2018 Giffoni Film Fest News

The 48th edition of the Giffoni Film Festival is slowly being revealed with the shorts lineups just announced. It was announced today that Italian cinema stars Matilda de Angelis, Marco Ponti, Francesco Scianna and Ilenia Pastorali will grace the signature Blue Carpet and meet their fans.

Showcasing cinema dedicated to children and teens, the first edition of the Giffoni Film Festival took place in 1971 in its namesake city of Giffoni Valle Piana, which is located in the region of Campania. The festival has served not only as an event to watch films, but also as a place for youngsters to learn about the filmmaking process. The French master François Truffaut is quoted saying “Of all the film festivals, Giffoni is the most necessary.” Perhaps that has something to do with its renowned Masterclasses. The festival has hosted numerous extinguished guests over the years including Robert De Niro, Sergio Leone, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Alberto Sordi.

The shorts program has already been announced, and one interesting film that stands out is Alessandro Marinelli's documentary, Basileus- La Scuola dei Rei (Basileus- The School of Kings). Set in the Federico Fellini school in San Basilio (Rome), the film illustrates the courses taught to a group of teenagers and the meaning of being teachers in an unusual context such as that of suburban schools. It is a journey into everyday school life through voices and faces that describe an incredibly vast world to be discovered that exudes the vitality of students, hopes, dreams, but which is also full of difficulties, fears and uncertainty of the future. In this microcosm, a strong and unusual relationship emerges between teachers and students, all different from one another in their identities and personalities.

The complete program will be announced on July 10. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.

- Jeannine Guilyard

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