Can we imagine the future? Yes, we can. Stefano Accorsi does just that in Florence, from September 26 to 28, with “Planetaria – Stories that speak to the future”, sparking a dialogue between science and art and transforming the city into a laboratory of emotions, ideas, and possibilities.
What if science already knew how to imagine a brighter future? What if art already knew how to tell us the story of these possibilities? Planetaria is a collective conversation that attempts to answer these and other questions in order to interpret the changing world, bringing art and science into dialogue. The future is not a distant shadow: it is a story that we can write together, here and now.
The second edition of “Planetaria – Stories that speak to the future” kicked off yesterday with a very attentive and interested audience. A three-day event where science and art come together to tell the story of a changing world, with artistic direction by Stefano Accorsi, at the Teatro della Pergola and the Giunti Odeon – Libreria e Cinema cultural center.
“We imagined new stories from the future of Nature. And last night we told them,” reads the Instagram page of Planetaria.
Scientists, actors, singers, and authors will bring to life shows, talks, and events, all with free admission, until September 28, to explore the urgent issues of the present and imagine possible futures through stories and insights on environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Ocean warming off the Italian coast, air pollution in modern cities, conflicts between different economic models, between exploitation and care for nature: these are some of the topics addressed with reference to local situations, from Puglia to Veneto to Lombardy, as part of a mapping of the national territory that began in the previous edition.
“Planetaria was created as a space for dialogue and discussion between art and science to address current issues such as climate and social emergencies and phenomena such as eco-anxiety,” said Stefano Accorsi . “The project involved partners, scientists, and enthusiastic supporters. The goal is to communicate what is happening by imagining possible solutions for a future made up of proposals, projects, and even…hope.”
Conceived by Stefano Accorsi and Filippo Gentili, theater director, Planetaria is produced and curated by Superhumans, in collaboration with Fondazione Teatro della Toscana, organized with the patronage of the European Commission, MASE – Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, and the City of Florence. The scientific committee of Planetaria is composed of Giulio Boccaletti, scientific director of CMCC (Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change), Claudia Pasquero (University of Milan – Bicocca), and Stefano Pogutz (Bocconi University).
Actresses Matilda de Angelis, Pilar Fogliati, Teresa Saponangelo and actor Matteo Giuggioli will participate in Planetaria 2025 for the first time. The presence of Nicolas Maupas is a welcome return. Together with artistic director Stefano Accorsi, they will be the protagonists of the “Conferenze Immaginarie” (Imaginary Conferences), three shows dedicated to the future of the environment and society. Written by Filippo Gentili and Giulia Gianni together with various scientists, they are an original format conceived by Planetaria: sold out in the first successful edition of the festival, they will take place every evening at 9 p.m. at the Teatro della Pergola. Joining the actors on stage will be the aforementioned Giulio Boccaletti, who will present his latest book, Il Futuro della Natura (The Future of Nature, Mondadori), during the festival, Claudia Pasquero, and economist Francesco Perrini from Bocconi University.
Among the new features of this edition is Planetaria Sound, a section entirely dedicated to music, with the presence of artists committed to sustainability issues such as Ariete and Alfa, two names beloved by the younger generations, who will discuss the environment on Saturday, September 27, and Sunday, September 28, respectively. And then there is Planetaria Screenings, a series of film and short film screenings on the environment and society at the Giunti Odeon – Libreria e Cinema, in collaboration with the Ferrara Film Corto Festival (whose theme is ‘Environment is Music’) and NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, which will present a number of short films made as part of the Media Design and New Technologies Area of the Milan and Rome campuses.
Once again this year, there will be Planetaria Talks, afternoon meetings with scientists, entrepreneurs, and figures from civil society, introduced by Stefano Accorsi and moderated by Lorenzo Luporini.
Numerous events are planned for Planetaria Junior: meetings and shows for families to discover how nature and science work in a simple and fun way. Starting every day with Planetini, the format that debuts with a brand new proposal, a show-workshop in which young viewers can be amazed by scientific experiments that help them understand how climate change works. There will also be robotics workshops organized by the Fondazione Golinelli to understand how the circular economy works, storytime and surprising scientific experiments in English organized by Kids&Us, and an unmissable live session created together with Antoniano to sing some of the most famous hits from Zecchino d’Oro.
The surprises don’t end there. With the Planetaria Experience section, the Teatro della Pergola will become home to interactive installations and sculptures: ‘Ocean Suite – il suono dell’Oceano’ (Ocean Suite – the sound of the ocean), an audiovisual installation in collaboration with Antonio Navarra and Laura Panzera based on a study by the CMCC; “Futuropoli,” a model of the cities of tomorrow, created by participants curated by the Golinelli Foundation; and “C’era due volte” (Once Upon a Time Twice), presented by Airbank, a fairy tale combining art and sustainability told through an experiential journey among animals made from recycled materials.
Here are the scheduled guests.
Planetaria is a large collective conversation that stems from a new and powerful alliance between science and art to discuss sustainability and the major changes taking place in the world. It aims to help us process the enormous amount of data and information we are bombarded with every day and navigate between good and bad news, fears, hopes, and new awareness. The project aims to overcome the traditional barriers of scientific communication in order to reach the heart of a large and diverse audience, bringing together different voices that enrich each other: actors, scientists, artists, musicians, institutions, and companies. A cross-media and widespread platform, made up of physical events and digital content. With the aim of stimulating a broad and engaging civic dialogue.
Publishing and scientific partners: Rai, Bocconi University, CMCC, University of Milan – Bicocca, Giunti Odeon – bookshop and cinema, Sylva Foundation, NABA, New Academy of Fine Arts, Antoniano di Bologna, Golinelli Foundation, Ferrara Film Corto Festival “Ambiente è Musica,” Kids&Us, Airbank.
The Festival is held with the valuable support of main sponsor Intesa Sanpaolo and Fondazione CR Firenze, Italo, SIAE – Italian Society of Authors and Publishers, Ford Italia, and Sina Hotel.
Together with its strategic partner Fondazione Sylva, a non-profit organization committed to environmental regeneration, Planetaria is committed to implementing a dedicated reforestation project in 2026, along with educational and awareness-raising initiatives on the subject.
Program
Media Partners: Rai Radio 2, Rai Radio Kids, Rai Cultura, Rai Pubblica Utilità, RaiPlay, TGR.
Program and free ticket reservations: https://planetariafestival.it/
