In “Il documentario televisivo in Italia. Spazi, forme, culture”, Lecce, 29-30 January 2025

This paper analyzes the role of RAI in shaping the memory of Italian film festivals during the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on two case studies: the Incontri Internazionali del Cinema in Sorrento and the Mostra Internazionale del Cinema Libero. By examining archival materials held at the RAI Archives and the Istituto LUCE, the study highlights how television coverage tended to favor festivals with an institutional and glamorous profile, such as Sorrento, over more militant and alternative events like the Mostra. This contribution reflects on how media representation influenced the canonization or marginalization of these festivals, thereby contributing to the shaping of historiographical and cultural paradigms within Italian cinema.