BrochureGFF2009.pdf
39th ANNUAL - 12/25 July 2009
PRESS RELEASE
The Selection
30 Feature films and 42 short films in competition, 73 film not competing, 25 special events
Amid the themes: Job and family crisis, integration, relation with death
World Premiere
Harry Potter and the half-blooded Prince
Other Premieres
S.Darko, G-Force, Immagine That, Jonas Brothers, Planet 51, The Ice Age 3
The Jury
2800 youth from 3 to 21 years of age from 39 Countries and 150 Italian Cities
WINONA RYDER, NAOMI WATTS, EVA MENDES and CHRISTINA RICCI
Female talent in Giffoni
BAZ LUHRMANN and LIEV SCHREIBER
Amongst international talent
CLAUDIO SANTAMARIA, LAURA MORANTE, FILIPPO TIMI, FRANCESCA NERI, RAOUL BOVA, KASIA SMUTNIAK, CLAUDIO BISIO, FEDERICO MOCCIA
Amongst Italian Talent
Masterclass: with special teachers
SERGIO CASTELLITTO, DAVID WARREN, LUIGI LO CASCIO, MILO MANARA, VINCENZO CERAMI, DIEGO DE SILVA, VALERIO CAPRARA and STEFANO REALI
Vittorio Mezzogiorno Award
Giovanna Mezzogiorno awards the winners of the fourth annual
Roma, 1st July 2009 - The 39th annual of the Giffoni Film Festival announces itself as one of the most amazing annuals of all times with a schedule full of events and stars and starts with a trick and sheer magic. Harry Potter will indeed have the privilege of opening the event: On 12 July Warner Bros has chosen Giffoni for an exclusive premiere. The film will hit the screens worldwide on 15 July.
The festival has been presented today in Rome by Claudio Gubitosi, the artistic director of the Festival, Carlo Andria, the president, Antonio Bassolino, the Governor of Campania Region, before the General Director for cinema for the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Gaetano Blandini, The President of the Salerno Province Edmondo Cirielli, and the Mayor of Giffoni Valle Piana, Paolo Russomando.
"On the Eve of a very important birthday the 40th - said The President of the Campania Region Antonio Bassolino at the Festival presentation - I am glad to announce that the Fas fund have been unblocked. This means the Region will be able to invest 30 million euros, 20 of which will already be made available in the first 30 days'. It is the place where youth without boundaries and borders meet - the Governor continued- In times of recession and crisis, the Giffoni festival extends a further 5 days, increases the number of jurors and offers lots of new initiatives and innovations "
"It is a highly qualified program, that will surprise everyone for its elegance and style, the innovations and the array of cultural offer. - says Claudio Gubitosi - We have worked hard with love and passion, we have put in a lot of effort without sparing ourselves, with one main goal in mind: making this annual unforgettable. It will be a memorable edition for the children and youth from all over the world, for youth cinema which we have contributed to make a real genre and- if I dare say- for us that despite being on the verge of the 39th annual are already working unrestly and passionately for the 40th anniversary of Giffoni.
I am proud of the efforts and the quality of the work my collaborators have put in especially regarding the competitive ' selection, which were chosen with great responsibility and attention. This year we have chosen films with a great social meaning and important message, at times harsh stories that nonetheless show a reality that will allow young people to think deeply about the direction modern society has taken.
We are proud both our brand and our mission together are seen as an expression of great quality all over the world. The new cultural activities, the numerous social initiatives and international shows we have helped to realize in diifferent parts of the world have once and for all made it clear the festival is an all year round event and not merely a July event. It is in our nature to keep on changing and evolving. We will keep on moving forward without ever looking back, making children and youth, with their dreams, the more and more protagonists of our future. In the European year dedicated to creativity and innovation Giffoni proposes itself as an authority at the service of all cinema lovers and of all the world of art, entertainment, and the other array of cultural expressions. Giffoni 2009 is the outcome of lots of different energies concentrated in a 14 day schedule. Producers, distributors, National and International Talent, private and public partners: I wish to thank you all from the bottom of my heart".
The Guests/Talent
On the Eve of its first 40 years, The most famous Children and Youth event in the world, will host, in its Cinema Villag,e great international talent such as Winona Ryder, Naomi Watts, Eva Mendes, Christina Ricci, Baz Luhrmann, Liev Schreiber together with the most loved Italian artists such as: Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Laura Morante, Francesca Neri, Raoul Bova, Claudio Santamaria, Filippo Timi, Kasia Smutniak, Eleonora Giorgi, Maurizio Scaparro, Enzo D'Alò, Claudio Bisio, Federico Moccia, Davide Ferrario, Francesco Salvi and Paolo Conticini. Moreover we will host the young emerging talent of Italian Cinema and TV like: Carolina Crescentini, Giulia Elettra Goretti, Michela Quattrociocche, Anna Safroncik, Guido Caprino, Alba Rohrwacher, Diane Fleri, Mary Petruolo, Benedetta Valanzano, Emanuele Bosi, Filippo Vitte, Sara Mollaioli, Nunzio Giuliano, Andrea Bosca, Lorenzo Balducci, Pietro Ragusa, Alessandro Roja e Vinicio Marchioni.
Sergio Castellitto, Luigi Lo Cascio, Milo Manara, Stefano Reali, Vincenzo Cerami, Diego De Silva, David Warren and Valerio Caprara will teach auteur classes for over 100 ex jurors from 18 to 21 years of age: Film Direction, writing, acting, cinema reviewing, drawing and photography will be the Masterclass topics, taking place at the San Francesco Monastery from 18 to 24 July.
FILMS
Faces won't be the only protagonists of the Giffoni Film Festival. With over 160 titles,over 70 in competition, the Festival presents a rich selection of films from 29 Countries, most of which wil premiere in Italy.
The films, as usual, will be assessed by the Juries, real heart and soul of the Festival, made up of 2800 Youth and Children (600 more than last year) fom 39 Countries, from 3 to 21 years of age.
The jurors will be placed into different competitive sections according to their age group - Elements (+3, +6 e +10), Generator + 13, Generator +16 and Troubled Gaze, section for adults - The films deal with a variety of issues of current interest.
The films in the competitive section Elements +6 deal with an array of topics: from the need to preserve Nature and Planet Earth in "MISSING LINX" (winner of the Goya Award for Best animation Film co-produced by Antonio Banderas), to the search for one's own identity in "LILLY THE WITCH - THE DRAGON AND THE MAGIC BOOK" (it will be distributed in Italy by Walt Disney Motion Picture), from the family quest in "CARLITOS AND THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME" to the adventurous attempts to help one's parents facing problems like in "LITTLE ROBBERS", "THE CROCODILES" and "LIPPEL'S DREAM".
Most stories in the section Elements +10 deal with Love and friendship: Almost all the young protagonists are in love. However love can sometimes lead to totally unexpected and hazardous consequences and put friendship at risk like in the French movie "TROUBLE AT TIMPETILL" by Nicolas Bary, where Gerard Depardieu and Carole Bouquet make a wonderful appearance. In the Iranian "A TIME TO LOVE" by Ebrahim Forouzeh, true love and the true values of friendship will make the protagonist respect and give the consideration needed for the life of a person with special abilities. The theme of integration, will also be dealt with in the Canadian flick "SUMMERHOOD" by Jacob Medjuck, based on true childhood experiences by the director.
The films in the competitive section Generator + 13 deal with an array of adolescent issues like in the flick "HOW TO SURVIVE TO MY-SELF?" by Nicole Van Hilsdonk, in which a thirteen year old must come to terms with the problems of having to live in an unknown place, without friends, and having to face all the typical teenage difficulties. The torments of depression are treated in "IT'S NOT ME, I SWEAR!" by Philippe Falardeau - Best Canadian film in 2008, where a mother decides to quit her husband and children because she's oppressed by life's responsibilities. Job and Family crisis are the core in "WHERE GOD LEFT HIS SHOES" by Salvatore Stabile in which an amazing John Leguizamo (Romeo+Juliet, Moulin Rouge, Summer of Sam) is an unlucky head of the family who finds himself jobless and homeless on Christmas Eve. Young people's relation with death is dealt with in more than a film: "GLOWING STARS" by Swede Lisa Siwe runs through the life of an adolescent who must face, at the same time, the changes and liveliness of her age and the anxiety for her dying mother; while in "THROUGH A GLASS, DARKLY" by Jesper W. Nielsen a young girl with an incurable disease thanks to a covenant with an angel learns to accept death and understands how beautiful it is to live one's life at its best and at the fullest day by day. Death and Family Tragedy are also treated in "ACCIDENTS HAPPEN" by Andrew Lancaster where the story of the slow crumbling of a family is told after the death of a child. Geena Davis stars in the moving role of the mother.
The films in the competitive section Generator +16 deal with even more dramatic issues like the tragedy of Children Soldiers in Africa torn to pieces by conflicts and unrest in the French flick "JOHNNY MAD DOG" by Jean-Pierre Sauvaire. The film produced by Mathieu Kassovitz (director winner of many awards for "Hatred" and cast in lots of films like "The Wonderful world of Amelie" and "Munich"), is a closer look at the dark and uncanny side of the civil war that unsettled and upset Liberia between 1989 and 2003. Africa is yet again the background for the Apartheid drama in the anglo-south-african flick "SKIN", starring amongst others Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, Red October, Horse Whisperer) and Sophie Okonedo (Oscar nominee for Hotel Rwanda). The problematic emotional recovery following a loss is dealt with in "A YEAR AGO IN WINTER" by director Caroline Link, Oscar Winner for Nowhere in Africa and Oscar Candidate in 1998 for Beyond silence, which was also presented in Giffoni the same year. In the flick "MY SUICIDE" by American director David Lee Miller, Archibald's life, a young schoolboy affected by teenage problems, is presented through the eyes of a video-camera. The flick represents an interesting experiment of visual Hybridation where cinema, documentary, motion-graphics and animation intertwine. The story is an interesting, acute and direct look at a self destructive tendency a lot of young people are affected by also as a direct result of media over-exposure. The issue of "emptiness" caused by the accidental death of one's child is dealt with in "THE GREATEST", maiden film by director Shana Feste, in which the parents are played by two cinema icons: Susan Sarandon and Pierce Brosnan. Transgression and aggressiveness figure in CHERRYBOMB by Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D'Sa in which Rupert Green (Ron in Harry Potter) plays the role of a boy who out of boredom decides to spend a week-end in the name of reckless unruly violence with his friends.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Giffoni tributes the great Italian cinema with a night dedicated to Sergio Leone. Saturday 18 July The Festival audience will have the chance to see masterpiece "C'era una volta il West"/Once upon a time in the West.
Sergio Castellitto, 2009 Giffoni Truffaut Award winner will be the special guest, Some of his greatest films will be screened: "L'ORA DI RELIGIONE", "'O PROFESSORE", "CATERINA VA IN CITTA'" e "NON TI MUOVERE/Don't Move".
For the "special events" program on Monday 13 Maurizio Scaparro's, "L'ULTIMO PULCINELLA" will be screened starring Massimo Ranieri and Diego De Silva as screenplay writer. On 14 July the short animated 3D film made by media school student form the troubled area of Napoli Scampia in collaboration with The charity foundation of football stars Cannavaro Ferrara and Vodafone Foundation will be screened. On the same day two other Italian productions will be screened: "L'UOMO FIAMMIFERO" by Marco Chiarini and "IL SOFFIO DELL'ANIMA" by Victor Rambaldi. Wednesday 15 will be the day to pay tribute to animated films with the screening of another world premiere; the first 25 minutes of the long awaited for "PLANET 51" by Ilion Animation Studios. Then it will be Enzo D'Alò's turn who will talk about his latest work: "PIPÌ, PUPÙ E LA ROSMARINA" (Rai Fiction), written by Vincenzo Cerami. D'Alò will also be present at the screening of "LA GABBIANELLA E IL GATTO/the Cat and the young Seagull ". Eleonora Giorgi will present her "L'ULTIMA ESTATE", her second directorial work. The actress will be present at the screening with the whole cast. Crystal Sky President, Steven Paul, will be in Giffoni Thursday 16 July to present his latest production "OPPOSITE DAY". On 16 at the cinema village there will also be the screening of "INTERROGAZIONE DI STORIA", winning episode of "Storie di Classe/Classroom Stories" made by Walt Disney Television Italia.
On 17 July "15 secondi", the short film on the death penalty written and directed by Gianluca Petrazzi, will be screened. it has been interpreted and co-produced by Raoul Bova. The actor will also be present at the film screening by Roberto Burchielli "SBIRRI". On Friday Giffoni will give Mediafriends a special award for its social committment after the screening of "IL FILM DEI SOGNI". On Saturday 18 the "JONAS BROTHERS: THE 3D CONCERT EXPERIENCE" an incredible rockumentary by Walt Disney Pictures directed by Bruce Hendricks. On the same day director and writer Federico Moccia will have his long awaited film screened "AMORE 14". On the same day Giffoni Experience will give the Disney Nature award to "EARTH, UNO SGUARDO SUL PIANETA TERRA", by American directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield. The documentary film, produced by Disney, It is a journey to celebrate Nature's beauty and warn against the negative consequences of climate change. Sunday 19 Davide Ferrario will be present at the screening pf his feature "TUTTA COLPA DI GIUDA". On the same day the documentary "VOCI DAL BUIO" by Giuseppe Carrisi will be premiered in Giffoni. The special event of the day will certainly be the concert-film in 3D by Disney "HANNAH MONTANA/MILEY CYRUS: BEST OF BOTH WORLDS CONCERT TOUR".
"SI PUÒ FARE/WE can do it" is the title of the screening on Monday 20, it is a disillusioned comedy by Giulio Manfredonia with Claudio Bisio and Anita Caprioli. Tuesday 21 "IL PAPÀ DI GIOVANNA" will be screened with the special guests' presence of Francesca Neri and Alba Rohrwacher. On 22 July Filippo Timi will be present at the screening of "COME DIO COMANDA". On the same day "KATYN", latest work by maestro Andrzej Wajda and "AUTOVELOX", short film on road safety by Gianluca Ansanelli will also be presented. Thursday 23 "DONNIE DARKO" in the director's cut version will be screened followed by the unseen sequel "S. DARKO".
IV EDITION OF THE VITTORIO MEZZOGIORNO AWARD
The Vittorio Mezzogiorno Award, now at its fourth edition, will be given for the first time in Giffoni. This award has been sponsored dearly by his daughter Giovanna who created it in 2004, ten years after her father had prematurely passed away, the prize is given to a young emerging actor or actress in order to help them improve their career. The jury is chaired by Giovanna Mezzogiorno, her mother Cecilia Sacchi and screenplay writers Dino and Filippo Gentili.
"I am so glad the Vittorio Mezzogiorno Award is hosted by the Giffoni Film Festival - says Vittoria Mezzogiorno - , especially because of what this Festival represents and means that goes hand in hand with the idea and philosophy of the Award dedicated in memory of my father: i.e. the ability to see life with clean eyes and sensitivity, as Meryl Streep has said about the Festival. The children and youth of the Jury view films without prejudices, without faking. They watch films with a pure look carrying a deep desire: Changing the world and making it a better place to live in. It might be a dream or utopic but it is essential for all the people that do not limit themselves living life passively but would like it to be better than it actually is. Sometimes you need to go against the general trend just like Claudio Gubitosi who, back in the '70s, had the idea of creating a children Festival. For this reason I truly believe that the Vittorio Mezzogiorno Award and the Giffoni Film Festival will go a long way together".
The awards consist of two prices 5.000 euros each, and will be given on 25 July by Giovanna Mezzogiorno. The previous editions wew won by Ascanio Celestini, Teresa Saponangelo, Cristiana Capotondi, Davide Enia, Valerio Mastandrea and Federica Festa.
SOCIAL & SPECIAL PROJECTS
This year too Giffoni Experience is sided by National and International Firms supporting and sharing the goals and socio-cultural identity of the festival. Some partners in collaboration with Giffoni, have realized social campaigns to help the new generations better understand the importance of issues like ecology and solidarity.
The Banca della Campania, has been supporting Giffoni Experience for years and has organized the third annual of "...aspettando/waiting for Giffoni 2009" (24 June - 9 July), cinema, entertainment and cultural festival. The Bank from campania, has created for the second year running, in honour of its partnership with Giffoni Experience, a Card dedicated to the festival and young people, inspired by the values of culture and communication.
Cial (Consortium for alluminium packaging) has promoted the project "Obiettivo Alluminio/Objective:Alluminium", a competitive selection for students, aimed at giving them the chance to describe the daily use of alluminium (packaging, recycling etc).
Bosch, world leader in the supply of services and technology has also created a project "Bosch Missione Ambiente", for primary school children. The aim is to help children better understand the importance of respecting our planet and building together a better future: Insights, teaching material, Environment classes, games, and the opportunity for schools to become protagonists of the Festival through creativity.
el Italia S.p.a., distributor of Dixan produce. it is one of the multinationals mostly committed in social issues and sustainable development. It has been supporting the initiative "Dixan per la Scuola"for 9 years. The project has already involved 30.000 Schools.
Air France Klm in 2009 is once again the official sponsor and carrier of Giffoni Experience. This year the partnership has realized a communication campaign totally managed by the Giffoni web-community young members involved in the creative contest on "flight+experience".
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, is a new sponsor of Giffoni experience. It is a Hi-tech and video games world leader. A challenge in the name of this new partnership has been created called "Mondo che vorrei/The World I Would Like To Live In " starting from the Playstation 3 title"Little Big Planet". The young memebers of the Giffoni experience web-community plus members of Playstationplanet.it. will have the chance to participate to this contest. The best "level" will be presented and awarded during the 39a annual.
GIFFONI CHANGES MUSIC
Music will also make the streets and places of the Festival lively. The program includes classical music played by 250 young musicians from the Salerno Coservatorium, live gigs from teenage idols like GIUSI FERRERI and MATTEO BECUCCI (Italian X-Factor); Popular traditional music "ALLA BUA" and "MUNICIPALE BALCANICA" african rythms "I TAMBURI DEL SENEGAL" and spectacular Brasilian CAPOEIRA performances. More live concerts durino the night shows with BANDABARDÒ, CESARE CREMONINI, LOST, MALIKA AYANE and CLUB DOGO.
AND.......EXHIBITIONS, STAGE SHOWS AND ENTERTAINMENT...
Giffoni has given lots of space to theatre shows in the last eight years, in the wonderful scenario of Giardino degli Aranci, The show "Il Posto delle Favole/Fairy-tales place". From 12 to 25 July There will be several shows by important National Companies for kids.
The entertainment will be rich and of great value: This year we have realized a special Il posto delle favole/Fairy-tales corner, with readings accompanied by little orchestras made up of Conservatorium students. The project, "Ali per Leggere", is supported by Mondadori Education.
"Artaboo - icons of Transgression" will take place at the San Francesco Monastery from 12 to 25 July. The exhibition will focus on the theme "Taboo", with the exhibition of 27 works by Contemporary Artists from Italy and Abroad, expressing the artistic language renovation with an eye on the relation between art and society. The works of art will be judged by the jurors, by a board of Italian and foreign journalists at the Festival and by all the members of the Giffoni web-community, who will have the chance to vote on-line for their favourite work of art. The best work will be awarded the prize "Giffoni per l'arte", consisting in 3 clay polychromatical sculptures realized by ceramist sculptor Massimiliano Giara representing the Gryphon, symbol of Giffoni.
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The Giffoni Film Festival is financed by Campania Region, The MINISTERY OF CULTURAL HERITAGE and by the PROVINCE OF SALERNO, with the support from the CITY COUNCIL of GIFFONI VALLE PIANA, the CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF SALERNO, the SICHELGAITA FOUNDATION and the BANCO DI NAPOLI FOUNDATION and the participation of the MINISTERY OF YOUTH, THE CITY COUNCIL OF SALERNO, the CONSERVATORIUM "G.MARTUCCI" OF SALERNO, and the COMUNITÀ MONTANA MONTI PICENTINI.
Main Sponsors of the event: BANCA DELLA CAMPANIA, DIXAN PER LA SCUOLA, CIAL e CHUPA CHUPS.
Sponsor: PLAYSTATION, WARNER VILLAGE, ALFA ROMEO, BOSCH, COCA COLA HBC ITALIA, ITALCEMENTI, SMEMORANDA, ORIGINAL MARINES, CANTINE GROTTA DEL SOLE.
OFFICIAL CARRIER: AIR FRANCE.
Technical Partner: CANON, DEMEN, PENTEL, ABC AGENCY
Main Media Partner: MEDIASET (Canale 5, Italia 1, Rete 4, TGCom, IRIS, MEDIASET PLUS)
Media Partners: VARIETY, IL MATTINO, CORRIERE DEL MEZZOGIORNO, EPOLIS, CORRIERE UNIVERSITA' JOB, DISNEY CHANNEL, RAI INTERNATIONAL, LIRA TV, JIM JAM, MYMOVIES, HABBO, MYPAGE, EXTRAPOLA, FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS. Radio Ufficiale: KISS KISS. Fotografi Ufficiali: GETTYIMAGES.
Social Partners: MEDIAFRIENDS, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, TELEFONO AZZURRO, SAVE THE CHILDREN, EMERGENCY, MENTORING USA ITALIA ONLUS, AZIENDA SANITARIA LOCALE SALERNO, FONDAZIONE CANNAVARO FERRARA.