A competition for short films and 12 selected films for 2023 in the categories of fiction, animation, and documentary
Editorial by Nove from Florence
July 4, 2023 17:39
Dedicated to Zeffirelli, the Saturnia Film Festival returns
This year, the selected short films come from the screens of Cannes, Florida, and Turin to the Saturnia Film Festival, the itinerant event dedicated to short cinematography set in the heart of the Maremma Tuscany, with the presidency of Antonella Santarelli and the artistic direction of director Alessandro Grande. From July 26th to 30th, we return to the symbolic places of the territory – from Manciano to Sorano, Montemerano, Rocchette di Fazio, and Saturnia – for five days of screenings, masterclasses, guests, exhibitions, tastings, and collateral initiatives. The 6th edition is dedicated to Franco Zeffirelli in the centenary of his birth, featuring the screening of the documentary “Zeffirelli conformista ribelle” by Anselma Dell’Olio, in the presence of the author.
Over 2500 works have been submitted so far for the short film competition – the traditional focal point of the event – and 12 films have been selected for 2023 in the three categories of fiction, animation, and documentary. Among the already confirmed guests are Daniele Luchetti, Greta Scarano, and Lorenzo Richelmy. The Saturnia Film Festival is organized by Aradia Productions, with the contribution of MIC Cinema and Audiovisivo, Fondazione CR FIRENZE, Comune di Manciano, Comune di Sorano, and Comune di Semproniano.
The section dedicated to Italian auteur feature films is confirmed, which awards the three most significant first and second works produced in the last year and their protagonists. The films selected for this edition are “L’uomo sulla strada” by Gianluca Mangiasciutti, “Primadonna” by Marta Savina, and “Margini” by Niccolò Falsetti, which will be screened and discussed in the presence of the authors (on July 27th, 28th, and 29th, respectively). As for the short films in competition, among the titles are “Il barbiere complottista” by Valerio Ferrara, winner of the Best Short Film La Cinef Award at the Cannes Festival (July 27th), “Old Tricks” by Edoardo Pasquini and Viktor Ivanov, presented at the Turin Film Festival (July 28th), “7 lbs 8 oz” by Yoo Lee, applauded at the Florida Film Festival (July 27th), and again from Cannes, “The Right Words” by Adrian Moyse Dullin (July 28th), “Bear” by Nash Edgerton (July 27th), and “Spring Roll Dreams” by Mai Vu (July 29th).
The events will be hosted in suggestive locations including Piazza Magenta in Manciano (July 26th), the square of Rocchette di Fazio (July 27th), Piazza Vittorio Veneto in Saturnia (July 28th), and Piazza del Castello in Montemerano (July 29th). The award ceremony, as usual, will take place at the spaces of the Terme di Saturnia Natural Destination thermal park (July 30th). The short films will compete for awards given by a jury chaired by Paolo Orlando, the distribution director of Medusa Film, and composed of Mario Mazzetti (Vivilcinema), Manuela Rima (Rai Cinema), and Mirella Cheeseman (Wildside).
This year, the festival also includes the Women in Cinema Award, reserved for works directed by female directors and awarded by the Mujeres nel Cinema group, as well as the Audience Award and the Clorofilla Film Festival Award – with which Saturnia is twinned. Furthermore, the short films in competition will be streamed for a unique appointment on the Mymovies platform of the La Compagnia cinema in Florence, in collaboration with Fondazione Sistema Toscana.
Among the collateral events worth mentioning is SCREENS, a collective exhibition that will bring together the works of 35 artists including Holaf, Leonardo Crudi, Pep Marchegiani, EPVUS, Desiderio, Krayon, and Massimo Saverio Ruiu at the Mastio della Fortezza Orsini in Sorano, curated by artist David Pompili and sponsored by the Municipality of Sorano (from July 25th to August 31st). Also curated by Pampili for 2023 is the selection of short films for the Art Shorts section, dedicated to the artist’s short film, which, after the success of the previous edition, returns with 5 chosen works. The works will be viewable both in the cinema hall of Fortezza Orsini as part of the exhibition and at the Polo Culturale Le Clarisse in Grosseto during the festival days according to the museum’s opening hours. Not to forget the usual tastings with local wines and products that will accompany the festival at each of its stops.
And then the masterclasses: actress Bianca Nappi, already a collaborator of Ferzan Özpetek and known to the general public for TV series such as Tutto chiede salvezza, Skam Italia, Sirene, will hold a meeting on the actor’s profession (July 30th) and will co-host the final evening of the festival together with Matteo Nicoletta. On the day of the award ceremony, a VR (virtual reality) experience will also be offered in a dedicated corner at the Terme di Saturnia Natural Destination. The initiative, curated by director and producer Alessandro Parrello, will provide the public with the immersive film “7 Miracles” by Rodrigo Cerqueira.
“Through cinema, we are becoming a national and international meeting point in an attempt to unite a difficult and fragmented area like the Maremma hinterland,” says Antonella Santarelli. “Cinema can also have the function of ‘cultural requalifier,’ becoming an unmissable appointment for tourists as well as for the inhabitants themselves, who follow us every year with great affection and participation. Through the itinerant collateral events (exhibitions, tastings, masterclasses, etc.) of each edition of the Saturnia Film Festival, it represents a real territorial marketing operation aimed at building loyalty, promoting, and enhancing the places of the festival.”
“If I had to choose a word to describe this edition,” explains Alessandro Grande, “I would say ‘freedom.’ The freedom to tell and thus enjoy works that have no obstacles or impositions in their creative process. Freedom in art can only have a positive connotation and bring authenticity, which is necessary today more than ever. This year too, the audience of the Saturnia Film Festival will be able to see films of different genres and themes. The goal has always been to offer a wide choice of visual experiences, without imposing limits but favoring quality. This has been the key to attracting an increasing number of spectators edition after edition and also introducing them to cinematographic genres distant from their taste.”
Saturnia Film Festival is organized by Aradia Productions, with the contribution of MIC Cinema and Audiovisivo, Fondazione CR FIRENZE, Municipality of Manciano, Municipality of Sorano, Municipality of Semproniano; Main Sponsors Terme di Saturnia Natural Destination, Medusa Film, Saturnia Tuscany Hotel; with the support of Lions Club Grosseto HOST, Banca Tema e Tema Vita, ASSICOOP TOSCANA SPA Agente Generale UNIPOLSAI di Semproniano, Caseificio di Manciano, Agenzia Immobiliare Toscana Estate Consulting, ristorante Da Caino in Montemerano, ristorante I Due Cippi in Saturnia, ristorante La Chianina Pescatrice Poggio Murella, Vini Capua, Birrificio La Grada Montemerano, Immobiliare il Borgo Montemerano; in partnership with Fondazione Sistema Toscana, Polo Culturale Le Clarisse Grosseto, Mujeres nel Cinema, Accademia Cinema Toscana (Lucca), Clorofilla Film Festival Grosseto, Pro loco di Sorano, West 46th Films, Amaro Milone, Tramontana Taxi, Il Giardino Etrusco, Hotel Saturno Fonte Pura, Farmacia Magaldi, Bar da Luisa, and Frank Giacone Hair Styling, David Pompili.
Info: www.saturniafilmfestival.it
