The Piccolo America Association was founded in September 2014, growing out of the “Assemblea Giovani al Centro” movement. This group of young people, primarily from the outskirts of Rome, had been seeking spaces to create a cultural alternative to the nightlife and tourism scene since 2011. This early permanent assembly gave rise to the Cinema America Occupiers Collective, a diverse group that launched a vibrant cultural initiative on via Natale del Grande.
Today, calling Piccolo America an “association” feels too limiting. It is, in reality, much more than that: a broad, fluid collective of friends, parents, grandparents, siblings, and supporters. It is an extended family, where everyone contributes their ideas and skills, rallying together to bring initiatives to life as the need arises.
Among its many projects, two stand out: Schermi Pirata, which projected iconic films onto the city’s walls and monuments, and Il Cinema in Piazza, an open-air film festival that has attracted a wide array of Italian and international talent. Notable participants have included Asghar Farhadi, Paul Schrader, Jeremy Irons, Ken Loach, Stefania Sandrelli, Wim Wenders, Paweł Pawlikowski, Mathieu Kassovitz, JR, Roberto Benigni, Paolo Sorrentino, Matteo Garrone, Paolo Virzì, Francesca Archibugi, Paola Cortellesi, and Carlo Verdone. We also honour the memories of the late masters Bernardo Bertolucci, Ennio Morricone, Gigi Proietti, Ettore Scola, and Francesco Rosi.
This ten-year journey culminated in the reopening of Cinema Troisi in Trastevere, a cultural hub open to all. The space features a cutting-edge cinema, a study room open 24/7 year-round, a welcoming foyer-bar, and a stunning terrace.
Defining Piccolo America is no easy task, even for those at its heart. That’s why they prefer to be known simply as the guys of Cinema America.