Acea celebrates the seventh art as the main sponsor of the Rome Film Fest at the Auditorium Parco della Musica.
15-26 October 2025
Auditorium Parco della Musica
Acea, main sponsor of the Rome Film Fest, consolidates a long-standing collaboration and reaffirms the Group’s commitment to supporting artistic and cultural initiatives and events in the area where it operates.
Once again this year, on the occasion of the 2025 Rome Film Festival, Acea presents Gocce di Cinema (Drops of Cinema), a retrospective dedicated to the role of water in the history of film.
Through a selection of films that made water a narrative protagonist, Acea wants to highlight the deep connection between this vital element and the collective immagination.
The retrospective is part of the contest “I mille volti dell’acqua - I custodi dell’acqua” (“The thousand faces of water – The guardians of water”). Drop by drop, it proposes icon titles that portray water as a symbol of life, transformation, memory, and rebirth. The screenings will take place at the Studio Teatro Borgna of the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone and at other dedicated venues across the capital, accompanied by meetings with directors, critics, and leading figures from the industry.
With Gocce di Cinema, Acea renews its commitment to sustainability and culture, offering the public an immersive experience that celebrates water through the poetic gaze of the big screen.
Read more in the press release
The contest “I mille volti dell’acqua” was created through a collaboration between Acea and the Experimental Center of Cinematography in Rome. It aims to convey, through the creative language of cinema, the profound value of water as a resource and the role of those who protect and safeguard it every day. This year’s theme is “The guardians of water. Protecting the future drop by drop!”.
Among more than 150 short films submitted, three were selected as finalists: "Gocce Contate" by Riccardo Riande, "Onda 28" by Simona Bursi, and "I Custodi dell'Acqua" by Hari Bertoja.
The Acea Group Special Award went to “I Custodi dell’Acqua” (“The Guardians of Water”), directed by Hari Bertoja.
The short film highlights the importance of protecting water resources through a narrative that blends art and technology, reminding us that being “guardians of water” means taking care of the planet and the future through conscious choices. This message reflects the Acea Group’s commitment to promoting a culture of sustainability and to the careful and innovative management of water resources.
The winning videomaker was selected by jury composed of representatives from Acea and critics from the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, and received the award, which included a €5,000 prize, from Barbara Marinali, President of the Acea Group, during the opening night of the Rome Film Festival at the Teatro Studio Borgna, Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone.
"Gocce contate" by Riccardo Riande
Watch the short film
"I Custodi dell'Acqua" by Hari Bertoja
Watch the short film
"Onda 28" by Simona Bursi
Watch the short film
For the entire duration of the event, the Acea Group will be present at the Rome Film Festwith a special stand that will be accessible by walking a symbolic “blue carpet”. Its goal is to draw attention to water as a precious asset and a resource to be protected.
Through screenings, contests and special initiatives, the Group invites the public to embark on a unique journey in which cinema becomes a means of raising awareness and storytelling.
On the occasion of the Rome Film Fest, the Teatro Olimpico in Rome transforms into the Teatro Olimpico Acea, reaffirming the company’s central role in supporting culture and innovation. This choice conveys a clear message: culture is a fundamental value to be preserved and supported, just like the traditions and communities that live it.
Throughout the entire event, the Theatre will host the “Acea Heritage” exhibition in its foyer. The exhibition retraces Acea’s history, its values, and the legacy built over more than a century of activity. Documents, images, and testimonies recount its most significant moments.
With the goal of promoting film culture and celebrating the diversity of formats within the audiovisual world, the Rome Film Fest offers a rich programme of events and screenings.
Alongside the international competition Progressive Cinema, three additional sections are featured: Freestyle, dedicated to the most experimental works, Grand Public, designed for a wider audience, and Storia del Cinema (History of Cinema), which pays tribute to the masters with restored titles and retrospectives.
Among the collateral events are the Charity Gala Dinner in support of Terre des Hommes, the preview of the documentary “Corpo libero” on the theme of obesity, and a series of talks, masterclasses and exhibitions that will enrich the audience’s experience. As in previous editions, this year also features the sections “Restauri” ("Restorations") and “Omaggi”("Tributes"), showcasing masterpieces restored to their original splendour and offering insights into the work of key figures in Italian and international cinema.
Once again this year, the 2025 Rome Film Fest is set to enchant the audience with an edition rich in emotion, big names and powerful stories. Among the most eagerly awaited stars are Jennifer Lawrence, the leading actress in the moving Die My Love, and Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz and Caleb Landry Jones, who will bring to life a new Dracula directed by Luc Besson. Beloved faces such as Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough, Vicky Krieps, Jim Sheridan and Aidan Gillen will also appear in films that promise to leave their mark.
The jury will be chaired by Paola Cortellesi, fresh from the success of “C’è ancora domani” (“There’s still tomorrow”), confirming the strong bond between the festival and Italian cinema. Among this year’s new features are the introduction of the Best Documentary Award and the special Industry Lifetime Achievement Award to Lord David Puttnam. The festival will also devote space to social commitment, with the “Ciak per i diritti dell’infanzia” (“A take for children's rights”) Award promoted by Save the Children.
