Italian Cultural Institute Melbourne - IIC Melbourne

01/09/2026

On September 2nd, Melbourne Cinémathèque and the Italian Cultural Institute of Melbourne are proud to present Haunted Worlds: Mario Bava, the Diabolical Magician of Cinecittà, a film season dedicated to Mario Bava, the brilliant Italian film director who helped pave the way for Italian horror cinema.

The first screening will kick things off at 7:00 PM with Black Sabbath (1963). Bava’s first colour horror film, this is an anthology of three distinct stories: “The Drop of Water”, “The Telephone” and “The Wurdulak”, which display Bava’s capabilities to the fullest with their audacious designs and playfulness.

The season will continue with Kill, Baby… Kill! (1966) at 8:50 PM. Considered to be the last great film of the Italian golden horror era, this film follows the murderous ghost of a young girl seeking revenge in a Carpathian village, in a dark and spooky atmosphere that marks one of Bava’s best works.

This season, all films will be shown at ACMI (Fed Square, Melbourne).

For further information and tickets, visit https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/melbourne-cinematheque/haunted-worlds-mario-bava-the-diabolical-magician-of-cinecitta/

30/08/2026

Il 17 agosto scorso, nel giorno del 900° anniversario del ritorno delle Reliquie di Sant'Agata a Catania, il Comitato Scientifico per la salvaguardia della Festa di Sant'Agata ha consegnato al Sindaco una bozza del dossier volto a valorizzare, anche in ambito internazionale, la festività millenaria.
La Festa celebra una giovane donna, Agata, che nell'anno 251 d.C. rifiutò le imposizioni del Governatore dell'Impero per affermare il proprio diritto di donna libera e indipendente.
Il dossier sottolinea proprio l'attualità del gesto di Agata che, ancora oggi, è un esempio di onestà e amore per i propri ideali.
La comunità di Catania percepisce Agata come la propria madre che, durante la Festa, esce dalla Cattedrale per immergersi tra la sua gente.
Per questo la Festa è travolgente e ha definito, nel corso dei secoli, un nuovo concetto di cittadinanza legata alla devozione e reso evidente attraverso l'invocazione "Cittadini, Cittadini! Tutti devoti tutti".

Credits: Cattedra UNESCO Università UnitelmaSapienza di Roma
UnitelmaSapienza UNESCO

24/08/2026

Join us on Wednesday 2 September for the first two films in Haunted Worlds: Mario Bava, the Diabolical Magician of Cinecittà' program, presented by Melbourne Cinémathèque in partnership with the Italian Cultural Institute of Melbourne.

At 7:00 pm at ACMI, we will be screening BLACK SABBATH (1963). Allegedly the inspiration behind the name of a certain well-known heavy metal band, Bava’s first colour horror film is a vivid anthology comprising three distinct tales: “The Drop of Water,” “The Telephone,” and “The Wurdulak.” Boris Karloff appears throughout as a genial host introducing each supernatural shocker, while also taking on a grisly leading role in one of the stories. Featuring Jacqueline Pierreux, the mother of Jean-Pierre Léaud, among its cast, the film offers more of a mixed bag of Halloween candy than a holy trinity—but remains a thoroughly delightful collection of genre stories, showcasing the audacious visual design and playful imagination of Bava at his best.

At 8:50 pm, we will continue with KILL, BABY… KILL! (1966). Set in the early 1900s, the film follows an evil curse that grips a medieval Carpathian village, where the murderous ghost of a young girl seeks revenge. Her mother, played by Giovanna Galletti, stalks the corridors of a dark and sinister castle, whose mirrors, cobwebs and swirling mists create a poetic, hallucinatory dreamscape worthy of Jean Cocteau or Georges Franju. Made on a modest budget but brimming with invention and atmosphere, Bava’s Gothic shocker is often considered one of the last great works of the golden era of Italian horror. Martin Scorsese famously described it as Bava’s best film, and its production benefited significantly from the relative lack of interference from international co-producers.

The retrospective will continue on Wednesday, 9 September, with DANGER: DIABOLIK (1968) at 7:00 pm, followed by RABID DOGS (1974/1998) at 9:00 pm.

The final two films will be screened on Wednesday, 16 September: THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1963) at 7:00 pm, followed by LISA AND THE DEVIL (1973) at 8:40 pm.

Tickets and more info available here: https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/melbourne-cinematheque/

21/08/2026

25th International Flaiano Prize for Italian Studies – “Luca Attanasio”

As part of the 53rd International Ennio Flaiano Awards, the 25th International Flaiano Prize for Italian Studies “Luca Attanasio” is now open for the 2026 edition.

The Prize, promoted by the Edoardo Tiboni Foundation and the Ennio Flaiano Cultural Association, in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Cultural Institutes abroad, celebrates outstanding contributions to the promotion of Italian culture worldwide.

Three authors will be awarded for works dealing with Italian culture, including:

Publications on Italian culture, published abroad in Italian or other languages

Translations of Italian works

Under 35 category
For the fifth consecutive year, the Prize includes a section dedicated to young authors and new digital languages, recognising innovative ways of promoting Italian culture through new technologies, including short films, promotional videos and written works.

New section: “La Lingua geniale”

Key dates

Works published or translated between 28 July 2025 and 31 August 2026 may be considered.

Submission deadline: 10 September 2026

Award ceremony: 26 October 2026, at 7:00 pm, Pescara, Italy.

The Prize jury is composed of experts in international culture. Publications may be nominated by Directors of Italian Cultural Institutes abroad, including following recommendations from local university departments of Italian Studies.

More information: [www.premiflaiano.com](http://www.premiflaiano.com)

19/08/2026

Breaking news! Registration is now open for the CILS A2 Standard and A2 Integration exam session on October 21, 2026.

Registration will close strictly on September 21, 2026.

For more information and the registration form, visit our website: https://iicmelbourne.esteri.it/en/lingua-e-cultura/certificazioni/cils-certificazione-di-italiano-come-lingua-straniera/

Università per Stranieri di Siena Università per Stranieri di Siena - CILS

Ultimer notizie! Sono aperte le iscrizioni all'esame CILS per la sessione del 21 ottobre 2026, per i livelli A2 standard e A2 integrazione.

Le iscrizioni si chiuderanno improrogabilmente il 21 settembre 2026.

Maggiori informazioni e modulo di iscrizione sul nostro sito: https://iicmelbourne.esteri.it/en/lingua-e-cultura/certificazioni/cils-certificazione-di-italiano-come-lingua-straniera/

19/08/2026

L'Impero Romano in mostra a Melbourne.
Statue, oggetti quotidiani e simboli di potere:
"Rome: Empire, Power, People" al Melbourne Museum racconta duemila anni di storia attraverso i tesori dell'antica Roma.
Un progetto nato dalla collaborazione tra Museums Victoria, il Museo Nazionale Romano e il Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze, con il supporto operativo di . Dagli imperatori alla vita di tutti i giorni, la mostra svela come Roma abbia costruito la sua eredità nel tempo.
Realizzato anche grazie al sostegno del Consolato Generale d'Italia - Melbourne e dell'Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Melbourne.
La mostra è visitabile fino a fine ottobre 2026.
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The Roman Empire on display in Melbourne.
Statues, everyday objects and symbols of power: "Rome: Empire, Power, People" at Melbourne Museum tells two thousand years of history through the treasures of ancient Rome.
A project born from the collaboration between Museums Victoria, the Museo Nazionale Romano and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze, with the operational support of . From emperors to everyday life, the exhibition reveals how Rome built its lasting legacy.
Made possible with the support of the Consolato Generale d'Italia - Melbourne and the Italian Cultural Institute of Melbourne.
The exhibition is open until the end of October 2026.

13/08/2026

A new date is now available for the CILS exam, with all levels offered!

This certification is particularly valuable if you need to use Italian on a daily basis for study or work, need to achieve B1 level to apply for Italian citizenship, or simply want to have your Italian language skills officially recognised.

📅 Next exam date: December 3, 2026
📝 Enrolment deadline: October 24, 2026

Take this opportunity to achieve an important milestone in your Italian learning journey!

The Institute also offers preparation courses for the CILS B1 exam, specifically designed for those who need to obtain the B1 certification for Italian citizenship.

For more information, visit https://shorturl.at/I6aEQ
Contact us:
📧 [email protected]
📞 03 9866 4729

Università per Stranieri di Siena

27/07/2026

24/07/2026

We celebrated yesterday the opening of Taglietti: Life in Design at the Design Gallery, Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne, proudly supported by the Italian Cultural Institute of Melbourne and the Consulate General of Italy in Melbourne.

The exhibition was officially opened by the Consul General of Italy in Melbourne, Chiara Mauri.
The evening featured remarks from Anna Wong and Virginia Rigney from Canberra Museum and Gallery, Silvia Micheli from the University of Queensland, and Tanja Taglietti from Taglietti Studio + Archive.
Our sincere thanks also go to Professor Philip Goad from the Melbourne School of Design for bringing this remarkable exhibition to Melbourne and guiding guests through its significance.

The exhibition explores the work of Milan-born architect Enrico Taglietti, celebrating an extraordinary life and career developed in creative partnership with his wife, Franca. A visionary who understood architecture’s potential to respond to human needs, Taglietti developed an independent design language that made a significant contribution to modern Australian architecture.
Part of an international creative community, his practice extended well beyond buildings. His work encompassed architecture and urban design, as well as interiors, graphics, landscape and lifestyle, revealing a holistic approach to design grounded in everyday life.

Swipe through to see some moments from last night’s opening.

Taglietti: Life in Design
Design Gallery, Melbourne School of Design
University of Melbourne
Open to the public until 28 August 2026

Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale Embassy of Italy in Australia Comites Melbourne - Victoria e Tasmania COASIT Melbourne IL GLOBO ICCI Melbourne SBS Italian Segmento Magazine - Unapologetically Italian Dante Alighieri Society Melbourne The University of Melbourne

21/07/2026

From July 23rd to July 25th, the Australasian Centre for Italian Studies will hold its 13th biennial conference at the University of Melbourne (Arts West Building, Parkville campus). The conference will officially open with a special event on 24 July at 5:30 PM, attended by Consul General of Italy in Melbourne Chiara Mauri.

This year, the conference’s theme is Beyond Disciplines: Reimagining Italian Studies. The participants will compare their experience with Italian Studies in the Asia-Pacific region, proposing new and alternative ways to approach the discipline in an ever-changing world.

To learn more, visit: https://www.acis.org.au/acis-biennial-conference-2026