Cilento, Italy hosts film festival tribute and culinary series in August

The fifth edition of the Cilento Fest, a national and international film festival, runs from 18 to 21 August in the village of Perito. The event honors the late director Ettore Scola and features more than 120 film entries, a €2,000 prize, documentary premieres, book presentations and ancillary cultural activities such as burlesque shows, exhibitions and a workshop on ancient grains. The festival is organized by the cultural association I Disinvolti and directed by Max De Francesco.

At the same time, the historic Palazzo Mazziotti in Celso, a frazione of Pollica, hosts the "Cuoncio Cuoncio" culinary program. Curated by Ida Budetta, the series offers five evenings of tastings, wine pairings and storytelling that link Cilento’s food traditions with those of Sicily. Highlights include chef Raffaela Gorga’s Mediterranean menu, the launch of Luciano Pignataro’s book "La dieta del Cilento", and presentations by local chefs and producers showcasing regional wines, figs and other ingredients.