Puglia Film Festival - a weekend of award winning cinema, discussion, and photography
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From July to August 2007 Cinema Nova, the Melbourne Italian Festival and the Puglia Federation of Victoria presented a celebratory showcase of Italy’s award winning, new wave films from the Region of Puglia.
Puglia is the long strip of land, 400km from north to south that makes up the ‘heel’ of Italy. For centuries Puglia was a strategic province, colonized, invaded and conquered by just about every major power, from the Greeks to the Spanish. Each ruling dynasty left its own distinctive mark on the landscape and architecture of Puglia, and the land, its art and people radiate a myriad of historical influences.
The Puglia Film Festival travelled from Melbourne to Adelaide and then on to Sydney and in each city hosted an enchanting selection of 14 films that emulate the Puglia region’s relationship with the land and its surroundings. The festival included six feature films that boast internationally renowned filmmakers and casts (notably Sergio Rubini’s L’Amore Ritorna). Also featured were award winning shorts and documentaries, a photography exhibition and a forum discussion and Q&A with international festival guest Alessandro Piva.
Titles screened during the festival included:
MERIDONIALI SENZA FILTRO (Genuine Southern Italians)
ZINANÀ (The Cymbals)
COMPITO IN CLASSE (Class Work)
LE STORIE CANTANTE (The Stories By Song)
CAMERA MIA (My Room)
UN CERTAIN REGARD (A Certain Regard)
LONTANI DALLA LUNA (Faraway From The Moon)
LALIBERTÀ (The Liberty)
LA CAPAGIRA (Head Spin)
LA CASA DELLE DONNE (The Women’s House)
DEL PERDUTO AMORE (Of Lost Love)
BELL’ E POKER
L’AMORE RITORNA (Love Returns)
SANGUE VIVO (Life Blood)
All films screened in Italian with English subtitles.
Background
The Puglia Film Festival has been organised with the support of the Regional Government of Puglia in Italy. For the first time, the Region has wanted to export ‘ a cultural event’ through the medium of film which can communicate to all Australians of any origin. The Festival comprises fourteen films; that boast some of the ‘new wave directors’ emerging from Italy. The selection of films are a testament of the new wave of film makers emanating south of Rome; the films explore their relationship with the land of Puglia (people from this region in Italy are very connected to their land – akin with the ties that the Aborigines have with the land in Australia); they explore the relationships with people afar; and the relationships amongst themselves. Some of the directors include:
• Michele Placido, who made his directing debut with Crime Novel. Crime Novel was nominated for a Golden Bear Award at the Berlin International Film Festival 2006 and won several awards at the David di Donatello Awards in 2006 including Best screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Photography, Best Editing, Best Art Director, Best Costume Design and Best Visual Effects.
• Sergio Rubini, international film star who has recently made his debut as a film director with La Terra – The Land – which was nominated for several David di Donatello (Italian Academy) awards including Best Actor, Best Film, Best cinematography, Best screenplay, and best supporting actor.
• Edoardo Winspeare – director of Sangue Vivo (Life Blood) has won the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists award in 2001 for Best Original Story and Best Score and in 2000 was awarded the best New Director for the same film.
• Alessandro Piva, who will come as a guest of the Puglia Film Festival to Australia will present his film La Capagira (2000 Headspin). This film was awarded the David di Donatello award for Best New Director and the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists awarded Mr Piva the Silver Ribbon of Best New Director and was nominated for a silver ribbon Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Producer.
The Puglia Film Festival is the first attempt for the Region via the films to present itself as a “modern Region engaged in a new cultural mission”. The Region is also promoting the exchange and collaboration in film production between Australia and Puglia.
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