Isola Edipo

What Isola Edipo does

Isola Edipo is an independent cultural festival organized annually on the Lido di Venezia in parallel with the Venice Film Festival (Biennale Cinema). Founded in 2016 and operated by the Italian social enterprise Edipo Re Impresa Sociale Srl, the event has run ten consecutive editions, with the 2026 edition scheduled for September 2-12. The festival functions as an official collateral event of the Venice Film Festival, with the Premio Inclusione e Sostenibilità Edipo Re as a recognized collateral prize. Its identity is anchored to the historic Edipo Re sailing vessel, which once hosted Pier Paolo Pasolini and Maria Callas, and now serves as a symbolic floating pavilion.

The program is structured around five sub-brands: the Premio Inclusione e Sostenibilità (12 films selected annually from festival sections), Il Cinema dell'Inclusione tra visione e formazione (screenings and masterclasses co-programmed with Giornate degli Autori and Fondation Cartier), Notti Veneziane (evening Italian cinema screenings at Sala Laguna), Vela d'Artista (annual commissioned sail for the vessel bridging Biennale Arte and Biennale Cinema), and the new 2026 section Take Another Little Piece of My Art (photography and visual-art dialogue). Physical venues consist of Sala Laguna (a free-admission screening space created by Isola Edipo in the heart of the festival) and Riva Corinto (a riverside gathering space offering ethical-kilometer gastronomy). All screenings are free to the public; the 2026 edition introduces Laguna Libre, a new community-discussion space dedicated to local-territory engagement.

The business model is sponsorship- and patronage-driven rather than transactional. Revenue streams comprise corporate sponsorships (food and beverage partners including Peroni, Cynar, San Benedetto, Consorzio Valdobbiadene, Davide Longoni Pane), institutional cultural partnerships (Fondation Cartier on a five-year term, Giornate degli Autori, Università Ca' Foscari, Archivio Basaglia, Labodif), and public patronage from Regione Veneto and Comune di Venezia. On-site food and beverage at Riva Corinto provides modest transaction revenue. The organization has no proprietary technology platform, API, or app, and no disclosed revenue, headcount, or funding-round data. Leadership comprises Sibylle Righetti and Enrico Vianello as Organizational Directors and co-founders, with Silvia Jop as Artistic Director.

Name

Isola Edipo

Legal name

Edipo Re Impresa Sociale Srl

Website

https://isolaedipo.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Isola Edipo is a 10-day independent cultural festival held annually on Lido di Venezia in parallel with the Venice Film Festival, operated as a collateral event by social enterprise Edipo Re Impresa Sociale Srl, serving cinema audiences, film professionals, and local community with free screenings, masterclasses, and an inclusion-and-sustainability prize.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lido di Venezia

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship and Partner Contributions: Revenue generated through partnerships with corporate sponsors including food/beverage partners (Peroni, Cynar, San Benedetto, Consorzio Valdobbiadene), cultural partners (Fondation Cartier, Giornate degli Autori), and local businesses.
2. Public Funding and Patronage: Support from public institutions including Regione Veneto, Comune di Venezia, and Veneto Film Commission through official patronage and funding arrangements.
3. Food & Beverage Operations: Gastronomic offerings at Riva Corinto featuring ethical kilometer cuisine, including partnerships with Davide Longoni Pane and other food vendors, generating revenue through food sales during the festival.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Isola Edipo is an independent 10-day cultural festival held annually at Lido di Venezia, running parallel to the Venice Film Festival. The festival combines film screenings, masterclasses, talks, performances, exhibitions, and gastronomy, with free admission to all screenings at Sala Laguna. Its official collateral award, the Premio Inclusione e Sostenibilità Edipo Re, recognises films promoting inclusion and sustainability, while programmes such as Il Cinema dell'Inclusione and Notti Veneziane form the cultural backbone.

Product overview

Isola Edipo is an independent cultural festival held at Lido di Venezia, running parallel to the Venice Film Festival. The offering consists of a core festival program combining film screenings and cultural events. Key products include the Premio Inclusione e Sostenibilità Edipo Re (official collateral prize of Biennale Cinema), Il Cinema dell'Inclusione tra visione e formazione (screenings and masterclasses with Fondation Cartier), Notti Veneziane (Italian cinema screenings with Giornate degli Autori), and the new Take Another Little Piece of My Art section (photography/cinema dialogue). The Vela d'Artista project creates artistic sails for the Edipo Re vessel. Physical venues include Sala Laguna (screening space) and Riva Corinto (riverside gathering space with ethical gastronomy). The 2026 edition introduces Laguna Libre, a new discussion space dedicated to local community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Premio Inclusione e Sostenibilità Edipo Re: Collateral award of the Venice Film Festival dedicated to inclusion and sustainability in cinema.
• Il Cinema dell'Inclusione
• Notti Veneziane
• Vela d'Artista
• Take Another Little Piece of My Art

Products and services

• Isola Edipo Festival (Annual Cultural Festival) Ten-day independent cultural festival featuring cinema, masterclasses, talks, performances, exhibitions, and music alongside ethical-kilometer gastronomic offerings. The event runs parallel to the Venice Film Festival at Lido di Venezia, promoting inclusion, sustainability, and community. Free admission to all screenings.
• Premio Inclusione e Sostenibilità Edipo Re Official collateral prize of the Venice Film Festival (Biennale Cinema), dedicated to films that promote inclusion and sustainability. The jury selects 12 films from the festival's competing sections and awards those with outstanding cultural and artistic merit, supporting their distribution in Italian theaters.
• Il Cinema dell'Inclusione tra visione e formazione An annual program of screenings and masterclasses exploring the relationship between cinema and contemporary art. Organized in collaboration with Giornate degli Autori and Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, featuring international filmmakers and exploring cinema and contemporary visual arts from a five-year perspective.
• Notti Veneziane Evening film screenings at Sala Laguna showcasing contemporary Italian cinema. An off-space section organized by Giornate degli Autori featuring a selection of films that present a complex and multifaceted view of Italian filmmaking. In 2025, nine films were selected for the section.
• Vela d'Artista An artistic project inviting contemporary artists to create sails for the historic Edipo Re vessel. Bridges Biennale Arte and Biennale Cinema, connecting art with themes of environmental sustainability and social inclusion. Third edition in 2026 features Dani Trew's 'Jocasta'.
• Take Another Little Piece of My Art A new section for 2026 featuring photography and visual art in dialogue with cinema. Includes a diffused exhibition, curated screenings, and a masterclass with a guest artist. Dedicated in 2026 to photographer Beat Presser.

Quantifiable outcome

• Selection of 12 films annually from Venice Film Festival competition sections for the Premio Inclusione e Sostenibilità award
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Edipo Re Impresa SocialeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 September 2026Parent organization and promoter of Isola Edipo. Edipo Re Impresa Sociale was established by Sibylle Righetti and Enrico Vianello to develop the symbolic legacy of the Edipo Re vessel and create cultural/artistic projects focused on social inclusion and environmental sustainability.
• Giornate degli AutoriflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial collaboration for co-programming, including the Notti Veneziane section dedicated to Italian contemporary cinema, and joint organization of Il Cinema dell'Inclusione.
• Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporaincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive-year partner for Il Cinema dell'Inclusione between vision and education, supporting the annual program exploring cinema and contemporary visual arts.
• Università Ca' FoscaricoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing the Young Jury for the Premio Inclusione e Sostenibilità, composed of university students, and participating in educational programming.
• Regione VenetocoreOthersOfficial patron and supporter providing regional funding and institutional backing for the festival.
• Comune di VeneziacoreOthersOfficial patron and supporter from the municipal government of Venice.
• MYmoviescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner and collaborator on the Premio Inclusione e Sostenibilità award program.
• Davide Longoni PanecoreOthersOfficial food partner bringing artisanal Milanese bakery products to the festival, representing ethical gastronomy values aligned with the festival's mission.
• Fondazione PittiniminorOthersFoundation supporter of the Premio Inclusione e Sostenibilità award program.
• Side AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education institution in 3D, VFX, game design, and animation participating in the Young Jury and educational programming.
• Archivio BasagliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchive partner contributing to discussions on citizenship rights, mental health, and territory through events like the 'Panettiere Basagliano' workshop.
• Labodif (Laboratorio della Differenza)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaboratory focused on gender difference and feminist perspectives, curating seminars on Carla Lonzi and women's cinema.
• PeroniminorOthersBeer brand sponsor for the food and beverage offerings at the festival.
• CynarminorOthersArtichoke liqueur brand participating as a sponsor for the gastronomic offerings.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Festa del Cinema di Roma: Italy's other major film festival (Rome), held annually in October/November with screenings, retrospectives, and a public audience program. Comparable in scale and Italian cultural positioning though operating in a different window and city; competes for Italian film industry attention and sponsor budgets.
• Torino Film Festival: Long-running Italian film festival focused on cinema of the margins, retrospectives, and emerging directors. Comparable in its auteur/art-house mission and Italian regional positioning, sharing overlapping audiences and cultural press coverage.
• Biografilm Festival: Italian film festival in Bologna focused on documentary and art-house cinema with a strong public/programming orientation. Comparable as an Italian regional festival that combines screenings with cultural events and partners with cultural institutions; competes for the same Italian audience and sponsor base.
• Far East Film Festival: Italian festival in Udine dedicated to Asian cinema with curated programming, industry events, and a public festival format. Comparable as an Italian regional film festival with curated auteur/popular programming and similar sponsor/screenings operating model.
• Festival dei Popoli (Florence): Italian documentary film festival in Florence focused on social, cultural, and inclusive storytelling. Directly comparable thematic positioning (cultural inclusion, social themes) and Italian regional festival structure with public screenings and cultural programming.

Direct peers

• Giornate degli Autori (Venice Days): Independent sidebar/collateral event of the Venice Film Festival, co-organized with Italian film industry bodies; operates as a closely comparable off-program showcase with its own jury, screenings, and partner ecosystem. Isola Edipo explicitly collaborates with Giornate degli Autori on Notti Veneziane and Il Cinema dell'Inclusione.
• Sundance Film Festival: Premier independent film festival in the US with a curated, mission-driven program (independent voice, inclusion) and significant sponsor ecosystem. Comparable in positioning around independent/inclusive cinema and offering public screenings, though at materially larger scale and longer duration.
• Locarno Film Festival: Independent European film festival (Switzerland) with a curated, art-cinema focus and a public-facing free/subsidized screening culture similar to Isola Edipo. Comparable in mission (auteur and discovery programming) and operating model, though at larger scale and in a different geography.
• Settimana Internazionale della Critica (Critics' Week): Long-running collateral section of the Venice Film Festival run by SNCCI (Italian film critics' syndicate). Operates during the same 10-day Lido window with its own competition and awards, making it a directly comparable collateral-event peer with overlapping audience and sponsor pools.

Others

• La Biennale di Venezia – Biennale Arte: The parent Venice Biennale institution that runs the Art Biennale; Isola Edipo's Vela d'Artista project explicitly bridges Biennale Arte and Biennale Cinema, making the Art Biennale a directly adjacent ecosystem peer in shared venues, audiences, and brand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/isolaedipo
• Instagraminstagram.com/isolaedipo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/isola-edipo

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Isola Edipo