Manciano, Sorano, Montemerano, Rocchette di Fazio, Saturnia: these are the most charming views of the Maremma that host the sixth edition of the Saturnia Film Festival. A traveling event that takes place among villages, valleys, and thermal baths in the green heart of Tuscany, scheduled from July 26th to 30th, chaired by Antonella Santarelli and artistically directed by director Alessandro Grande. A carousel of films and events awaits in five days of programming, including screenings, masterclasses, guests, exhibitions, tastings, and collateral initiatives, with a special tribute to Franco Zeffirelli on the centenary of his birth, celebrated with the screening of the documentary Zeffirelli: A Conformist Rebel by Anselma Dell’Olio, in the presence of the author. In total, 2500 works competed in the competition across three categories: fiction, animation, and documentary, with 12 films selected. Among the confirmed guests are Daniele Luchetti, Greta Scarano, and Lorenzo Richelmy.

Many short films and a selection of acclaimed feature films

Short films are the soul of the Saturnia Film Festival, but the presence of notable Italian feature films is equally significant. The section will award three first and second works, among the most significant produced in the past year, and their protagonists. The films selected for this edition are The Man on the Road by Gianluca Mangiasciutti, Primadonna by Marta Savina, and Margins by Niccolò Falsetti, which will be screened and discussed in the presence of the directors (on July 27th, 28th, and 29th, respectively). As for the short films in competition, some of the titles include The Conspiracy Barber by Valerio Ferrara, winner of the Best Short Film La Cinef 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 from Cannes, The Right Words by Adrian Moyse Dullin (July 28th), Bear by Nasch Edgerton (July 27th), and Spring Roll Dreams by Mai Vu (July 29th).

All the locations involved in the “Saturnia Film Festival”

The events will take place in charming 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 be held 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 director of distribution at Medusa Film, and composed of Mario Mazzetti (Vivilcinema), Manuela Rima (Rai Cinema), and Mirella Cheeseman (Wildside). This year, the festival includes the Women in Cinema award, dedicated to films directed by women and presented by the Mujeres nel Cinema group, the Audience Award, and the Clorofilla Film Festival Award, with which Saturnia is twinned. Furthermore, the short films in competition will be streamed on the Più Compagnia platform, thanks to the collaboration with the Fondazione Sistema Toscana.

The special events of the “Saturnia Film Festival” 2023

Among the collateral events, it is worth mentioning SCREENS, a collective exhibition that will gather 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 artist shorts, which returns with 5 chosen works after the success of the previous edition. The works can be viewed both in the cinema hall of the Fortezza Orsini during the exhibition and at the Polo Culturale Le Clarisse in Grosseto during the festival days, according to the museum’s opening hours. Let’s not forget the usual tastings with local wines and typical products that will accompany the festival at every stage. Info: www.saturniafilmfestival.it