The 40th edition of the Cinema Ritrovato Festival, held in Bologna, Italy, is showcasing restored and lesser-known films by prominent late Iranian filmmakers Abbas Kiarostami, Dariush Mehrjui, and Ebrahim Golestan. The festival, which began on June 20 and runs through June 28, is dedicated to rediscovered works from cinema history and is organized annually by Cineteca di Bologna.

As part of this year’s programming, the festival is paying tribute to Abbas Kiarostami by screening four of his early short films: “Bread and Alley” (1970), “Breaktime” (1972), “Two Solutions for One Problem” (1975), and “The Chorus” (1982). These works reflect Kiarostami’s foundational contributions to Iranian cinema and his influence on both national and international film culture.

In addition, the festival is presenting Dariush Mehrjui’s “The Cycle” (1975), a film restored in 4K by La Cinémathèque française in 2025 from a 35mm positive print, in collaboration with the Mehrjui family. Mehrjui was a key figure of the Iranian New Wave, and “The Cycle” addresses the clandestine blood trade through a stark, socially critical narrative. The film follows Ali, a young man who, after failing to secure hospital care for his sick father, becomes entangled in a morally degrading and exploitative blood-dealing operation. Adapted from Gholam-Hossein Sa’edi’s “Garbage Dump,” the film explores themes of social decay and personal transformation, consistent with Mehrjui’s earlier collaborations with Sa’edi.

Another highlight is Ebrahim Golestan’s final film, “Secrets of the Jinn Valley Treasure,” restored in 4K by Cineteca di Bologna and the Iran Heritage Foundation in 2026 using the original camera and sound negatives. Golestan’s work, produced in 1971–72, employs satire and allegory to critique the effects of modernization and emerging nouveau riche values in Iran. The plot centers on a farmer who discovers a treasure beneath his land, leading to corruption and social upheaval in his village. Golestan, who also wrote, directed, and edited the film, intended it as a political allegory condemning social and cultural shifts as well as the intellectual complicity in these changes. Due to its sensitive subject matter, based on contemporary political figures, the film faced censorship and was banned shortly after its release, though it was first published as a story to circumvent suppression.

The Cinema Ritrovato Festival is widely recognized for spotlighting restored classics and archival films. This year’s edition features approximately 500 titles along with exhibitions on cinema history and a book fair offering related publications and memorabilia. Since its inception in 1986, the festival has grown into a major international event drawing cinephiles interested in the preservation and celebration of film heritage.