It's not often that a filmmaker's first feature scores a coveted spot in the lineup of the Venice Film Festival but such was the case with Palermo-born director Giovanni Totaro. He presented his first feature-length film, a documentary, last September at the 74th Venice International Film Festival . " Happy Winter" was in the Official Selection of the festival but not in competition. Every summer on Palermo's famed Mondello beach, over one thousand wooden huts are constructed as a summer tradition for local beachgoers. For these southerners who typically love the sea, they spend three months in paradise watching the sun rise and set over the majestic Mediterranean. During the summer, the beaches are taken over by families, sun-bathers and even politicians canvasing for votes. However, in the last few years, there has been a decrease in the huts being built due to an economic crisis and many Sicilians are afraid of losing their cherished summer get-a-way.
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