Lamezia Terme – We are not in Kansas anymore. Because, in reality, that magic of cinema that “The Wizard of Oz” certainly embodied like few others will soon relive in Lamezia thanks to the eleventh edition of the Lamezia International Film Fest, a now consolidated national-level event led by film critic GianLorenzo Franzì. Yet another edition full of screenings, debates and illustrious guests, perhaps never more open to contamination and collaboration with other important local entities than this year.
A clear example of this is the presence of an iconoclastic character like Morgan, stage name of Marco Castoldi, among the main exponents of Italian songwriting, who will have the task of inaugurating the event on July 15th, on a day with strongly musical connotations (also the live performance, regarding X Factor, by Santino Cardamone). But he is only one of the big names who, once again, will arrive in Lamezia after the various Abel Ferrara, Peter Greenaway, Toni Servillo and many, many others. The complete program, which will be officially available from Monday, was illustrated by Franzì himself, assisted by the organizational director Valentina Arichetta, in a special press conference at “I Giardini del Novecento”, once again the main – but not only – location of LIFF.
“This year – begins the face of “Cinematografo” – there will be six days, because we have decided to expand and lengthen ourselves, also collaborating with other companies in our area, such as Trame. It is no coincidence that we are talking about a fairly packed programme, starting from the films, including films in absolute preview, which have not yet been distributed in cinemas, and our distinctive sections: Colpo d’Occhio, Esordi d’Autore and Visioni Notturne. We will also have several productions from the Calabria Film Commission, a fact that goes beyond being Calabrian, because our region is becoming an important location for numerous national and international films”.
Ample space, obviously, is then given to the numerous guests: not only Morgan, but also Asia Argento (“It’s a family business”, Lumet would say), Giulio Base, Andrea Di Consoli, Claudia Kovacs, Giuseppe Smorto, Claudio Bisio, who will close the edition on 20 July, and, above all, Franco Maresco, defined by Franzì as “the flagship of this year, not only for his specific weight as an author but also because he is usually reluctant to participate in the festival”). Speaking of innovations, “a special thank you – says Valentina Arichetta – goes first of all to Pasquale De Sensi, who took care of the graphics and, above all, proved invaluable in reworking our logo, depicting the Ligea mermaid. But also to all our staff, whose work is certainly not limited to the six days of the festival but starts from afar, to all our partners and to those who have decided to join us and network”. This last aspect is not at all obvious, as underlined by the president of the Trame Foundation, Nuccio Iovene: “Often, in the world of the Third Sector, we propose to create a network, but then, punctually, it doesn’t happen. Yet, as the Trame Foundation, we are trying to build and perhaps consolidate relationships with all the living realities of the territory, not just those closest to the topics we deal with. Precisely for this reason, we made ourselves available for incursions at other times and occasions, as in the case of the Lamezia International Film Fest. A partnership characterized by the contamination of languages that makes me very happy and I hope it can become ever closer.”
Another collaboration, renewed in this case, is that with the Reportage association, led by Annamaria Persico, responsible for various activities during the event (digital storytelling, book presentation, a new literary competition dedicated to Franco Costabile and the Litweb prize by Ippolita Luzzo). Finally, the mayor Paolo Mascaro was also present, who concluded the conference by highlighting the new role of Lamezia in the cultural horizon of the entire South: “Lamezia is no longer what it once was and the fact that events such as the Lamezia International Film Fest o Trame have gone through ten editions is clear proof of this. They are an example of a territory open to cultural initiatives of a certain importance, encouraging their rooting and growth. Speaking of cinema, another proof comes from director Mario Vitale (present at the conference, ed.), among the symbols of a city that wants to emerge, to arrive. But it is not an exception, because there are so many of them. And events like this – he concludes – are the emblem of this new vision of Lamezia Terme”.
The program of the Lamezia International Film Fest 11
Monday 15 July
5.30pm Sala Giardini 1, Author debuts “I am Tony Scott”, by Franco Maresco
7.00pm live musical opening with Santino Cardamone
to follow: Ligeia Award: meeting with Marco Morgan Castoldi
Special Event: Presentation of the book “The rose in the glass”, with Luigi Tassone, Giovanni Mazzei
followed by: “Traces” competition, by Dubravka Turić
Night Visions “Home Education”, by Andrea Niada
Tuesday 16 July
5.30pm Sala Giardini 1, Author debuts “The heart is deceptive”, by Asia Argento
5.30pm Dubbing Masterclass (organized by the Acting School of Calabria): Pasquale Anselmo
7.30pm Ligeia Prize, meeting with Asia Argento, Franco Maresco
meeting with Filippo Carlo Jacopo Mazzarella,
followed by “The Darking Way” competition, by Zsolt Pozsgal, meeting with Claudia Kovacs
Night Visions “Hatching the shape of evil”, by Hanna Bergholm
Wednesday 17 July
5.30pm Sala Giardini 1, Cinema di Calabria, Giotto/Leggera/Ancella d’Amore
18.00 Acting masterclass curated by the Calabria Acting School): Giorgio Colangeli
7.30pm Ligeia Web Award, meeting with Sio, Giuseppe “Mandrake” Ninno
short film screening IC Manzoni: “Where do toys come from?”
followed by Competition: “Ecos”, by Tommy Uorens
Night Visions: “Terrifier”, by Damien Leone
Thursday 18 July
5.30pm Sala Giardini 1, Special Event, “Fritti dalle stelle”, by Marco Lombardi
Presentation of the book “Veg In Black”, by Vegnarok
18.00 Acting masterclass curated by the Calabria acting school). Giorgio Colangeli
7.30pm Cinegustologia, meeting with Marco Lombardi
Meeting with Carlo Gallo
followed by the Special Event “Lux Santa”, by Matteo Russo
“Ethical Intertwining”, by Lorenzo Malavolta, Lucia Mauri
Friday 19 July
10.30 Piazza Mazzini, Special Event: “Storytelling and tradition”
5.30pm Sala Giardini 1, Author debuts “The serum of the vanities”, by Alex Infascelli
7.30pm Ligeia Prize: meeting with Giuseppe Smorto, Daniela Porto
presentation of the book “Dimenticami Dopodomani”, by Andrea Di Consoli, meeting with the author 8.00pm Special Trame Festival: “Semidel”, by Fabio Mallo
followed by Competition, short films
Saturday 20 July
5.30pm Sala Giardini 1, Author debuts, “Poliziotti”, by Giulio Base
7.00 pm Municipal Library, Colpo D’Occhio award ceremony
Nastri d’Argento Award Ceremony (in collaboration with Trame Festival)
to follow: Ligeia Prize: meeting with Claudio Bisio, Giulio Base, Cristiano Bortone
to follow Closing event: “my place is here”, by Cristiano Bortone and Daniela Porto
Francesco Sacco
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