Davide Abbatescianni
Film Critic, Ireland
Davide Abbatescianni (Bari, 16 September 1991) is an Italian film critic, journalist, programmer and industry consultant. He is an International Reporter for Cineuropa, where he covers European cinema, international film festivals and the audiovisual industry, with a particular focus on production, distribution, policy and emerging market trends, having previously worked as the outlet’s Ireland correspondent from 2017 to 2020.
Alongside his work for Cineuropa, he regularly writes for a range of international trade publications and cultural outlets, including Documentary, the Nordisk Film & TV Fond website, Filmexplorer, Business Doc Europe, Celluloid Junkie, Variety, Cinemafemme.com, The New Arab and New Scientist, among others. His writing spans reviews, in-depth industry analysis, interviews with key professionals, and reporting on funding mechanisms, co-production markets and innovation in the audiovisual sector.
Abbatescianni has covered a wide array of major international film festivals and industry events, including Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Locarno, Karlovy Vary, Sarajevo, Rotterdam, San Sebastián, IDFA, CPH:DOX, Tallinn, Toronto and Goa, among many others. Over the years, he has reported from more than 40 countries, developing strong expertise in European, Nordic, Baltic and Mediterranean cinema ecosystems.
In addition to his critical work, he has been active as a film programmer and consultant. From 2024 to 2025, he worked as a programmer for the Torino Film Festival and currently serves as an external expert for two European funding bodies. From 2021 to 2025, he also worked as a senior film curator for the project Support to EU Film Festivals, whose primary mission was to enhance the quality of festivals organised by European Union delegations worldwide.
Abbatescianni is a member of FIPRESCI, the International Cinephile Society and the European Film Academy. He regularly takes part in international juries, panels and industry discussions, and has served as a juror at Sarajevo, Annecy, Palm Springs, Las Palmas, Bishkek and Trieste, among others.