Congratulations to Helena Janeczek, Alina Marazzi, and Nicola Lagioia, and to all the stories in the competition.
Venice, July 23, 2026 – During today's official press conference for the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, the competitive Orizzonti section unveiled its lineup of 19 titles, shining a spotlight on two highly anticipated Italian productions adapted from acclaimed award-winning novels: Alina Marazzi’s The Girl with the Leica (La ragazza con la Leica) and Edoardo Gabbriellini’s The City of the Living (La città dei vivi).
The Girl with the Leica Opening Orizzonti
Opening the Orizzonti lineup will be The Girl with the Leica, directed by Alina Marazzi and co-written with Valia Santella. Loosely based on the Strega Prize-winning novel by Helena Janeczek, the story centers on a group of young left-wing Jewish intellectuals who flee Berlin in the 1930s to escape Nazism, seeking refuge in Paris. At the heart of the narrative is pioneering photographer Gerda Taro alongside her professional and romantic partner, Robert Capa.
The film is produced by Vivo Film with Rai Cinema and Komplizen Film ZDF/Arte, in association with Eolo Film Productions, Film Vast, and Zentropa Sweden.
The City of the Living: From True Crime to the Big Screen
Also competing in Orizzonti is Edoardo Gabbriellini’s The City of the Living. Adapted from the acclaimed book by Nicola Lagioia, the film revisits the tragic 2016 murder of 23-year-old Luca Varani in Rome. Moving beyond a simple reenactment of news headlines, the project explores the social, cultural, and emotional vulnerabilities of modern society.
Director Edoardo Gabbriellini shared his vision for the project:
“With this film, we tried to tell a fragment of a young man's life before it became news, approaching his story with modesty and tenderness.”
The ensemble cast stars newcomer Emanuele Maria Di Stefano, alongside Valerio Mastandrea, Gaia Merlonghi, Simona Senzacqua, and Roberta Mattei. Coinciding with today's announcement, the first official clip featuring Di Stefano and Mastandrea has been released.
Distributed by Eagle Pictures, The City of the Living will hit Italian theaters on October 1st, accompanied by a special outreach program featuring screenings and discussions at schools and universities.