The iDEA Cinema Festival – International Women’s Film Festival returns to Rome from 16 to 21 June at the Spazio Scena, thanks to the collaboration between the Cinema and Audiovisual Office of the Lazio Region and LazioCrea. Now in its 8th edition, the festival, directed by Patrizia Fregonese de Filippo, will continue to celebrate women’s cinema, dedicating six days to the screening of eleven films in competition, of which seven are previewed. The actress Romina Caruana will be the godmother of this edition, while the Palestinian-Israeli singer and actress Mira Anwar Awad will be the testimonial of the first two evenings.
Previews and themes addressed in the screenings
This year the festival is enriched with several world and European premieres. The spotlight will be on What We Fight For, a documentary by Sara Del Dot and Carlotta Marcucci, and Lora by Natalia Alexandrova. Among the European premieres stand out the drama The Other by Joy Sela and the documentary Red Mole: A Romance by Annie Goldson.
The festival will open with Verdigris by Patricia Kelly, an Irish film that explores female friendship and touches on crucial themes such as gender violence, empowerment, youth prostitution and body shaming. The screenings will also include the touching documentary Le morocchinate by Damiana Leone, which explores the violence suffered by the population of Lower Lazio in 1944, and After the Bridge by Marzia Toscano and Davide Rizzo, which offers an unprecedented perspective on the life of the mother of a jihadist terrorist .
Guests and jury of the festival
Mira Anwar Awad will participate as an exceptional testimonial, presenting the documentary The Other. This film, directed by Joy Sela, explores the divisions and connections between Israelis and Palestinians, offering a portrait of people who, despite the losses they have suffered, have not lost their humanity. Among the special guests there will also be the actress Loretta Rossi Stuart, who will announce the winners together with the artistic director Patrizia Fregonese de Filippo and the godmother Romina Caruana.
This year’s jury includes leading figures such as Bernadette Luciano of the University of Auckland, director of photography Gianni Mammolotti, distributor Claudia Bedogni, and the president of Women in Film TV & Media Italia Domizia De Rosa. These experts will carefully evaluate the competing films, adding value to the event with their experience and expertise.
A film festival and much more
The festival is not only limited to the screening of feature films and short films, but also offers masterclasses and book presentations. Among these, “NI SIPELI: L’amore libera” by Cristina Vignato stands out, a love story that transcends the boundaries of time. Furthermore, there will be space for short films interspersed with discussions and meetings which will further enrich the event programme.
This year, the festival also stands out for the choice of themes addressed. From the Czech family drama Heathens by Olga Dabrowska, to the documentary Blue Id by Vuslat Karan and Burcu Melekoglu on the fight for civil rights, up to the Finnish film Light, Light, Light by Inari Niemi which tells a generational story against the backdrop of the Chernobyl tragedy. Each of these films represents a unique look at the world, through the lens of female directors who highlight relevant themes, often overlooked by mainstream cinema.
Useful information
The iDEA Cinema Festival will be held at the Spazio Scena, located in Via degli Orti di Alibert, 1, in Rome. The events will begin on June 16th and conclude on June 21st. Entrance will be available for individual screenings and for the entire day of the festival. Tickets can be purchased at the event location. For more detailed information on the program and screening times, you can consult the Lazioterradicinema website. Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in this unique event, which offers a platform for women’s cinema and addresses issues of great social relevance.
