From Cinema Modernissimo to Adolfo Natalini’s Masterpiece
Cinema La Compagnia, at Via Cavour 50r in the heart of Florence’s historic centre, traces its origins to the mid-twentieth century as the Cinema Modernissimo. Its decisive architectural transformation came in 1987, when the celebrated architect Adolfo Natalini — co-founder of the radical Superstudio collective and a cardinal figure of Italian avant-garde architecture — was commissioned to completely redesign the space, renaming it the Teatro della Compagnia.
Natalini’s Postmodern Design
The resulting project is considered a masterpiece of Florentine Postmodernism. Natalini deployed bold geometry, extensive use of pietra serena (the grey sandstone synonymous with Florentine Renaissance architecture), precisely defined volumes, and sophisticated control of natural and artificial light in the circulation spaces. The design was both a formal experiment and a tribute to the city’s architectural tradition.
Restoration and the Digital Era
After a long period of closure and decline in the early 2000s, the complex was acquired by the Tuscany Region. Between 2015 and 2016, architect Lorella D’Amico led a meticulous restoration that brought the building’s systems up to the highest digital-projection and acoustic standards, while carefully preserving Natalini’s original spatial vision. The main hall seats nearly 500.
Florence’s Festival Cinema Hub
La Compagnia operates exclusively as a festival and cultural venue — no commercial releases. It is the permanent home of Firenze Archeofilm (international festival of cinema on archaeology, art and the environment), the Festival dei Popoli (Europe’s oldest documentary film festival), and Schermo dell’Arte (art and cinema). Its programming makes it an irreplaceable asset in Florence’s cultural landscape and a unique intersection of architectural heritage and moving-image culture.