International movie awards ceremony and its locations
Passion for movies and their territory
Festival Organization: Cultural Association Art Movie & Music Via G.B. Vico, 201 - 80077 Ischia (NA) Italy Tel.& Fax. +39.081984588 - www.ischiafilmfestival.
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“The fact is that people who watch movies only care about the characters’ stories, but in the first screenings of slides and magic lanterns, there weren’t any characters. People were thrilled to look at landscapes or cities’ views. Perhaps it’s the location that tells a story in the right way.”
“The purpose of this unique festival is to promote, through movies, the culture and the peculiarities of the locations used in the cinematographic narration.�
THE FESTIVAL
“I think that the idea of Michelangelo Messina is important enough to make people understand how certain aspects of a landscape, of town planning and architecture play a major role in a story.� Vittorio Storaro Oscar Award: Director of Cinematographic Photography
Accomplished with the Support of the President of the Republic and under the High Patronage of the European Parliament, the Ischia Film Festival is an international movie awards ceremony on cinematography and it locations. The ceremony takes place every year during the first week of July in the enchanting Aragonese Castle. Since its debut, it always distinguished itself from all the other international festivals for its singular theme. It was the first event in the world to underline the importance of locations in audiovisual works. Every year a jury of experts of the cinematography and press field acknowledge the movies that, through the cinematographic narration, enhance the cultural identity of a territory. The competition is open to movies from all over the world; a special attention is paid to short films, often a showcase for emerging talents, and to documentaries
“With such a unique theme, we needed a special location as well, we couldn’t choose a movie theater.”
THE CASTLE
“It’s very important that an award ceremony like the one in Ischia exists. We need to emphasize and heighten the locations.” Sir Ken Adam
Oscar Award: Art Director, Honorary President of IFF.
The castle is a personal property. It has a hotel, a cafĂŠ and a picturesque restaurant placed on a terrace where one can enjoy a wonderful view of the Ischia Ponte bay
“I think it’s wonderful that they dedicated a festival to movies’ locations to give these places a dramaturgic dignity that gets past their backdrop role.” Leonardo Di Costanzo Film Director
One of the most fascinating element of the festival is certainly its location. The castle is situated on a islet in the middle of the sea and it’s connected to the Ischia village through a 750 meters bridge. It’s always been the exclusive spot for meetings, screenings and exhibitions of the festival.
FESTIVAL LOCATIONS
Cattedrale dell'Assunta
“The venues for meetings and screenings were also selected with care among the different locales of the Castle, so the audience can admire an audiovisual work in an evocative and unique background.”
The screenings and meetings of the festival only take place at night, outdoors, under a starry night in the charming locales of the Castle. The sixteenth-century baroque Cathedral dedicated to Saint Assunta (on the left in the photo), Piazzale delle Armi, Casa del Sole terraces and the Monastery of the Clarisse.
Alan Lee Oscar Awarded
Conceptual Designer “Lord of the Rings”o
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Piazzale delle Armi
Open exclusively for the Festival’s screenings, Piazzale delle Armi is the location that accommodates the great audience of the festival. The feature films will be screened on the main front of the Castle, between its mighty walls. It’s also a good place to meet the directors.
Abel Ferrara, Abbas Kiarostami, Jan Sorel, Benouit Jacqueot and Amos Gitai are among the international guests of the past ceremonies.
Since 2014, meetings with the authors and the screening of non-competing works will take place in the sixteenthcentury Saint Peter Church in Pantaniello, credited to Jacopo Barozzi, called Vignola.
Chiesa S.Pietro a Pantaniello
Terrazza della Casa del Sole
In 2009 the festival incorporated a new and important location for screenings: Casa del Sole Terrace. It’s placed on the east slope of the Castle and offers a delightful view of the Cartaromana bay and Capri Island.
Near the Monastery of the Clarisse there’s the terrace of the homonymous monastery and above this, you will find the open part of the café where Cocktail Movies take place every night. Short films and documentaries will be screened here. Terrazza del Convento delle Calrisse
SECTION OF THE FESTIVAL
The works competing are features films, documentaries and short films separated in different sections: Official Competition, Denied Location, Social Location, Close Up Shot and Sceneries. The theme is always the territory and its culture.
Every year the festival focuses on a foreign country or an Italian region. “In collaboration with the institutions in charge, we select a cinematographic work that narrates the culture and the peculiarities of a specific territory.� Protagonists of the past ceremonies: Germany, Flanders, Spain, England, Sicily, Marche, Lombardy, Sardinia, Puglia and Basilicata.
WORLD FILM LOCATION
One of the most anticipated event of the festival. “Let’s talk about movies”, a meeting between the festival’s guests and the audience. It’s an occurrence that takes place every night before the screenings. Some of the guests of the past ceremonies: Oscar winners Sir Ken Adam, Alan Lee, Vittorio Storaro, Carlo Rambaldi, John Howe, directors Abel Ferrara, Pavel Lungin,Amos Gitai, Abbas Kiarostami, Benoit Jacquot, Pupi Avati, Mario Monicelli, Giuliano Montaldo, Krzysztof Zanussi, but also actors and actresses like Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Sabrina Impacciatore, Lunetta Savino, Romina Power, Massimo Ghini, Paolo Villaggio, Rocco Papaleo, Jean Sorel.
MEETINGS A unique festival in an enchanting scenery Pupi Avati Film Director
“A festival dedicated to locations seems like a great idea because we never talk about them in the cinematographic narration and yet they’re very important. You need to search for a location thoroughly and it has to be narrated with accuracy and intelligence.” Mario Monicelli Film Director Oscar Awarded Film Director Bille August
Every year the festival organizes an exhibit about the world of movies, from photographic backstage on set to the artistic work of stage and costume designers. You can find the exhibits in the Immacolata Church, in the entrance hall of the Clarisse and among the remains of the baroque Cathedral of Saint Assunta.
“The Ischia Film Festival, author of the “Cineturismo” (Cinetourism”) neologism, was the first festival to promote the dialogue between local governments and the audiovisual sector. “
WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES
The festival also offers workshops and conferences dedicated to Cinetourism and Location Placement. An academic facility was created near the cultural association that organizes the festival. Every year the leading experts on the “Movie induced tourism” phenomenon will meet here to analyze the progress of this new economic and cultural segment through studies and case histories.
“I think it’s very generous of this festival to give space to the territory where it’s being held and to give other territories the opportunity to tell their story.” Maria Grazia Cucinotta Actress - Producer
I FILM COCKTAIL
Every night at dusk, the Cocktail Movies will take place on the terrace of monastery. The meetings and presentations are reserved exclusively to the festival’s guests: directors, producers, actors, set designers, representatives of the institutions and accredited press.
“Movie Cocktails represent a special moment between experts. These occasions are useful to promote the local institutions, film commissions, the festival’s sponsors. Waiting for the sunset in company, drinking a glass of good wine or enjoying the local gastronomy while arranging deals, meeting new people and creating new projects that perhaps will star a location unknown to the general public.
www.ischiafilmfestival.it