Open Air Cinema on Rome's Isola Tiburina

Every summer, Rome’s 'Isola Tiburina' hosts its summer festival and becomes an open air cinema screening the best of Italian and international films.

Legend has it that Isola Tiburina, in the middle of the River Tiber, was formed when the corpse of the last king of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, was thrown into the River by angry citizens wanting to end his tyranny.

Another version of the story is that the Island was formed due to erosion building up around Tarquinius’s treasures that were dumped in the river by the furious Romans.
Today the island looks neither like the body of a king nor his possessions. It has been built up into the shape of a war ship and once had an obelisk representing the sail, the remains of which can be found underneath the current hospital on the Island.

Isola Tiberina was not always a popular tourist spot - as Christianity began to spread in Rome the island was avoided and only the worst criminals or seriously ill were sent there. During the great plague in 293 BC after consulting the Sibylline Books, the Roman Senate decided to build a temple dedicated to the Greek God of medicine and healing Asklepios. When the statue for the temple was being transported along the River a snake is said to have slithered off the boat and into the water. The snake swam towards the Island, which was interpreted as a sign that God wanted the temple built on the Island.

The legends that surround this small island (it’s just 270m long and 67 m wide) are enough to make several films. Perhaps this is why every summer it is turned into an outdoor cinema as part of the Isola del Cinema – an international film festival. The Festival shows a mix of Italian and international films, with a focus on alternative and art house cinema. Naturally the Italian selection is wide – ranging from the latest films to spaghetti westerns to cult films and special screenings paying homage to the great Italian directors. There is also a program debuting young Italian directors. On a warm, summer’s evening you can sit back and admire the stars both on screen and off from this traffic free oasis in the middle of Rome.

Most of the films are screened in Italian without subtitles. However the festival also has an international presence with the island becoming another nation for the night as guest countries screen a selection of their films (usually in the native language with Italian subtitles). The host country’s ambassador, embassy staff and sometimes famous actors and personalities attend the event to welcome guests, sharing their nation’s food and culture. The 2009 edition featured films from Argentina, Australia, France, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Poland and Spain.

The Isola del Cinema is actually made up of a series of small islands or events involving not just cinema. There’s an island of photos, poetry island and the island of solidarity focusing of the themes of poverty and justice. Of course there is also plenty of food stalls, including Rome’s favourite summer treat, "grattachecca" – an icy treat made from ice freshly shaved by hand from a big block and flavoured with the sticky, sweet fruit syrup of your choice.

Along the bridges that link the Island to the rest of Rome sellers set up improvised markets selling anything from wooden African statues to homemade jewellery and candles. Further along the banks of the River Tiber you’ll find Rome’s inner city beach – piles of sand and deckchairs for sun baking. At night bars and night clubs open up so once you’ve seen a film you can continue along the river and groove away. During the festival you can also board a raft and paddle your way down the River Tiber admiring the ship-like form of the island and the glowing lights of Rome.