"Cagliari at the Cinema": a conference at the Mem to tell the city's story through the big screen.
A dialogue between images and words, to discover a more authentic city not to be forgotten.
Per restare aggiornato entra nel nostro canale Whatsapp
Thursday, December 11, 2025, starting at 9:30 a.m., the Mediateca del Mediterraneo on Via Mameli in Cagliari will host the conference " Cagliari at the Cinema ." This initiative aims to highlight the diverse ways in which cinema has depicted the city of Cagliari , going beyond stereotypical images and tourist postcards. A true " dialogue between images and words ," discovering a more authentic Cagliari , thanks also to the voices of those who have lived and interpreted this city on both the big and small screen.
The event, which will take place at the Mediateca del Mediterraneo (MEM) at Via Mameli 164 in Cagliari, will begin at 9:30 am and end at 6:30 pm , with a break between 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm . Admission is free , to offer everyone the opportunity to hear the testimonies of directors, writers, critics, and authors who have contributed to the narrative of Cagliari over the years .
The initiative, promoted by Culture Councilor Maria Francesca Chiappe , represents an opportunity to reflect on how cinema has progressively changed the way we see and narrate Cagliari . On the one hand, traditional film has often favored natural landscapes or frontier stories; on the other, in recent decades , we have witnessed a resurgence of more urban narratives , promoting the city as a living and complex entity , rich in stories and identities waiting to be discovered. Sponsored by the Municipality and promoted by the Culture Department , the initiative conceived by director-producer Salvatore Mereu is an unmissable opportunity for anyone who wants to understand how cinema can be a powerful tool for rediscovering, narrating, and enhancing Cagliari's cultural heritage and identity .
The day will be divided into three sections : feature-length fiction films, documentaries and archive footage, and short films , with a focus that will explore the many facets of a city often represented in a limited or stereotypical way .
The conference will bring together diverse perspectives , many of which come from literature , with authors offering a complex and original portrait of Cagliari . Through the testimonies of those who have written, directed, or criticized the films, we will seek to understand how the image of the "White City" has evolved over time , from being an often passive backdrop to stories to becoming the protagonist of more metropolitan and authentic narratives . Participants will include writers such as Salvatore Mereu , who has previously addressed the theme of the city in his works, and other experts in the field such as Antioco Floris, Myriam Mereu of the University of Cagliari, Antonello Zanda of the Cineteca Sarda, and Sergio Naitza , critic and journalist. Other authors will contribute filmed contributions and personal memories of Cagliari, offering a lively and spontaneous perspective on the city.
