The Abbey Screenwriters Retreat, a sanctuary for authors seeking creative breakthrough and mentorship
Travel dates: Aug 25, 2026 – Aug 31, 2026
Destination: Serramonacesca, Pescara, Italy
- 6-day retreat in a traditional village residency with all comforts;
- Focus on project coaching, technical writing panels, pitching tables and feedback sessions with three international mentors: Alessandra Arcieri, Elisabetta Abbondanza and Filippo D’Antoni
- Meetings with the locals, knowledge sharing about traditions and stories
- Storytelling in medieval and rural environment
- Extra time for exploration
- Extra time for yoga and mindfulness
“To make a great film you need three things: the script, the script and the script.”
— Alfred Hitchcock
Highlights
FOCUS ON YOUR PROJECT WITH INTERNATIONAL MENTORS
INSPIRING MEDIEVAL AND
RURAL SURROUNDINGS
ACCOMMODATION IN RESTORED VILLAGE HOUSES
AND TRADITIONAL FOOD
Gallery
INSPIRING WALKS
LIVING AND WORKING
LEISURE AND RELAXATION
Late-bird offer: 550 €
valid for subscription until 15th of July
| Special double-room discount |
|
| To be paid by | 20th July 2026 |
Regular price: 690 €
valid for subscription until 30th of July
| Special double-room discount |
|
| To be paid by | 5th August 2026 |
All travel expenses are excluded. Pick-up extra from/to airport: 50 €
The mentors
Our mentors will guide you throughout the screenwriters retreat
Director screenwriter and narrative coach, cross-media storytelling pioneer, yoga teacher
Alessandra Arcieri is an Italian screenwriter, director, and multimedia teacher with decades of experience in cross-media storytelling. A member of the Writers Guild Italia, her work encompasses television, independent cinema, and theater.
Throughout her career, she has written for broadcasters such as Sky, Rai 4, Discovery, and NBC Universal, and directed award-winning documentaries like La mia vita con Osho and Il Teatro del Silenzio. Her screenwriting accolades include the Flaiano Prize for the short film Corpo. For 15 years, Alessandra has shared her expertise by teaching screenwriting at German and Italian film schools, specializing in bridging the gap between traditional narrative and multimedia formats.
Media creative and executive, script doctor, narrative coach, movie reviewer
Filippo D’Antoni is a producer, filmmaker, scriptwriter and media creative with over two decades of experience in the film industry. After working as a production manager on major international features, he graduated from the New York Film Academy and directed several short films. He wrote a documentary for the Italian broadcaster RaiTre and “Men of Three Letters”, a screenplay awarded the Solinas Prize in 2004 and acknowledged as of national cultural interest by the Italian Ministry of Culture. A graduate of several international screenwriters retreats and training programs, including the Berlinale Talent Campus, he currently serves as a selector for international film festivals, as film reviewer for online magazines and leads specialized workshops in audiovisual storytelling and script development.
Screenwriter , Writing Teacher, Writers-Coach
Elisabetta Abbondanza holds a PhD in German Literature and Philosophy from Ludwig Maximilian University (Munich). After specializing in screenwriting at DffB in 2001, she has been based in Berlin since 2002, working as a lecturer in creative and cinematic writing and as a project manager.
Complementing her literary background, she completed her training in Gestalt Psychotherapy and Eating Disorder Therapy (Therapeutisches Institut Berlin, ASL Umbria), through which she developed a unique coaching method centered on writing. An accomplished author, her published works include essays, a writing manual, poetry, and short stories. In her free time, she is a dedicated tango dancer and DJ. Elisabetta lives and works in Berlin.
“Environment is not just a backdrop; it is an active force that shapes the character’s behavior.”
— Lajos Egri
About the place
Nestled in the emerald Abruzzo foothills within the Maiella National Park, Serramonacesca is defined by the majestic Abbey of San Liberatore a Maiella, traditionally linked to Charlemagne. The 9th century edifice was rebuilt a first time from 1007 by the Benedictine monk St. Theobald. all around vertical cliffs rising like natural cathedrals.
The village preserves a deep-rooted history through its narrow stone paths, where the scents of wild plants blend with the ancient silence of hermitages and ruined fortresses. Olive trees all around the houses witness centuries of amazing stories to tell.
This location weaves together the beauty of the Majella mountain with a legacy of divine seeking and patient cultivation, offering a serene glimpse into a world carved from limestone, dedication and prayer.
Serramonacesca: The ideal setting for your next screenwriters retreat.
“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”
— Anton Chekhov
OUR PARTNERS
