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THIS TIME THE WHOLE WORLD'S ON STAGE…
VENICE DAYS IS BACK ON THE LIDO
The independent VENICE DAYS section is back for a second year at the Venice Film Festival, promoted by ANAC (the National Association of Cinematographic Authors) and the authors of API (Independent Authors and Producers).
The 2004 edition was a great success, thanks to both the original nature of the formula and the unanimous agreement on the selection of films, later confirmed at all the major festivals, from Toronto to Rotterdam. As a result, the task of managing VENICE DAYS has once again been entrusted to Giorgio Gosetti, working as festival director with a small group of collaborators and international experts: Agnès-Catherine Poirier, Tadeusz Sobolewski and Adrian Wootton.
The main innovation on the 2005 program is that the feature film selection is being opened up to the whole world, while the event's main structure will stay the same, with just 12 films, plus tributes and special events. The section's artistic aim is also unchanged, celebrating creativity, talent and renewed languages against the homologation of taste. And the authors' associations are still involved to create a free space for meeting and debate, also as part of a great international festival.
"We aim – states Giorgio Gosetti – to provide an issue to the discussions about visions. The reason being that the cinema on offer as part of a unique event like Venice Film Festival, provides an especially opportune occasion for dialogue and vitality for those who love the cinema and those who make it”.
When the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs was founded at the Cannes Film Festival in 1968, the French authors, in direct contention with the Festival, intended to create an independent space that would differ profoundly in style and idealism from the event at that time. Over the years, the SRF (Société des Réalisateurs Français) has supported and nurtured this independent space, allowing it to grow into what it is today, one of the most significant events in international quality cinema, and transforming it, little by little, into an opportunity for discovery, research and innovation.
There's the same type of spirit at the Berlin Festival with the creation of the Internationales Forum des Jungen Films to give a voice to those talents and the type of cinema and language that was rarely given a chance to speak out in the official sections. In this case too, this parallel event has grown with the Festival over time, while still maintaining a completely independent and recognizable character all of its own.
The creation of a similar space at the Venice Film Festival based upon these same characteristics will allow the Italian authors to recover the experience of direct commitment, offering different, alternative routes parallel to the official section. An accent will be placed on the idea of an “author’s free space”, the circulation of ideas, people and expressive innovations, which are an inherent part of the title "Venice Days".
The showcase is held in agreement with the Venice Film Festival Board, and is promoted by ANAC and the authors from API, alongside private partners like the BNL bank and Lottomatica (main sponsors) together with private and public bodies, with support from the Italian Ministry of Culture and with collaboration from the Venice Biennale.
In order to accomplish this project, the “Venice Days” cultural association was founded. It is led by president Roberto Barzanti, vice presidents Emidio Greco and Francesco Maselli, with the following partners from the two associations: Giuliana Gamba, Francesco Ranieri Martinotti, Massimo Sani, Valerio Jalongo, Andrea Purgatori and Maurizio Sciarra.
The director is Giorgio Gosetti, former vice director of the Gillo Pontecorvo Venice Film Festival (1992-1996), director of Italia Cinema and then of Audiovisual Industry Promotion, director of the Courmayeur Noir in Festival and an ANSA journalist.
Sector professionals, international experts, and young students from Dams in Bologna have joined Giorgio Gosetti in fulfilling this project.
Venice Days is closely linked to both the Quinzaine and the Forum, confirmed by their strong artistic collaboration and thanks to the availability of the selectors, Olivier Père and Christoph Terhechte.
The European films selected will be competing for the "Label Europa Cinemas" Award for the promotion of cinema in Europe, established by the European "réseau" network of quality traders, with support from the EU MEDIA program – Media Plus. The prize, set up in 2003, provides economic contributions to distribute and sustain films in cinemas for a considerable period. Any first works selected for the Venice Days program will also compete for the "Luigi De Laurentiis" Award, along with other debut films in the festival's other sections.
Venice Days will start on September 1 at the Venice Film Festival, to conclude on September 10 with the prize giving ceremony and a special evening.
The Authors Villa, especially created and inaugurated in 2004, just a short distance from the Hotel Excelsior, will be back again this year with a daily program of meetings, special events, press conferences and presentations from early morning until late at night.
Films being put forward for selection have to be sent in by July 10, 2005 at the latest and have to be international "firsts" outside their country of origin.
Italian films entered have to have their first ever screening at Venice.
The Venice Days program will be published at the end of July.
Quotes:
A more human approach, enabling a real encounter between audience and filmmakers
Le Monde
Venice Days have been remarked for the quality of their film selection
Le Film Français
An alternative place, where confrontation between film directors, audience and critics takes place in an effective manner
L'Unità
The new sidebar marks a bold move for the Lido
Variety
In another sign of change, the Venice festival will boast its own Directors' Fortnight section
Screen
A place where cinema shows what has not yet been done
Ciak
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