Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546262
10 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 21 AUGUST 2026 CULTURE Gozo Film Festival returns to the Citadel for three days THE ninth edition of the Gozo Film Festival will take place from 21 to 23 August, bringing films, workshops and family en- tertainment to the historic Cit- tadella The Gozo Film Festival is set to return to the Cittadella this weekend for its ninth edition, with three days of local and in- ternational cinema taking place from Friday 21 to Sunday 23 August. The festival, which has be- come an annual fixture on Gozo's cultural calendar, will combine screenings of Maltese and international productions with activities aimed at audi- ences of different ages. According to the festival's or- ganisers, this year's programme will once again place a particu- lar focus on filmmakers from Malta and Gozo, while also showcasing international pro- ductions with a connection to the Maltese islands. The event will make use of two distinctive locations within the Cittadella: daytime activi- ties will be held at the Cittadella Theatre Hall, while the evening screenings will move outdoors to the St John's Demi-Bastion. Entrance to the festival is free. Three evenings, three very dif- ferent films The festival's main evening programme opens on Friday 21 August at 10pm with a screening of three Maltese short films: Wild Lands, Island of Oblivion and Unur, Fama u Glorija. The three productions, classified as dramas and made in Malta in 2025 and 2026, will be screened in Maltese and English with English subtitles. Saturday's programme will feature Żafżifa, a 2025 drama directed by Peter Sant. The film, which will be screened at 9.45pm, features Maltese, Eng- lish and Filipino dialogue and will have English subtitles. The festival will close its main evening programme on Sunday with Wes Anderson's animated family adventure Fantastic Mr. Fox. The 2009 American film will be screened at 9.10pm, of- fering a family-friendly finale to the three-day event. Cinema against the backdrop of the Citadel The festival's setting remains one of its major attractions, with screenings taking place among the historic fortifica- tions of the Cittadella in Vic- toria. Organisers say the pro- gramme is designed to bring cinema to audiences of all ages, combining indoor and outdoor screenings with workshops for children, teenagers and adults. The festival has also posi- tioned itself as a platform for local filmmakers, giving Mal- tese and Gozitan productions a place alongside international cinema. The ninth edition is being sponsored by the Ministry for Gozo, with the organisers de- scribing the partnership as part of a wider commitment to cultural diversity and the role of cinema in bringing differ- ent stories and communities together. With free entry and evening screenings taking place in one of Gozo's most recog- nisable historic locations, the Gozo Film Festival is set to offer audiences a weekend of cinema under the summer skies. The festival runs from 21 to 23 August 2026 at the Cittadella in Victoria, Gozo.