Archivio Aperto is the festival dedicated to the rediscovery of small-format film heritage — private, amateur, experimental, artist’s cinema — and their contemporary reuse organised by Home Movies – Archivio Nazionale del Film di Famiglia.
Founded in Bologna in 2008 as an opening day of the archive, over the years it has developed into a festival, with focuses and retrospectives dedicated to the greatest names in amateur cinema, home movies and found footage, from Ross McElwee to Gustav Deutsch, up to Jonas Mekas, Boris Lehman, David Perlov, Maya Deren and Péter Forgács.
Now in its 17th edition – 23-27 October 2024 – the festival has since 2022 a competitive section dedicated to documentary and experimental works that focus on the reuse of archives and family memories. This is accompanied by an extensive programme of festivals, meetings, workshops, live performances, and installations on the theme of memory, micro-history, autobiographical narration, family archives and small communities, where the interweaving of individual stories and public history is most dense.
A true archive laboratory in motion, Archivio Aperto is the most important event in Italy for viewing, educating and reflecting on the public use of private memories.
Since 2023 the festival is under the artistic direction of Sergio Fant and Giulia Simi.
