Association Cultural Excellence presented the Italian-Serbian Film Festival in Belgrade, from the 16th to the 24th of September 2017, dedicated entirely to contemporary Italian and Serbian films accompanied with arts and fashion exhibition. The one of a kind festival in the Balkans is the 8th edition of the Fashion Film Festival produced by Gabriella Carlucci that was previously held in Spain, Italy and Romania focusing on market screenings for first and second feature films. The event is coproduced by Yugoslav Film Archive and the Instituto Luce Cinecittà which manage the selection of movies and organize the artistic delegation with support of Italian Cultural Institute in Belgrade, Yugoslav Film Archive and the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism (MIBACT) while Serbia Film Commission supports matchmaking between filmmakers to encourage co-productions and project development. Festival opened on September 16th with special screening of Paolo Genovese’s “Perfect Strangers” with the director and screenwriter Rolando Ravello spending one hour answering questions from fascinated audience.
Total of 20 Italian representatives from MiBACT, Cinecitta, Italian Film Commission, Rai Cinema as well as independent producers and distributors had the opportunity to present Italian funding and tax incentive scheme in comparison to Serbian locations and talents that they had opportunity to meet during the working sessions. In addition to the public and market screenings, professional meetings and roundtables Serbia Film Commission facilitate the location scouting and visit to PFI Studios in Simanovci as well as Avala Studio in Kosutnjak that was a pillar of Yugoslav cinematography of 20th century and build as Balkan replica of Cinecitta in Rome. Two countries have had significant collaboration in domain of film historically and all participants agree that co-production opportunities, incentive schemes and film distribution should be explored more. Festival guest list included Cinemeccanica, leading Italian company in digitalization that shared their experience with digitization of over 150 screens in Italy and discussed the state of digitalization with representatives of Serbian Government and public sector involved in management of cinema screens. Festival guests had the opportunity to discuss development of three films with Serbian professionals during the location scouting and more informal meetings that took place in Crowne Plaza Hotel, the hub of the festival.
On September 17 started the core section of the Festival dedicated to Italian and Serbian contemporary movies: The habit of beauty by Mirko Pincelli, Cuori Puri by Roberto De Paolis Maino, Ti ricordi di me? by Rolando Ravello, Ho amici in Paradiso by Fabrizio Maria Cortese, La notte non fa piu’ paura by Marco Cassini, Sex Cowboys by Adriano Giotti, Una Nobile Causa by Emilio Briguglio, A pugni chiusi by Pierpaolo de Sanctis, Tutta colpa by Freud by Paolo Genovese as well as new movies from Serbia such as VLAZNOST (HUMIDITY) by Nikola Ljuca, VETAR (THE WIND) by Tamara Drakulic, AFTERPARTI (AFTERPARTY) by Luka Bursac, DNEVNIK MAŠINOVODJE (TRAIN DRIVER’s DIARY) by Milos Radovic, BISER BOJANE by Milan Karadzic and IGLA ISPOD PRAGA (BLACK PIN) by Ivan Marinovic.
The Italian Cultural Center and Festival organisers from Italy and Serbia aim to enrich the artistic and professional collaboration enriching the festival with arts and fashion exhibition “Confronti” by contrasting works of Serbian designer Igor Todorovic and artist Marko Gavrilovic with Italian alt fashion brand Gattinoni. Festival partners included AirSerbia, Tourism organization of Belgrade, Fame Solutions, and abovementioned Crowne Plaza.
