By: Reuben Dhanaraj
Featuring a host of astounding films, the 11th Italian Film Festival held from the 2nd – 7th of April at the National Museum and Cathay Cinemas promises to engage and enthrall the masses. Exploring a diverse affair of contemporary issues, this year’s Film Festival pioneers the very first presentation of the “Venice International Film Festival” in Singapore, in conjunction with the Venice Biennale (Major Contemporary Art Exhibition).
The festival will boast a compilation of the most outstanding recent Italian Films (7 in total to be exact), a timeless classic – “La dolce vita” by Federico Fellini, and three Asian Films exhibited at the 70th edition of the Venice International Film Festival in 2013.
“The goals of the Festival,” as quoted by Mr. Alberto Barbera – Director of the Venice International Film Festival, “are not limited to give life to one of the most prestigious showcases of the international production of new films, but to the growth of cinematic culture and to broaden the base of cinema lovers for whom the films are made”.
One of the films, which will be covered at the festival, happens to be the award winning “Sacro GRA” by Gianfranco Rosi. Writer and Screen player of this amazing Golden Lion Award winner for best film – Mr. Nicolo’ Bassetti, was at the press conference on 1st April at the National Museum of Singapore.
Vividly describing his 300km walk around the GRA, or Grande Raccordo Anulare (An enormous highway ring encasing the heart of Rome), Mr. Bassetti told of how the journey brought him through densely populated regions and through wide-open spaces of the GRA, all in the hope of documenting and telling the tale of the lives of the people of his beloved country.
Hence, in a parting conclusion, the extraordinary 11th Italian Film Festival, which has been so intricately put together, is a definite ‘must-visit’ if you are looking to broaden your knowledge on contemporary films. Onward and “godere il films!”
