Yesterday saw the awards and closing ceremony of the 17th Italian Film Festival of Madrid, organised by the Italian Cultural Institute of Madrid, under the auspices of the Italian Embassy in Spain, which was enthusiastically attended by Italian film lovers for a week. This edition screened 18 titles in competition previously unseen in Spain, and many of them not yet presented in Italy, with a varied and high quality programme, offered in original version with Spanish subtitles.
Throughout the entire festival, the public crowded the halls of MK2 Cine and the Italian Cultural Institute of Madrid, demonstrating the growing interest in the project. "The Institute is satisfied with the results obtained in this edition of the festival," said Susi Baldasseroni, Director Regent of the Italian Cultural Institute. "As always, it was a very demanding challenge, but we managed to propose high-level works in all areas, from short films to documentaries and feature films. Even the homage to Marcello Mastroianni,' Baldasseroni added, 'was appreciated by our audience, demonstrating the love for our film tradition.
"This year we were very pleased to have three female directors winning, two of them at their first work, a sign of the great vitality of our cinema that manages to excite and be appreciated," he pointed out.
During the closing ceremony, the jury composed of Ben Manzanera, Laura Calavia and Mar Franco awarded the prize for the best short film to 'Nina' by Arianna Mattioli, for "having treated with sensitivity and empathy a difficult theme" such as that of disability "without trivialising it or relying on predictable narratives". A special mention went to 'Le altre vite' by Nicolò Folin "for having presented an extremely innovative, thought-provoking dystopia".
The jury, made up of Stephanie Gil, Bruno Giuliano de Andrade and Bernard Bullen, then awarded the prize for best documentary to 'Duse, the greatest', by Sonia Bergamasco, to which it recognised "the narrative and cinematographic quality", and for exalting "the fascination with the art of living and conveying what she was and is, Eleonora Duse". While a special mention went to 'Real' by Adele Tulli.
The audience award this year went to the film 'Gloria!' by Margherita Vicario. After the award ceremony, the Festival closed with the screening of Valerio Mastandrea's second feature film as director 'Nonostante', presented in the Orizzonti section of the 81st Venice International Film Festival. The story of someone who has the courage to let love reawaken him, moved the Spanish audience, who applauded Valerio Mastandrea's work as director, actor and screenwriter.
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