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VENICE DAYS TURNS SIX
Independent filmmakers and creative cinema have found their home for the past five years in VENICE DAYS, the independent sidebar at the Venice Film Festival promoted by the associations of Italian directors and authors.
Created in 2004 from the model of the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, a sister event, VENICE DAYS is the biggest novelty of the Venice Fest in recent years. Numbers speak for themselves: thrice one of the section’s films won the Lion of the Future award for Best Debut Film; films from our selection have been distributed in 30 countries in the last two years; and numerous festivals worldwide invited our filmmakers and awarded numerous prizes to our films, beginning with the Label Europa Cinemas, given exclusively to a film from our section.
After three years during which film critic Fabio Ferzetti directed the section, Giorgio Gosetti returns as General Delegate and promises: “The identity of Venice Days is strong and recognized worldwide. Thanks to the work of an excellent team of organizers and consultants, once again this year we will propose great films and international discoveries while paying special attention to European and independent cinema. We are an independent section within the Venice Film Festival and we know how to highlight today’s best talents and to lead them along the road to success.”
A tradition from the past, however, will remain: the Filmmakers Villa, close to the Excelsior Hotel. An informal meeting place for encounters, discussions, fun and entertainment. Day and night the Villa will offer to directors and festival-goers a different experience of Venice.
Once again, the Label Europa Cinemas will be awarded to the Best European Film of Venice Days, whose titles will also compete for the Lion of the Future (if debut features) and all other parallel prizes at the Venice Film Festival.
Along with the selection of 12 films, we will showcase special events, documentaries and restored prints of masterpieces from the past, thematic evenings at the Filmmakers Villa, international workshops and panels.
But Venice Days don’t merely mean Venice: the selection will be presented as well in Rome and Milan, while the Province of Rome will host the kick-off of the ambitious project 100 +1 (One Hundred Films + One Country: Italy), directed by Fabio Ferzetti and dedicated to bringing back to light the great films of Italian history.
New elements of the 2009 edition include a special focus to visual artists who in their work use moving images, video installations and an alternative view on cinema; a tribute to the animated films of Signe Baumane, discovered at Sundance and at the Berlinale; the European Film Days at the Filmmakers Villa.
The deadline for submissions for Venice Days is July 10, 2009.
“After 13 Tzameti (2005 winner of the Lion of the Future Award at Venice and prizes at Sundance and at the European Film Awards), Khadak (2006 winner of the Lion of the Future award, and other prizes at Toronto and the Asian Film Festival) and La Zona (2007 Lion of the Future winner as well as 13 other top international prizes) we expect another year of hits,” says Gosetti. “The world’s oldest festival features at Venice Days the youngest surprises of today’s cinema. Join us on the road to Venice!”
Venice Days is a production of Associazione Giornate degli Autori. President: Roberto Barzanti; Vice presidents: Emidio Greco and Francesco Maselli.
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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