The conversation explores the vital role of this global initiative in strengthening connections between independent cinemas, bridging national and international efforts, and defending cultural diversity and artistic freedom in today's shifting landscape. Drawing from his firsthand experience running an arthouse cinema in Florence, Crocchiola addresses the practical challenges independent exhibitors face, the community-building power of the EACD, and the unique opportunities available for individual cinemas to design their own tailored programs.

With over 20 years of experience in film programming, Michele Crocchiola is the director of the Stensen Cultural Foundation in Florence. As the co-founder of three film festivals (including MENF, which celebrates its 17th edition in 2026), his work focuses on projects that promote cultural and educational goals through the language of cinema. He also has extensive experience in national distribution and business consultancy (working with Cinema Srl, Valmyn, Movies Inspired, and Tucker Film) and currently serves as Vice-President of both FICE (Federazione Italiana Cinema d'Essai) and CICAE (International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas).

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