Kevin Spacey to open Lucca Film Festival 2025

Two-time Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey will open the 21st edition of the Lucca Film Festival, taking place in the Tuscan city from September 20 to 28, 2025. The American actor and producer will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award on September 20 at Cinema Astra, where he will also present the world premiere of his latest film 1780, joined by director Dustin Fairbanks and producer Spero Stamboulis. 

The following day, September 21, Spacey will lead a public masterclass, offering audiences the chance to revisit a career that spans more than four decades, with acclaimed roles in The Usual Suspects, American Beauty, Seven, L.A. Confidential and the series House of Cards.

Alongside Spacey, the 2025 Lucca Film Festival will welcome major figures of Italian and international cinema. Director Gianni Amelio will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, while actor and filmmaker Michele Riondino will present his latest feature La valle dei sorrisi. Director Pietro Marcello will be celebrated with a special screening of his new film Duse, dedicated to the legendary Italian actress.

The festival program includes two international competitions for feature films and short films, with jurors such as Mimmo Calopresti, Chiara Caselli, Fabrice Du Welz, Isabella Ragonese and Lamberto Bava. Special events include an homage to David Lynch, the Italian premiere of Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut Eleanor the Great, and screenings dedicated to sustainability with the “Lucca Film Festival for Future” shorts competition.

As in past editions, Lucca will also host “Lucca Effetto Cinema” on September 27, an evening that transforms the historic center into a stage for live performances inspired by great film classics. The closing night on September 28 will feature a screening of Demoni by Lamberto Bava, marking its 40th anniversary.

The Lucca Film Festival has established itself as one of Tuscany’s cultural highlights, having previously welcomed Oliver Stone, David Lynch, Susan Sarandon, Isabelle Huppert, Willem Dafoe, and Paolo Sorrentino, among many others.

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