The Italian selection committee has chosen Francesco Costabile’s Familia as the country’s contender for the 2026 Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film.
It’s written and directed by Francesco Costabile, based on the memoir Non sarà sempre così by Luigi Celeste. Before Familia, Costabile gained attention for Una Femmina, highlighting women who stood up to the Calabrian mob, challenging its blood-bound loyalty and criminal legacy.
Familia had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in 2024. After Venice, it was released in Italy later in 2024. Italy’s film committee picked it as the country’s official entry for the 2026 Oscars in the Best International Feature category, giving it global recognition.
Familia tells the story of Gigi, a young man drawn into far-right politics, whose life is shaken when his father, Franco Celeste, suddenly returns after a decade-long absence. Franco, once an abusive figure, brings back painful memories and reignites fear within the family. His reappearance forces Gigi, his mother, and his siblings to confront old wounds that never truly healed. As tensions rise, Gigi finds himself torn between the toxic pull of his father’s influence and the desperate need to break free from a cycle of violence. At its heart, the film explores the deep scars of domestic abuse, the weight of generational trauma, and the struggle to reclaim identity and safety in the face of a dark family past.
Francesco Gheghi, who plays Gigi, His performance earned him the Best Actor award in the Orizzonti section at the Venice Film Festival 2024. Elio Germano was awarded Rome Film Festival for best actor. The film’s cast also Barbara Ronchi as Licia Licino, Francesco Di Leva as Franco Celeste, Marco Cicalese as Alessandro Celeste, Enrico Borello as Fulvio and Tecla Insolia as Giulia
The Oscars ceremony is set for 15 March 2026 in Los Angeles. The Academy will announce the shortlist of 15 films for Best International Feature on 16 December 2025