RABAT (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The third edition of the MedFilm Festival offers a rich and varied programme, which combines screenings, masterclasses and meetings, highlighting the central role of cinema as a reflection of the social developments. This event strengthens the cultural dialogue between Italy, Morocco and all Mediterranean countries, where arts, and in particular cinema, promote mutual understanding and celebrate diversity. The public will have the unique opportunity to discover previews and participate in enriching debates with the directors.
Armando Barucco, Italian Ambassador to Morocco, is keen to underline the importance of this event: “The promotion of cinema is at the center of the programme organized by the Embassy and the Italian Cultural Institute of Rabat. Culture and cinema are an extraordinary moment that reflect our societies, the crises they are experiencing and the upheavals that are shaping the future. All the films included in the programme respond to this framework, deeply anchored in contemporaneity, in perfect harmony with the great resources of Italian and Mediterranean culture. Through this programme, the festival aims to be an observatory of social and human transformations, reflecting the main issues of the past, present and future through profound personal stories.”
In perfect continuity with this vision, Carmela Callea, Director and Cultural Affairs Officer of the Italian Cultural Institute of Rabat, underlined the impact of the festival on the Mediterranean identity: “The Seventh Art becomes the expression of a Mediterranean identity based on understanding others and the encounter between different cultures, languages and religions. Renewing this magical encounter between the real world and the imagination, Cinema, Music and Dancing create sublime moments, rich in content and humanity”. For Carmela Callea this edition of the MedFilm Festival is a highlight to recall the fundamental concern for human welfare that runs through cinematographic art, echoing the universal values shared by these different shores of the Mediterranean.
Since its origins, the MedFilm Festival, with its thirty years of existence, has established itself as the first festival in Europe entirely dedicated to the promotion of Mediterranean and European cinema. Its constant goal is to create a space for intercultural dialogue in which diversity is seen not only as a resource, but also as a driver of development. This ambition finds a particular echo in Rabat, a city where history and modernity coexist in harmony, strengthening its role as a crossroads of artistic and cultural exchanges.
This year the first stage of the MedFilm Festival, scheduled in Rabat from 25 to 29 September, before continuing in Tangier from 2 to 5 October, offers a selection of 20 films, including award-winning works such as “Io, Capitano” by Matteo Garrone at the opening. This touching film traces the odyssey of two young Senegalese in search of a better future in Europe.
The lineup also includes premiering films, including “Gloria!” by Margherita Vicario, a vibrant hymn to little-known musicians, and “Laf” (Palazzina Laf) by Michele Riondino, a historical debut work that explores a dark page in Italian history. “A world apart” by Riccardo Milani, a bittersweet comedy appreciated by the Italian public, and short films such as “Tilipirche” by Francesco Piras will enrich this selection. Two exceptional documentaries will be screened exclusively for ISMAC students: “The smallest army in the world” by Gianfranco Pannone and “Parlate a basso voci” by Esmeralda Calabria.
The bond between Italy and Morocco will be symbolically strengthened by the screening of the Moroccan film “Rèves ardents” by Hakim Belabbes, winner of the Jury Prize at MedFilm 2012. This tribute to the cultural richness and plural identities of the Mediterranean echoes in the words of Hakim Belabbes, director of ISMAC: “It is with great pride that ISMAC participates in this extraordinary edition. The MedFilm Festival embodies a vision close to our hearts: uniting people through culture, celebrating our common identities and unique diversities. Our young directors, through their creations, are ambassadors of our cultural heritage. ISMAC students will in fact have the opportunity to present their final short films, thus providing valuable visibility to the young generations of Moroccan directors.”
In addition to its varied programme, the MedFilm Festival innovates this year with the creation of the MedFilm Festival Prize to reward young cinema talents. As Ginella Vocca, founding president and artistic director of the festival, explains: “I am happy to give space to new initiatives. The festival will award three scholarships of 2,500, 1,500 and 1,000 euros to three ISMAC students for their short films, and the winner of the first prize will participate in the 30th edition of the MedFilm Festival in Rome, as part of the Methexis project”. The films will be selected by a jury composed of Tarek Ben Abdallah, Esmeralda Calabria and Gianfranco Pannone, thus strengthening ISMAC’s role as an incubator of young Moroccan talents.
The highlight will be the gala evening at the Mohammed V National Theater on September 29th. This evening will be marked by an exceptional performance by the Milan Ballet, accompanied by the Amadeus Orchestra of Trecate, on the most emblematic music of Italian cinema. A tribute that concludes this week of cinematic celebration in the name of cultural cooperation between Italy and Morocco.
-photo Istituto Italiano di cultura Rabat –
(ITALPRESS)
