Venice, August 28 - September 7, 2019 - SIC Venezia
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Venice, August 28 – September 7, 2019
FOR A CINEMA OF TODAY
«Deux plus deux ne font plus quatre
Toutes les murs peuvent s'abattre »
From Duelle (une quarantaine) by Jacques Rivette
During the past three years, the Venice International Film Critics’ Week contributed in a significant way to put on
the map important names such as Bertrand Mandico, Ala Eddine Slim, Helena Witmann, Anna Ericksson, Deborah
Haywood just to name a few. We screened Still Recording by Ghiath Ayoub and Saeed Al Batal that overthrown the
opposed partisan rhetoric from the narrative about the Syrian war. With Dachra we showed the first Tunisian
horror film (commercially distributed in many countries). Three years, 27 films. Long feature films acclaimed
everywhere with enthusiasm by the audience, critics, the occasional viewer, film festivals programmers and
curators. And while we are preparing the 34th edition of Critics’ Week, the films of the previous editions tirelessly
continue their path, gathering new consensus.
Unfortunately, the world it’s not cinema. And those who today want to (continue to) face the moving images can
only ask themselves in which way they want to live. The troubling signs that we could foresee ahead of us when we
started this adventure became a daily threat. We either try to be part of the solution – also in our daily work – or
we become part of the problem. Therefore, inevitably, what is the cinema of today? At the Venice International
Film Critics’ Week, we work for a cinema that has the courage to be anchored to our present. The same way
Roberto Rossellini showed us. A cinema that refutes nostalgia; able to think about the present in order to imagine
the future. Cinema is only an invention without future if we don’t know how to live History here and now.
The films chosen in fruitful, passionate and generous collaboration with the new selection committee are works of
freedom. Films able to put into discussion the state of things. These are works that are anchored in the world, the
result of situations that saw them coming alive. They come from specific places that go towards the world; they are
not audiovisual works that are interchangeable with numerous others. India, Iraq, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico,
Chile, UK, Denmark, Italy. A selection of films that willingly peek on the fantastic, that are thriller, fantasy and
animation hybrids. All works where there is a palpable pleasure of storytelling and fabulation, without ever
forgetting to challenge form. Films accompanied by some of the most interesting actors of recent years such as
Alfredo Castro, Trine Dyrholm, Billie Piper and others. A selection that once more – and in continuity with previous
editions – comes to light marked by strong female presence, an exploration of the bodies and by sensuality. And
we can only wish – with Bertrand Mandico – that “le cinema sera appelé «la cinéma» un an sur deux”.
We hope to meet again in the screening room to celebrate together these directors. It’s only in the diversity of the
voices and gazes, in the multiplicity of dreams and desires to be seduced by, that we can find the instruments to be
able to oppose our daily resistance.
Cinema is now.
Giona A. Nazzaro
General Delegate | 34th Venice International Film Critics’ Week
THE VENICE INTERNATIONAL FILM CRITICS’ WEEK – A HISTORY OF DEBUTS Throughout the years, the Venice International Film Critics’ Week, founded in 1984 by Italian film historian and critic Lino Micciché, selected first feature films by emerging directors who then went on establishing themselves in the international panorama. In 1985, Kevin Reynolds presented a film that became a cult movie: Fandango. The following year, the sidebar section screened Désordre by debutant Olivier Assayas, (Best Director at 2016 Cannes for Personal Shopper). The British director and scriptwriter Mike Leigh joined the 1988 selection with High Hopes and sixteen years later came back to Venice to win the Golden Lion with Vera Drake. That same year, the section premiered Let’s Get Lost, the directorial debut of legendary fashion photographer Bruce Weber, later Oscar nominee. 1989 is the year of O Sangue, the first feature fiction film by celebrated Portuguese filmmaker Pedro Costa (No Quarto da Vanda, Juventude em marcha, Cavalo Dinheiro). In 1993 Bryan Singer, cult director of The Usual Suspects and the “X-Men” saga, debuted at Venice Critics’ Week with his thriller Public Access. In 1997, the sidebar section brought to light Gummo, the debut film by one of the most prominent names in today’s US indie cinema, Harmony Korine. The following year, Peter Mullan debuted with Orphans, and in 2002 won the Golden Lion with his sophomore film The Magdalene Sisters. In 1999, Argentinean director Pablo Trapero premiered Mundo Grúa, which went on winning many awards around the world. In 2000, La faute à Voltaire by Abdellatif Kechiche – director and scriptwriter of La vie d’Adèle, Cannes Palme d’Or in 2014 – won the Lion of the Future Award. That same year, the selection included You Can Count on Me by debutant Kenneth Lonergan, Oscar winner in 2017 for Best Script for Manchester by the Sea. In recent years, Tanna (2015) by Bentley Dean and Martin Butler landed the nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2017 Academy Awards, whereas The Last of Us by Ala Eddine Slim won the 2016 Lion of the Future and later triumphed at the African Academy Awards. The Venice International Film Critics’ Week also hosted the debuts of some of the most influential Italian directors: Carlo Mazzacurati’s talent came under the spotlight in 2010 with Notte italiana. La stazione (1990) was the directorial debut of actor Sergio Rubini and won the Best First Feature Film prize, which the following year went to Antonio Capuano for Vito e gli altri. Roberta Torre debuted in 1997 with Tano da morire, which later won the David di Donatello, the Globo d’Oro and the Nastro d’Argento for Best Emerging Director. In 2001, Tornando a casa marked Vincenzo Marra’s debut collecting several awards, a few years later he came back to Venice with Vento di terra (2004), winning the Orizzonti Special Mention. In 2003, Salvatore Mereu debuted with Ballo a tre passi, and got a special mention for the Lion of the Future – “Luigi De Laurentiis” Award; and in 2007 Andrea Molaioli presented La ragazza del lago, earning the Pasinetti Award and ten David di Donatello awards. In 2012 actor Luigi Lo Cascio presented his first film, La città ideale. The following year, Matteo Oleotto premiered Zoran, My Nephew the Idiot, while L’arte della felicità by the renowned Neapolitan animation artist Alessandro Rak opened the sidebar section, confirming once again the taste for discovery of a section that searches tirelessly today for the new gazes of tomorrow. After premiering at the 33rd Venice International Film Critics’ Week, where Still Recording by Saeed Al Batal and Ghiath Ayoub won the Audience Award and the Mario Serandrei Award for Best Technical Contribution, and Bêtes blondes by Alexia Walther and Maxime Matray winning the Verona Film Club Award, the films selected in 2018 collected several awards and attended numerous film festivals and cinematic events around the world.
THE 34th VENICE INTERNATIONAL FILM CRITICS’ WEEK
The Venice International Film Critics’ Week is an independent and parallel section organized by the National Union
of Italian Film Critics (SNCCI) during the 76th Venice International Film Festival (August 28 – September 7, 2019). The
programme includes a selection of seven debut films in competition and two special events out of competition, all
presented as world premiere. The selection is curated by the General Delegate of the Venice Critics’ Week Giona A.
Nazzaro together with the members of the selection committee Paola Casella, Simone Emiliani, Beatrice Fiorentino
and Roberto Manassero.
THE AWARDS
The seven feature films in competition at the 34th Venice International Film Critics’ Week are eligible for two main
awards, each consisting of a € 5,000 prize:
• Audience Award, made possible thanks to the support of the Comune di Taranto
• Grand Prize Venice International Film Critics’ Week, made possible thanks to the support of SIAE – Società
Italiana degli Autori ed Editori and conferred by an international jury to the best film in competition.
Furthermore, the films in competition are eligible for the following prizes:
• Verona Film Club Award, bestowed by a jury composed by members under 35 of the Verona Film Club and
awarded to the most innovative film in the section.
• Mario Serandrei – Hotel Saturnia Award for Best Technical Contribution, sponsored by the Hotel Saturnia in
Venice and conferred by a committee of experts.
Lion of the Future – “Luigi De Laurentiis” Venice Award for a Debut Film
The seven films in competition at the Venice International Film Critics’ Week, together with all the debut feature
films presented in the various competitive sections of the Venice Film Festival (Official Selection and Independent
and Parallel Sections) are eligible for the Lion of the Future – “Luigi De Laurentiis” Venice Award for a Debut Film.
An International Jury of no more than 5 personalities from the world of cinema and culture from various countries,
including one producer, will award a prize of 100,000 US dollars, donated by Filmauro, to be divided equally
between the director and the producer. No joint awards will be permitted.
SPONSORS AND PARTNERS
Once again, the Venice International Film Critics’ Week is pleased to count on the support of BNL Gruppo BNP
Paribas, a bank that has always been active in supporting Italian cinema and international film festivals.
The sidebar section is also possible thanks to the patronage of the Regione Veneto, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano
Alto Adige, Adige Provincia Autonoma di Trento and Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia. After the Venice Film
Festival, the films selected at the Venice Film Critics’ Week will travel to several cities of the regions of Veneto,
Trentino Alto Adige and Friuli Venezia Giulia in Northern Italy and the city of Taranto.
The Venice International Film Critics’ Week is also made possible thanks to the support of other important
sponsors and partners, such as, Istituto Luce-Cinecittà, Comune di Taranto, SIAE – Società Italiana degli Autori ed
Editori, Circolo del Cinema di Verona, Agnus Dei – Tiziana Rocca Productions, Hotel Saturnia, Frame by Frame,
Stadion Video, Fondazione Fare Cinema - Bobbio Film Festival.
The Venice Film Critics’ Week is happy to collaborate with its media partners: FRED, a multi-lingual web radio;
Festival Scope, an online platform for film professionals; Quinlan, a web magazine specialized in film criticism and
the Centro Nazionale del Cortometraggio (Italian Short Film Center).THE 2019 LINEUP
COMPETITION
JEEDAR EL SOT | ALL THIS VICTORY
by Ahmad Ghossein
Lebanon, France, Qatar
PARTENONAS | PARTHENON
by Mantas Kvedaravičius
Lithuania, Ukraine, France
EL PRINCIPE | THE PRINCE
by Sebastián Muñoz
Chile, Argentina, Belgium
PSYKOSIA | PSYCHOSIA
by Marie Grahtø
Denmark, Finland
RARE BEASTS
by Billie Piper
United Kingdom
SAYIDAT AL BAHR | SCALES
by Shahad Ameen
UAE, Iraq, Saudi Arabia
TONY DRIVER
by Ascanio Petrini
Italy, Mexico
SPECIAL EVENTS
Opening film Closing film
BOMBAY ROSE SANCTORUM
by Gitanjali Rao by Joshua Gil
United Kingdom, India, France Mexico, Qatar, Dominican RepublicCOMPETITION JEEDAR EL SOT | ALL THIS VICTORY by Ahmad Ghossein. Lebanon, France, Qatar, 2019. Col., 93’ Screenplay: Ahmad Ghossein, Abla Khoury, Syllas Tzoumerkas. Cinematography: Shadi Chaaban. Editing: Yannis Chalkiadakis. Music: Khyam Allami. Sound: Cedric Kayem, Rana Eid. Art Direction: Hussein Baydoun. Costume Design: Charlotte Hachem. Cast: Karam Ghossein, Adel Chahine, Boutros Rouhana, Issam Bou Khaled, Sahar Minkara Karame, Flavia Juska Bechara. Production: Georges Schoucair, Myriam Sassine – Abbout Productions. Co- production: Marie-Pierre Macia, Claire Gadéa – MPM Film, Antoine Khalife - Sunnyland. World sales: WTFilms. A long night of terror. A political and visionary thriller about a key moment of recent Lebanese history. To live under the same roof with a powerful enemy, armed to the teeth. Fear as the only card to play in war. A nocturnal film where conflict is always off screen. A game of tense massacre between internal oppressors and an unreachable external world. Synopsis Lebanon, July 2006. War is raging between Hezbollah and Israel. During a 24h ceasefire, Marwan heads out in search of his father who refused to leave his Southern village. As the ceasefire is quickly broken, Marwan finds himself under the rain of bombs and takes shelter in a house with a group of elders. Suddenly, a group of Israeli soldiers enter the first floor. Trapped in the house and hostages of their own fears, the next three days will see the situation spiral out of control. Ahmad Ghossein (1981), is a filmmaker and video artist. He directed several documentaries, short films and videos including Operation Nb… (Best Director Prize at Busan Film Festival 2004), My Father is Still a Communist (Moma, Berlinale, Best Short Film at Tribeca 2011) and The Fourth Stage (Berlinale Forum Expanded 2016). He co-directed White Noise with Lucie La Chimia, a short that opened the Directors’ Fortnight in 2017. All This Victory is his first feature length film.
PARTENONAS | PARTHENON by Mantas Kvedaravičius. Lithuania, Ukraine, France, 2019. Col. 119’ Screenplay: Mantas Kvedaravičius, Eirini Avramopoulou, Evangelos Koutsourakis. Cinematography: Mantas Kvedaravičius, Viacheslav Tsvetkov. Editing: Dounia Sichov, Mantas Kvedaravičius. Sound: Nicolas Becker. Art Direction: Jurij Grigorovič, Ovidijus Talijūnas. Costume Design: Agnė Rimkutė. Cast: Mehdi Mohammed, Hanna Bilobrova, Garip Ozdem, Rita Burkovska. Production: Uljana Kim – Studio Uljana Kim. Co-production: Vitalii Sheremetiev, Natalia Libet – ESSE Production House, Nadia Turincev, Julie Gaiet, Antoun Sehnaoui – Rouge International, Mantas Kvedaravičius – Extimacy Films. A film that plays between Africa (Sudan), Europe (Greece), Turkey and Ukraine. Three destinies intertwine and overlap. And around it the ruins of the old world while the new one refuses to manifest itself. A film that does not resembles to anything in the cinematographic panorama. A numbing visual vortex held by an absolute visual mobility. The revelation of Mantas Kvedaravičius’ talent. Synopsis “I weep not with remorse, but for fear I won’t be able to satisfy my passion”. She said. The day it snowed in Istanbul, Garip killed Mahdi. It was Garip and Sofia who were madly in love once. This was in Odessa, but it all began when Saharan sand covered the city of Athens. Whose memory was it? Or will be? Mantas Kvedaravičius (1976) is an associate professor at Vilnius University where he teaches visual cultures and cinema. He holds a Ph.D. in social anthropology from the University of Cambridge and is currently working on the book Knots of Absence, focusing on body politics, materiality, and affect. He is the author of two documentary films, Barzakh and Mariupolis, which explore dreams and death, and art forms and warfare, respectively. These have both premiered at the Berlinale and have been shown and awarded worldwide. Parthenon is his first feature film.
EL PRINCIPE | THE PRINCE by Sebastián Muñoz. Chile, Argentina, Belgium, 2019. Col., 96’ Screenplay: Luis Barrales, Sebastián Muñoz. Cinematography: Enrique Stindt. Editing: Danielle Fillios. Music: Angela Acuña. Sound: Guido Deniro. Art Direction: Claudia Gallardo. Costume Design: Carolina Espina. Cast: Juan Carlos Maldonado, Alfredo Castro, Gaston Pauls, Sebastián Ayala, Lucas Balmaceda, Cesare Serra, José Antonio Raffo. Production: Marianne Mayer-Beckh – El Otro Film. Co-produzione: Roberto Doveris – Niña Niño Films, Nicolas Grosso, Federico Sando Novo – Le Tiro, Griselda Gonzales, Mark Rees – Be Revolution Pictures. World Sales: Patra Spanou Film Marketing & Consulting. A flamboyant prison melodrama. Sumptuous and baroque. On the background of a country, Chile, that is enthusiastically living the rise of Salvador Allende, a young man becomes the object of desire of a male society strained between oppression and seduction. A timeless film with an extraordinary interpretation by Alfredo Castro, where the ghosts of Jean Genet, Derek Jarman and Werner Schroeter intertwine. Synopsis Chile, 1970. During a night of heavy drinking, Jaime, a lonely 20-year-old young man, stabs his best friend in what seems a passion outburst. Sentenced to prison, he meets “The Stallion”, an older and respected man in whom he finds protection, and from whom he learns about love and loyalty. Behind bars, Jaime becomes “The Prince”. But as their relationship grows stronger, “The Stallion” faces the violent power struggles within the prison. Sebastián Muñoz (1973) graduated from the Cinema School of the Arcis University and has been working as a production designer for some of the most significant films in contemporary Chilean cinema. In 1996 he shot his first short film Happiness and in 1997 Good Luck. Based on a novel by Mario Cruz (Elías O. Martínez), El Principe is his first feature film.
PSYKOSIA | PSYCHOSIA by Marie Grahtø. Denmark, Finland, 2019. Col., 87’ Screenplay: Marie Grahtø. Cinematography: Catherine Pattinama Coleman. Editing: Linda Man. Sound: Mathias Dehn Middelhart. Music: Pessi Levanto. Art Direction: Josephine Farsø Rasmussen. Costume Design: Charlotte Scheffmann Weber. Special Effects: Peter Hjort. Cast: Lisa Carlehed, Victoria Carmen Sonne, Trine Dyrholm, Bebiane Ivalo Kreutzmann. Production: Amalie Lyngbo Quist, Julie Friis Walenciak – Beo Starling. Co-production: Mark Lwoff, Misha Jaari – Bufo. Inspired on the true medical story of the director, the film is suspended between atmospheres from Dario Argento’s cinema and the visual virtuosity Lars Von Trier style. An authentic praise of folly. And of cinema. An inebriating explosion of shapes outside any pre-defined scheme. A surprising and sensual thriller starring Tryne Dyrhol (Nico, 1988) and Victoria Carmen Sonne (Holiday, Winter Brothers). Synopsis Viktoria is an odd and extremely self-disciplined researcher in the field of suicide. She is invited to a psychiatric ward to treat the suicidal patient Jenny. Through intimate night conversations, they form a tight bond. Viktoria slowly opens up to experience closeness with another person for the first time in her life, but the closer the two women get, the more it becomes clear that something is not as it seems. Marie Grahtø (1984) graduated from the independent film school Super16 in 2014. She has travelled to festivals around the world with her three short films Daimi (2012), Yolo (2013) and her graduation work Teenland (2014). Psychosia (2019) is her feature film debut.
RARE BEASTS by Billie Piper. United Kingdom, 2019. Col., 89’ Screenplay: Billie Piper. Cinematography: Patrick Meller. Editing: Hazel Baillie. Music: Nathan Coen, Johnny Lloyd. Sound: Keith Tunney. Art Direction: Sarah Kane. Costume Design: Grace Snell. Cast: Billie Piper, Leo Bill, Kerry Fox, Toby Woolf, David Thewlis, Lily James. Production: Vaughan Sivell – Western Edge Pictures. Executive Production: Franki Goodwin, Mike Rattenbury, Will Kane, Vaughan Sivell – Western Edge Pictures; Billie Piper; Ben Pugh, Josh Varney – 42 Management & Production; Paul Higgins – Fields Park; Jim Reeve, Robert Halmi – Great Point Media; Jeff K. Clarke, Claire Lee, Stephen Wallace – Warrior Global Media. Co-production: Tom Wood – Western Edge Pictures. Mandy wants a career and dreams about a great love. But it’s not easy to disentangle from charlatan suitors, incompetent bosses and a distracted family. The perfect anti rom-com with a hint of bitter craziness to complement it. Interpreted and directed by Billie Piper (Penny Dreadful, Doctor Who and Secret Diary of a Call Girl), the film also avails of the performances of David Thewlis (Harry Potter), Leo Bill (Peterloo) and Lily James (Downton Abbey). Synopsis Mandy is a mother, a writer, a nihilist. Mandy is a modern woman in a crisis. Raising a son in the midst of a female revolution, mining the pain of her parents' separation and professionally writing about a love that no longer exists, she falls upon a troubled man, Pete, who’s searching for a sense of worth, belonging and ‘restored’ Male identity. Billie Piper (1982) is an English actress, dancer, and singer. At the age of 15 she released her debut single "Because We Want To", which made her the youngest artist to enter at number one on the UK Singles Chart. In 2003, she retired from the recording industry and began an acting career, starring in TV series Doctor Who, Secret Diary of a Call Girl and Penny Dreadful. Piper has starred in five plays since 2007 and was given a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance in Yerma. Rare Beasts is her first feature as a director.
SAYIDAT AL BAHR | SCALES by Shahad Ameen, UAE, Iraq, Saudi Arabia. 2019. B&W, 74’ Screenplay: Shahad Ameen. Cinematography: João Ribeiro, AIP. Editing: Shahnaz Dulaimy, Ewa Johansson-Lind, Ali Salloum. Music: Mike e Fabien Kourtzer. Sound: Laurent Chassaigne. Art Direction: Martin Sullivan. Costume Design: Hamada Atallah. Cast: Basima Hajjar, Ashraf Barhoum, Yagoub Alfarhan. Production: Ben Ross – Image Nation Abu Dhabi FZ LLC. Executive Production: Mohamed Al-daradji – Iraqi Independent Film Central. Co-production: Paul Miller – Escape Pictures, Stephen Strachan – Film Solution, Rula Nasser – The Immaginarium Films. World Sales: Cinetic (North America), AGC (Rest of the world). A ferocious and enchanted fable directed by a very young Saudi director gifted with a spectacular talent. A film framed in a sculpted black & white. A lyric coming of age, visually dazzling. Sensual as the chant of sirens. Mysterious and urgent. A true surprise. Synopsis Hayat, a 12-year-old strong-willed girl, lives in a poor fishing village governed by dark tradition, in which every family must give away a daughter to the sea creatures who inhabit the waters near by. In turn, the sea creatures are hunted by the men of the village. Saved from this ordeal by her father, Hayat is outcasted by her village and considered a curse. But Hayat never surrenders. When Hayat’s mother gives birth to her new-born brother, Hayat must accept the brutal custom by sacrificing herself to these creatures or find a way to escape. Shahad Ameen (1988), was born and raised in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Video Production and Film Studies from the University of West London, and she also holds a degree in Screenwriting. Her short films include Our Own Musical, Leila’s Window (2011), and Eye & Mermaid (2013), this latter presented at the film festivals in Dubai, Toronto, and Stockholm. Scales is her first feature film.
TONY DRIVER by Ascanio Petrini, Italy, Mexico. 2019. Col.73’. Screenplay: Ascanio Petrini. Cinematography: Mario Bucci. Editing: Benedetta Marchiori. Sound: Filippo Restelli, Vincenzo Santo. Music: Francesco Cerasi. Cast: Pasquale Donatone. Production: Marco Alessi, Giulia Achilli – Dugong Films. Co-production: Helmut Dosantos – Fulgura Frango, Lucia Ferrante, Ascanio Petrini – Rabid Film with the contribution of MIBAC, Apulia Film Commission. An upside-down epopee of an anti-Italian that could have easily been a forgotten script by Age & Scarpelli, a film never done by Dino Risi or Ettore Scola. A deconstructed commedia all’italiana, bitter and impossible, an absolutely out of the box film. An unclassifiable work. A film about the absurd uselessness of borders. Synopsis: One day, Pasquale decides to change his name and to be called Tony. Because despite being born in Bari in the mid 60s, he crosses the ocean with his family at 9 years of age and grows up as a real American. He becomes a taxi driver in Yuma, but he is arrested due to his "side job": carrying illegal immigrants to the US through the Mexican border. He is therefore forced to choose: jail in Arizona or deportation to Italy. Once back in the region of Puglia, he finds himself living alone in a cave in Polignano a Mare, looking at Italy as a small, stuck country, with no opportunities and without dreams. But Tony is not willing to surrender... Ascanio Petrini (1979) was born in Bari. A DAMS graduate, he directed a few short films, among which Piscio, presented at Cortodorico and among the finalists of Nie Wiem. His first documentary Salva la cozza was selected at Sguardi Altrove Film Festival in Milan, and RIFF in Rome. He has been working as a first assistant director on several Italian and international films. Tony Driver is his debut feature.
OUT OF COMPETITION SPECIAL EVENT - OPENING FILM BOMBAY ROSE by Gitanjali Rao. United Kingdom, India, France, Qatar. Col., 93’ Screenplay: Gitanjali Rao. Cinematography: Gitanjali Rao. Editing: Gitanjali Rao. Music: Swanand Kirkire, Cyli Khare. Sound: PM Satheesh, Manoj M Goswami. Production Design: Rupali Gatti. Animation: Paperboat Design Studios. Production: Rohit Khattar, Anand Mahindra – Cinestaan Film Company. Executive Production: Deborah Sathe, Tessa Inkelaar. Co-production: Charlotte Uzu, Serge Lalou – Les Films d’Ici. World Sales: C International Sales. A film made by hand. A melodrama drawn image by image and inspired by the iconography of the multiple Indian traditions. A tale of fragile love and full of hope, with male Bollywood stereotypes in the background. Bombay Rose is an authentic revelation destined to re-write the rules of contemporary animation cinema. Synopsis Amidst the struggle of survival in a big city, a red rose brings together three tales of impossible loves. Love between an unavailable girl and boy. Love between two women. Love of an entire city for its Bollywood stars. Gitanjali Rao (1971), a self-taught animator and filmmaker, emerged into the international stage with her animated short Printed Rainbow which premiered in Cannes Critics’ Week in 2006 and went on to win 25 awards. Her body of work includes animated commercials, pre-production for animated features, logo-motions as well as graphic novels and illustrated stories. She is also an award-winning actress on stage and in films. Bombay Rose, a labour of love painted frame by frame and made over six years, is her debut feature.
SPECIAL EVENT - CLOSING FILM SANCTORUM by Joshua Gil. Mexico, Qatar, Dominican Republic, 2019. Col., 84’ Screenplay: Joshua Gil. Cinematography: Mateo Gúzman, Joshua Gil. Editing: Joshua Gil, León Felipe González, Yibrán Asuad. Music: Galo Durán. Sound: Sergio Díaz. Art Direction: Rafael Camacho. Costume Design: Alisarine Ducolomb, Mario Salas. Cast: Erwin Antonio Pérez Jiménez, Nereyda Pérez Vásquez, Virgen Vázquez Torres, Javier Bautista González, Damián Dositelo Martínez Vásquez, Ofelia Díaz Gómez, Medardo Díaz Gutiérrez. Production: Marion d’Ornano, Joshua Gil - Parábola Cine, Carlos Sosa – Viento del Norte Cine, Laura Imperiale – Cacerola Films. Co-production: Alejandro Miranda – La Monita Creativa, Israel Cárdenas – Aurora Dominicana, Georgina Gonzales, Rodrigo Itturalde - MonoFilms. Joshua Gil showcases the apocalypse as redemption for the last and as revenge of the Creation, sacked and offended. The world upside down. Redemption for the World and for the Last. The chant of the Apocalypse in Eden’s garden. As a metaphysic version of Narcos between Death Angels and divine revenge. A visionary film that puts on the map a name that is to be placed side by side with Reygadas and Cuarón. Synopsis In a small, forgotten town surrounded by tree-covered mountains lives a small boy and his mother. Traditional life in the town has been uprooted ever since it got caught in the crossfire of the war between the military and the cartels. With few opportunities for work and not enough money to move somewhere else, the mother cultivates marijuana for the cartels. One day, she does not return from work. Struck with grief, the grandmother tells the little boy to go into the forest and pray to the sun, the wind, and the water so that they will return his mother unharmed. As the soldiers arrive and the villagers prepare for their last stand, the awesome power of nature manifests itself. Joshua Gil (1976) has a Masters Degree in Cinematography by the School of Cinema and Audiovisual of Catalonia (ESCAC) in Barcelona Spain. Gil began his professional career in the photography department of the film Japón by Carlos Reygadas. Subsequently developed as a DoP in short films, feature films and documentaries while deepening his studies abroad with filmmakers such as Patricio Guzmán and The Quay Brothers. In 2007 he began his career as director of documentaries, commercials and television series. In 2015 he directed his first feature film La Maldad selected at the 65th Berlinale.
And then the David di Donatello for the best short film arrived. Frontiera by Alessandro De Gregorio, produced by Simone Gattoni’s Kavac Film, won the most prestigious award of Italian Cinema with a work presented last year in the framework of the third edition of SIC@SIC. Born from the collaboration and synergy between the Istituto Luce- Cinecittà and the Venice International Film Critics’ Week, the short film showcase of debutants, our observatory for Italian cinema’s new energy, reveled to be a winning bet. From Sundance (Quelle brute cose by Loris Giuseppe Nese) to the rest of the world, “our” short films from “our” directors won important prizes and where appreciated and admired all over. Thanks to the generous collaboration of our partners – Frame by Frame, Stadion Video and Fondazione Fare Cinema of Bobbio – that offer the winners prizes in services, the SIC@SIC project is today even stronger. We are convinced that the new short films that SIC@SIC is presenting have all the promise of the future. The section is introduced out of competition by Passatempo a short by Gianni Amelio, who honored us with his film, and we close with Destino by Bonifacio Angius, one of the most passionate authors of the new Italian cinema, SIC@SIC becomes an adult and takes its space. Here is where tomorrow’s cinema comes through. Giona A. Nazzaro General Delegate | 34. Venice International Film Critics’ Week Headed by an exceptional filmmaker, Gianni Amelio, seven Italian short films arrive at SIC@SIC, a project that in its fourth year connects the Istituto Luce-Cinecittà with the Venice International Film Critics’ Week, responsible for the selection of all films. The last few months show that a short film from last year’s edition, Frontiera by Alessandro Di Gregorio won the David di Donatello and others traveled everywhere from the Moscow Film Festival to Sundance, while three short filmmakers that presented their work at SIC@SIC are now in pre-production of their first long feature film. But more than writing in institutional terms about the project that “foresees the promotion of new talents”, I would like to make a request to journalists and film critics, so that they find space in their newspapers and websites for these seven young filmmakers that are seen for the first time at a major film festival. Because only a journalistic echo can transform the equation Venice-Lagoon into Venice-World. Only a press with certain vigor transforms what is otherwise just a paragraph in a CV, to be at the Festival, in a clear push towards the next step, which is often the debut feature film. In the meanwhile, let these seven short films surprise you, a vortex of girls and children, including Goldilocks that do justice to history, a sound catcher and a nostalgia seeker. Carla Cattani Head of International Promotion of Contemporary Cinema| Istituto Luce-Cinecittà
SIC@SIC - Short Italian Cinema @ Settimana Internazionale della Critica
The fourth edition of SIC@SIC (Short Italian Cinema @ Settimana Internazionale della Critica) offers a selection of
seven short films in competition by Italian directors who have not yet embarked on a full-length film, and two
special events, all screened in world premiere. The short films programme is part of the 34th Venice International
Film Critics’ Week and is curated by the General Delegate Giona A. Nazzaro with the members of the selection
committee Paola Casella, Simone Emiliani, Beatrice Fiorentino and Roberto Manassero. The programme was born
thanks to the synergy between the National Union of Italian Film Critics’ (SNCCI) and the Istituto Luce-Cinecittà as
one of the initiatives supporting the development of new Italian cinema and promoting young filmmakers.
THE AWARDS
The seven short films in competition are eligible for the following prizes to be given by the critics of the French film
magazine La Septième Obsession (www.laseptiemeobsession.com):
• Award for Best Short Film
sponsored by Frame by Frame and consisting in post-production services for the next short film by the
winning director.
• Best Director Award
sponsored by Stadion Video and consisting of English subtitling for the next short film by the winning
director.
• Best Technical Contribution Award
sponsored by Fondazione Fare Cinema and consisting in an invitation to the 2019 edition of the Advanced
Training Course in Film Directing “Fare Cinema”.
AFTER VENICE
After premiering in Venice, the short films presented at SIC@SIC will be promoted at an international level by the
Department for International Promotion of Contemporary Cinema of the Istituto Luce-Cinecittà through a series of
initiatives and festivals, such as the Mostra de Cinema Italià de Barcelona (Short Films Competition section)
programmed in Spain in December 2019. Furthermore, the short films will be made available for industry
professionals through the online platforms Festival Scope Pro and Italian Short Film Video Library – a tool for the
promotion of Italian short films realized by the Centro Nazionale del Cortometraggio (Italian Short Film Center) in
collaboration with Istituto Luce-Cinecittà. Last but not least, at the end of November 2019 they will attend the
TSFM – Torino Short Film Market, organized by the Italian Short Film Centre.
After screening at the third edition of SIC@SIC, the seven short films selected in 2018 have been travelling the
world. In less than nine months, they have already attended almost eighty festivals and cinematic events (including
Sundance, that selected Quelle brutte cose by Loris Giuseppe Nese) winning several awards amongst them the
David di Donatello for Frontiera by Alessandro Di Gregorio. Some of the “class” of 2018 are working on their first
feature length film, and three of our authors of the first editions have already finished their debut feature.SIC@SIC 2019 - THE LINEUP
COMPETITION
AMATEUR by Simone Bozzelli
FERINE by Andrea Corsini
FOSCA by Maria Chiara Venturini
MONOLOGUE by Lorenzo Landi, Michelangelo Mellony
IL NOSTRO TEMPO | OUR TIME by Veronica Spedicati
LOS OCEANOS SON LOS VERDADEROS CONTINENTES | THE OCEANS ARE THE REAL CONTINENTS
by Tommaso Santambrogio
VERONICA NON SA FUMARE | VERONICA CAN’T SMOKE by Chiara Marotta
*
SPECIAL EVENTS – OUT OF COMPETITION
Opening Short Film Closing Short Film
PASSATEMPO | PASTIME DESTINO | DESTINY
by Gianni Amelio By Bonifacio AngiusCOMPETITION SIC@SIC AMATEUR by Simone Bozzelli. Italy, 2019. Col., 15’. Screenplay: Simone Bozzelli. Cinematography: Filippo Marzatico. Editing: Livia Galtieri. Sound: Teresa Scarcia, Lorenzo Gennaro. Art Design: Alessia Duranti. Costume Design: Giuseppe Amadio. Cast: Aurora Di Modugno, Claudio Larena. Production: CSC Production. Synopsis It’s a hot afternoon. Serena is helping Christopher to study German. He is bored and prefers to record her with his cell phone. She doesn't want him to but he likes it because she makes him laugh, especially when Serena acts like a little pig. And when Christopher laughs she is happy. Through this game, the two grow closer and discover an unexpected intimacy. Simone Bozzelli (1994) was born in Silvi, province of Teramo. He moved to Milan and graduated at NABA in Media Design and Multimedia Art. He wrote and directed the shorts Mio fratello (2015) and Loris sta bene (2017), the latter presented at the Lovers Film Festival and in many other Italian and international film festivals. Since 2018 he is studying Film Directing at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia of Rome. FERINE by Andrea Corsini. Italy, 2019. Col., 17’ Screenplay: Andrea Corsini. Cinematography: Francesco Di Pierro. Editing: Matteo Mossi. Music: Diego Galeri. Sound: Lorenzo Dal Ri. Sound Editing: Tommaso Barbaro. Art Design: Martino Bonanomi. Special Effects and Make- Up: Mary Parpinel Costume Design: Valentina Carcupino. Cast: Anna Della Rosa, Alessandro Mor, Mathias Magistrati, Noemi De Luca. Production: Erika Ponti, Beppe Manzi – Oki Doki Film. Co-Production: Francesco Grisi, Giorgia Priolo – EDI Effetti Digitali Italiani Synopsis A woman reaches an abandoned villa that emerges at the border between civilized society and the savage woods from which she just appeared, bare feet and dirty with mud. The woman arrives to a shopping mall. She wanders in the big and empty parking lots following a man who she seems to want to ambush. From her gestures something furious and menacing emerges. Everything seems to draw back to those woods, a place that hides the true nature of her actions. Andrea Corsini (1980) studied in Berlin in the early 2000s. He directed several music video-clips among which Francesco Renga, F. Quintale, Adam Carpet, A Copy for Collapse (selected for the Trenton Art All Night) and Jules Not Jude (winner of the People Choice a Ibiza Music Video Award). In 2011 he wrote and directed the short film Non nel mio giardino with Paolo Briguglia and Giorgio Carminati. In 2018 the documentary Sociatas mortis was presented at the Filmmaker International Film Festival and at the MiMo Triennale Di Milano. He is currently developing his first feature length film Sembra sapere di me, finalist at the development program of the Milano Film Network InProgress.
FOSCA by Maria Chiara Venturini. Italy, Slovenia. 2019. Col., 19’ Screenplay: Maria Chiara Venturini. Cinematography: Salvatore Landi. Editing: Valeria Sapienza. Music: Alessandro Ponti. Sound: Emanuele Cicconi. Art Design: Vieri Cecconi. Costume Design: Stefania Corsetti. Special Effects: Giulio Cuomo. Cast: Elisabetta Bonini, Massimiliano Rossi, Ludovico Succio, Pietro Manfedra, Rossana Bena. Production: Vanessa Capello, Ognjen Dizdarevic, Luca Pancaldi – Bright Frame srl. Co-Production: Viva Videnovic – Strup Produkcija. Synopsis An aristocratic family faces bankruptcy. Little Fosca has to take care of her family that rejects her. One day she stumbles upon the studio her dead mother, a talented taxidermist. Here she comes up with an idea: in order to be loved, she has to become like her mother. Maria Chiara Venturini (1992) after finishing her studies at the John Kavardash Academy she moved to San Francisco where she graduated in Motion Picture and Television at the Academy of Art University. She directed the short films, Chanel-Ancient Regime, Say Yes Dog: Girlfriend and Fosca. MONOLOGUE by Lorenzo Landi, Michelangelo Mellony. Italy, Argentina, Spain. 2019. Col., 12’ Screenplay: Lorenzo Landi, Michelangelo Mellony. Cinematography: Gerard Aparicio, Carmen Montiel, Albert Gomez, Raquel Martinez. Editing: Lorenzo Landi, Michelangelo Mellony. Music: Michelangelo Mellony. Sound: Mercedes Tennina, Cora Delgado. Art Design: Pietro Zoli, Paula Cortez Martinez. Costume Design: Alejandra Aguila. Special Effects: Uri Peix. Cast: Edward J. Bentley, Rob Mcloughlin, Liva Berzi. Production: Lorenzo Landi, Michelangelo Mellony, Pietro Zoli – La Parda. Co-Production: Alessandro Amato, Luigi Chimienti – Dispàrte. World Sales: Zen Movie. Sinossi Thomas is a sound catcher, constantly hunting them. When his best friend betrays him by disappearing with Violet, his inspiring muse, Thomas looses a part of himself: the hearing from his left ear. A trauma that divides his new life in two. Lorenzo Landi (1984) graduated in History of Cinema and Film Analysis at the Università La Sapienza of Rome. He specialized in screenplay at the RAI Script course and then graduated in film directing at the Centre d’Estudis Cinematografics de Catalunya in Barcelona and at the Bande à Part cinema school. Michelangelo Mellony (1981) graduated in Political Science at the Universidad de Buenos Aires and in Musical Production at the Sonica School in Buenos Aires. He moved to Barcelona to continue his studies as a music producer at the Beatlabs School and worked as an author, composer and video maker. Monologue is the first short film as directors.
IL NOSTRO TEMPO | OUR TIME by Veronica Spedicati. Italy, 2019. Col., 16’ Screenplay: Francesca Guerrieri, Giulia Magda Martinez, Sofia Petraroia, Veronica Spedicati. Cinematography: Jacopo Giordano Cottarelli. Editing: Luigi Caggiano. Music: Lillo Morreale. Sound: Chiara Santella. Art Design: Cristina Di Giampietro. Costume Design: Irene Trovato. Cast: Emanuela Minno, Franco Ferrante, Celeste Casciaro. Production: CSC Production. Synopsis Roberta is a nine year old girl who wants to enjoy the last days of summer on the beach playing with her friends, while her father Donato forces her to stay at home to help with household chores. The distance between the two seems unbridgeable, but the discovery that Donato is much more fragile than it seems, will lead them to appreciate their time together. Veronica Spedicati (1992) graduated at the Dams Faculty of Roma Tre University with an experimental thesis about cinema made by deaf people. In 2013 she got a scholarship to study at the Remap Department in the UCLA of Los Angeles. In 2015 she shot the documentary La Prima, focused on the story of a deaf girl. After working as a video maker and in several sets as an assistant director, she went back to school at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia of Rome. In 2018 her short film Il giorno della Patata was selected in competition at the Rome Film Festival in the section Alice nella Città. LOS OCEANOS SON LOS VERDADEROS CONTINENTES | THE OCEANS ARE THE REAL CONTINENTS by Tommaso Santambrogio. Italy, 2019. Col., 20’ Screenplay: Tommaso Santambrogio, Alexander Diego, Edith Ibarra. Cinematography: Tommaso Santambrogio. Editing: Matteo Faccenda. Music: Lav Diaz. Sound editing: Francesco Mauro. Color: Mirko Ciabatti. Cast: Alexander Diego, Edith Ibarra. Production: Tommaso Santambrogio – ChiottoProduction; Gianluca Arcopinto – Palabras; Lav Diaz, Jean Perret, Jorge Yglesias in collaborazione con Catedra de humanidades de la EICTV. Delegate Producer: Valentina del Buono. Distribution: Pablo, Kio Film Synopsis Having Cuba as a background, decadent and in crisis, in a black-and-white lacerated by the Caraibic swinging rain, Alex and Edith, a couple in their 30s, live their love story made of small daily gestures, stories from the past, nostalgia, and a deep intimacy. Tommaso Santambrogio (1992) directed his first short film in 2016, D'Istanti Lontani, set between Milan and Paris. He worked as an assistant director in several films, including Il Signor diavolo by Pupi Avati and Quasi Natale by Francesco Lagi. In 2018 he directed Escena Final, a short film made in collaboration with Werner Herzog in the Peruvian Amazon and presented in many festivals around the world. He is currently working on the next film by Lav Diaz in the Philippines.
VERONICA NON SA FUMARE | VERONICA CAN’T SMOKE by Chiara Marotta. Italy, 2019. Col., 20’ Screenplay: Chiara Marotta, Loris Giuseppe Nese. Cinematography: Loris Giuseppe Nese. Editing: Chiara Marotta. Music: Raffaele Caputo. Sound: Davide Maresca. Art Design: Chiara Marotta, Loris Giuseppe Nese. Costume Design: Chiara Marotta. Cast: Giulia Lamberti, Rossella De Martino, Mariano Lepore, Davide Maresca, Ivonne Lamberti. Production: Chiara Marotta, Loris Giuseppe Nese – Lapazio Film. Synopsis Veronica is 17 years old and for a long time she has been spying from afar a life different from hers, and she chose it for herself. When she finally manages to approach Alessia, she immerses herself completely in this new world that appears to be the same and at the same time different from what she imagined. Chiara Marotta (1993) works as a director and editor of musical video-clips, commercials, short and long feature films, having received several awards. She is co-founder of the production company Lapazio Film that produced the short Quelle brutte cose, written and edited by her, awarded for the Best Technical Contribution for Editing at the 33. Venice International Film Critics’ Week and was also presented at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019.
SPECIAL EVENTS – OUT OF COMPETITION SPECIAL EVENT – OPENING SHORT FILM PASSATEMPO | PASTIME by Gianni Amelio. Italy, 2019. Col., 16’ Screenplay: Gianni Amelio. Cinematography: Luan Amelio Ujkaj. Editing: Simona Paggi. Sound: Alessandro Zanon. Art Design: Giancarlo Basili. Costume Design: Maurizio Millenotti. Cast: Renato Carpentieri, Daouda Sissoko. Production: Bartlebyfilm srl., The Film Club srl. With Rai Cinema. In collaboration with Fondazione Fare Cinema. Produced by: Massimo Di Rocco, Luigi Napoleone. Co-produced by Simone Gattoni. In collaboration with Paola Pedrazzini e Pier Giorgio Bellocchio – Synopsis A retired teacher is sitting at a table outside a bar; it’s a beautiful sunny day. The waiter brings him breakfast. Soon after a young man arrives and the teacher invites him to sit, he was waiting for him. He is dark skinned. He comes from Mali. Well dressed, serene, ready for the “game” that the teacher is playing. It’s a puzzle game where one wins when completing a crossword. But there is a variable that makes this game impossible: guessing the solutions before the question is made. Nevertheless, the young man finishes the game. Or almost… Gianni Amelio (1945) assistant of Vittorio De Seta, started his career in the 70s as a director for TV films (La fine del gioco, La città del sole, La morte al lavoro, Il piccolo Archimede). He debuts in cinema with Blow to the Heart (1982) presented in competition at the Venice International Film Festival. His following films, I ragazzi di via Panisperna (1988), Open Doors (1990), The Stolen Children (1992) highlighted his particular attention to history, labor related issues and the relationships between generations, which will be almost a constant theme in his next works. In 1994 Amelio directs Lamerica, a film entirely shot in post-Communist Albania, where he confirms a style with a strong realistic impact, but open to an epic vision together with influences intelligently absorbed from Italian classical cinema. With the success of The Way We Laughed (1998) he intertwines public experience and personal memory by representing the internal migration from the south to the north of Italy in the 1950s. The film won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival that same year. In 2004 Amelio directs The Keys to the House, the story of the relationship between a young father and his handicapped son, filmed entirely in Berlin. In 2006 he directs The Missing Star, the story of an Italian worker that goes from Shanghai to Mongolia looking for a piece of “his” factory bought from the Chinese. In 2010 Amelio turns to Algeria to work on Albert Camus childhood the way the author intended in his unfinished book, The First Man. The film wins the Critics’ Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. In 2013 Intrepid: A Lonely Hero was presented in competition in Venice and in 2017 Amelio directed Holding Hands and the short film Someone Else’s Home. Gianni Amelio directed for four years the Torino Film festival and wrote books such as “Il vizio del cinema”, “Un film che si chiama desiderio”, “L’ora di regia”. He also wrote two novels, “Politeama” Mondadori, 2016 and “Padre quotidiano”, Mondadori, 2018. He is the only Italian director that won three times the EFA award. He is currently teaching at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome.
SPECIAL EVENT – CLOSING SHORT FILM DESTINO | DESTINY by Bonifacio Angius. Italy, 2019. Col., 19’ Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Music: Bonifacio Angius. Sound: Attilio Lombardo. Cast: Bonifacio Angius, Marta Pintus, Orlando Angius, Andrea Carboni, Teresa Soro, Lucia Napolitano. Production: Bonifacio Angius – Il Monello Film. Italian Distribution: Elefant Film. Synopsis A day where the void, superstition, anguish and fear will have the confirmation that a man without quality was looking for, for a long time. Bonifacio Angius (1982) Director, screenwriter, director of photography and producer, directed several short films awarded in numerous international film festivals. His first feature film Perfidia was the only Italian film in competition at the 67th Locarno International Film Festival in 2014, winning the young critics’ award and had an outstanding success amongst the critics. His second feature film Ovunque proteggimi was presented at the 56th Torino Film Festival and in many other international film festivals. The film was nominated for the Silver Ribbon for best screenplay. Francesca Niedda had a nomination as best actress at the Italian Golden Globes, while Alessandro Gazale, the male protagonist, won the Vittorio Gassman award for best male interpretation at the BIFeST in 2019. Since 2013 Bonifacio Angius is managing the production company Il Monello Film.
A VORTEX OF SHINING LIGHT:
THE OFFICIAL IMAGE OF THE 34TH VENICE INTERNATIONAL FILM CRITICS’ WEEK
“As we live in a world being divided more and more by politics, art
remains one of the few means able to unite people no matter their
origin. The Venice International Film Critics’ Week has always been
a section that shines a light on the filmmakers of the future with an
emphasis on diversity. With this visual I wanted to convey that
feeling of creation without the constraints of labels, gender or
nationality. Floating bodies heading toward a shining light,
embracing a brighter future where all barriers have collapsed.”
Christelle Halal
Christelle Halal
Born in Beirut in 1986, Christelle Halal received an M.A. in Illustration in 2009 from the Lebanese Academy of Fine
Arts where she currently teaches. She works as a freelancer in publishing and advertising. She has illustrated
several children’s books and works as a storyboard artist for television commercials and film. She’s been designing
the visuals of Maskoon Fantastic Film Festival since 2016. www.christellehalal.com
Maskoon — which means haunted in Arabic — is the only festival in the MENA region focusing
exclusively on modern genre films, bringing the best horrors, thrillers, fantasy and action films
from around the globe to Beirut and, by default, to the Arab World. Maskoon started in 2016
and has screened acclaimed international films and also welcomed acknowledged guests who
attended the festival to present their films and take part in public masterclass and industry
panels. The festival runs for 5 days, screening up to 12 international features of the best genre
films of the year, a Lebanese short film competition, a classic film and closes with a cine-concert event. In 2018,
Maskoon was welcomed as a member of the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation. Its 4th edition will take
place from November 6 to 10, 2019.A FLAME THAT NEVER BURNS OUT
The new opening sequence of the Venice International Film Critics’ Week.
An homage to the work of Kevin Jerome Everson.
Film still courtesy of the artist; Trilobite-Arts DAC; Picture Palace Pictures
To inaugurate this new triennial of the Venice International Film Critics’ Week, we decided to have a new opening
sequence that introduces our screenings during the festival. A sequence that intertwines with our work of
researching for the new and challenging the present. These images, that come from one of the acts of Erie by Kevin
Jerome Everson (2010), one of his most radical and surprising films, see little Matilda Washington observe with great
intensity the glimmering flame of a candle. Then, something off screen attracts the little girl, her eyes look elsewhere.
In a few seconds we have the antipodes of “great cinema”. We liked this sense of a constant research, of constant
watching and of a strong questioning towards the world that only cinema manages to grasp in these ways, so radical,
ineffable and sublime.
Kevin Jerome Everson (Mansfield, Ohio - USA 1965) is an American director, sculptor, photographer and painter. His
works have redefined contemporary documentary and experimental cinema. Author of over one hundred and fifty
short films and nine long feature films, his works have been presented in numerous institutions such as the Centre
Pompidou, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the REDCAT of Los Angeles, the Museum of Modern Art of New
York, the Wurttenbergischer Kunstverein of Stuttgart, the American Academy of Rome and many more. His films
have been presented at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the Berlinale, Orizzonti – Venice Film Festival,
Sundance and many others. The Swiss festival Visions du Réel dedicated a complete retrospective of Everson in 2012.
Beholder of a unique gaze, Everson brings back at the center of the political and cultural debate the centrality of the
African-American working class, overthrowing the margins between documentary, fiction and artistic installation.National Union of Italian Film Critics (SNCCI - Sindacato Nazionale Critici Cinematografici Italiani)
Franco Montini | President
la Biennale di Venezia
Paolo Baratta | President
76th Venice International Film Festival
Alberto Barbera | Artistic Director
34th Venice International Film Critics’ Week
Selection Committee
Giona A. Nazzaro | General Delegate
Paola Casella, Simone Emiliani, Beatrice Fiorentino, Roberto Manassero | Members
Programming Office
Eddie Bertozzi
Anette Dujisin-Muharay
sicvenezia@gmail.com
Press Office
The Rumors - press@sicvenezia.it
Press resources: www.sicvenezia.it/stampa
SNCCI office
Patrizia Piciacchia
sncci.info@gmail.com
via delle Alpi, 30 Rome - T: +39 06 4824713
www.sncci.it
www.sicvenezia.it
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