnesota Morris, we turn our attention to the life and work of writer Goliarda Sapienza (1924–1996), author of the now celebrated novel L’arte della gioia (The Art of Joy, 1998). Sapienza’s writing, long overlooked in her lifetime, has come to be recognized for its daring exploration of personal freedom, female autonomy, and the quest for authenticity in 20th-century Italy. The first section of L’arte della gioia has also recently been brought to the screen in a successful two-part television series of the same name, directed by Valeria Golino, further renewing interest in Sapienza’s work.

  This presentation is especially timely as part of our lead-up to the 17th Italian Film Festival of Minneapolis / St. Paul (February 26-March 1), where we will screen Fuori by Mario Martone, a film that brings to life a pivotal chapter of Sapienza’s life described in her book L'università di Rebibbia, which chronicles Sapienza’s reclusion in a well-known Roman jail. Through both her literature and this cinematic portrait, we will discuss the social, cultural, and political context that shaped Sapienza’s life and her fearless, uncompromising voice.

  A book club edition of the Circolo Letterario is planned for Sunday, February 15th, for those who wish to read L’arte della gioia (available in Italian or English) and/or L'università di Rebibbia (available in Italian) and share their impressions. Discussions will take place in English and/or Italian, depending on the attendees.

  
  

  Pieranna Garavaso is native Italian and came to the US to earn a PhD in Philosophy (at the U of Nebraska Lincoln). She taught Philosophy at the University of Minnesota Morris for 34 years. She was awarded the UMN Morris Alumni Association Teaching Award (2003), the Horace T. Morse Alumni Association Undergraduate Teaching Award (2004) and the UMN Morris Faculty Research Award (2017). Her areas of research include History of Analytic Philosophy, Philosophy of Mathematics, and Feminist Philosophies.  She has published articles in Italian and English and authored, co-authored or edited several books; the last collection she has edited is the Bloomsbury Companion to Analytic Feminism (2018).  As Emerita/retired she plans to devote more time to reading and discussing Italian literature.

  
  

  In 2021, ICC was appointed Presidio Letterario of the Società Dante Alighieri (DA), one of the most important Italian institutions for the promotion and appreciation of Italian language and culture since 1889. ICC is now part of a network of cultural centers in Italy and abroad promoting events and initiatives related to Italian literature. Since 2009 DA has officially been part of the jury of Premio Strega, the most prestigious Italian literary award.

  Show details
• CINEFORUM - La strada

  • When
    23 Jan 2026
  •  
    6:00 PM
  • Location
    FilmNorth, 2441 University Ave W, Suite 100 Saint Paul, MN 55114
  • Spaces left
    15

  Register

  
  

  LA STRADA
  Year: 1954
  Directed by: Federico Fellini
  Cast: Giulietta Masina, Anthony Quinn, Richard Basehart

  There has never been a face quite like Giulietta Masina’s. Under the direction of her husband, the legendary Federico Fellini, she shines as Gelsomina in La Strada, the film that launched them both to international stardom.

  Gelsomina is sold by her mother into the employ of Zampanò (Anthony Quinn), a brutal strongman in a traveling circus. When Zampanò encounters an old rival, the highwire artist the Fool (Richard Basehart), his fury reaches its breaking point.

  With La Strada, Fellini moves beyond the familiar territory of Italian neorealism, crafting a poetic fable of love, cruelty, and human vulnerability. The film showcases brilliant performances that continue to captivate audiences and critics alike.

  A groundbreaking masterpiece of world cinema, La Strada remains one of the most influential films of all time, earning the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival and the first-ever Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

  
  

  Cineforum is back—now in a new location with a screening room!

  Don’t miss the chance to experience this Cinema Masterpiece on the big screen.

  New 4K Digital Restoration – Italian with English subtitles

  Event Details
  6:00 p.m. – Aperitivo
  6:30 p.m. – Movie Screening
  FilmNorth, 2441 University Ave W, Suite 100, Saint Paul, MN 55114

  For parking information click here.

  Space is limited to just 50 seats; once they’re gone, they’re gone.

  Reserve yours today!

  Curated and presented by Ileana Tamberlani, Programming and Administrative Manager of the Italian Film Festival of Minneapolis / St. Paul.

  Show details
• VENETIAN MASK-MAKING WORKSHOPS at ICC Youth School

  • Start
    24 Jan 2026
  •  
  • End
    07 Feb 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    2 sessions
  • Location
    250 Third Avenue N. Suite 625, Minneapolis, MN 55401
  • Spaces left
    14

  Register

  
  

  Join the ICC Youth School in preparation for this year’s Carnevale di Venezia by designing, creating, and decorating your own traditional papier-mâché mask. (In Italian, it’s called maschera in cartapesta!)

  Learn this world-famous craft from long-time ICC member Kayte Norini (of South Minneapolis’ Powderhorn Arts and Theater fame), who will lead this two-part workshop.
  In Session 1, each student will create a mask design, build the armature (frame), and cover the surface with cartapesta.
  In Session 2, the mask will be dry and ready for decoration! The sky’s the limit when it comes to color, shine, and bling.

  Don’t miss this truly memorable event—a hands-on, super-fun cultural learning experience for all ages!

  This event is recommended for children ages 8 and up. Parents and grandparents are welcome to listen in on the historical explanations; however, space around the mask-making table is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot!

  Vi aspettiamo!

  Show details
• IL CIRCOLO LETTERARIO - The Book Club Edition: Discussing Goliarda Sapienza

  • When
    15 Feb 2026
  •  
    11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    The Italian Cultural Center, 250 Third Ave N., Suite 625, Minneapolis, MN 55401
  • Spaces left
    20

  Register

  

  Following the Circolo Letterario presentation on Thursday, January 18, join us for a relaxed and informal Book Club discussion of the works of Goliarda Sapienza. This session will take place on Sunday, February 15th and is open to readers of L’arte della gioia (available in Italian or English) and/or L’università di Rebibbia (available in Italian).

  This Book Club offers a unique opportunity to dive deeper into Sapienza’s life and writing ahead of the 17th Italian Film Festival of Minneapolis / St. Paul, where her story is brought to the screen in Fuori (Mario Martone). Participants can reflect on her themes of freedom, identity, and personal courage before seeing them interpreted in this spectacular film.

  Discussions will take place in English and/or Italian, depending on the group. The discussion will be led by Pieranna Garavaso, professor emerita at the University of Minnesota Morris.

  
  

  Pieranna Garavaso is native Italian and came to the US to earn a PhD in Philosophy (at the U of Nebraska Lincoln). She taught Philosophy at the University of Minnesota Morris for 34 years. She was awarded the UMN Morris Alumni Association Teaching Award (2003), the Horace T. Morse Alumni Association Undergraduate Teaching Award (2004) and the UMN Morris Faculty Research Award (2017). Her areas of research include History of Analytic Philosophy, Philosophy of Mathematics, and Feminist Philosophies.  She has published articles in Italian and English and authored, co-authored or edited several books; the last collection she has edited is the Bloomsbury Companion to Analytic Feminism (2018).  As Emerita/retired she plans to devote more time to reading and discussing Italian literature.

  
  

  In 2021, ICC was appointed Presidio Letterario of the Società Dante Alighieri (DA), one of the most important Italian institutions for the promotion and appreciation of Italian language and culture since 1889. ICC is now part of a network of cultural centers in Italy and abroad promoting events and initiatives related to Italian literature. Since 2009 DA has officially been part of the jury of Premio Strega, the most prestigious Italian literary award.

  Show details