Board Diary – Day 08

There is an extraordinary patch of storminess, within an artistic manifestation, which is extremely difficult to describe in words.

I am of course referring to when a ship- metaphorically speaking- arrives safely to shore, arriving in calm waters, warm and peaceful, minds and bodies that have all made it through the tension.

The atmosphere at Castello San Giusto, on the evening of Saturday 8^th, ornamented with the soft lighting and evocative location, is something memorable, a collective congeniality coloured in red and yellow, many beautiful female presences and, on the skyline, a scintillating city tinted in a soft reddish-purple glow.

The awards were carried out quickly, like they rarely are on these occasions when we are all together, wrapping everything up in the knowledge that there were 101 things to get through, from one moment to the next…. Chiara Valenti Omero, the Festivals’ president, has a grin plastered onto her face, in this time of celebration that gives credit to ones tireless and unceasing hard work, her human generosity and her innate taste in Images.

Federica Naveri is indispensable as general organizer, her undeniable sweetness and capacity for befriending everyone are extremely special qualities.

Always on the go – a perpetual machine when it comes to getting things done and keeping up with meetings- our very own Vicky Rusalen is in a race with Francesco Paolo Cappellotto for her inventive and solid participation.

Francesco, tall young and gentlemanly, holds in his hands the image of the SHORTS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL: creative hands that always know precisely in which direction to move, through the complex web of ideas.

Raffaella Canci individually, knows the dynamics of cinema for little ones and for adults, she cares sweetly and brings her contribution to the appraised SweeTS4kids section.

Cinematic images obviously always need sturdy press releases: Federica Marchesich is always your girl when you need her, it is when she works promptly at her personal computer, it is in her discreet competency when it comes to Cinema and dynamic connections.

Not forgetting Francesco Ruzzier, who other than being the selective eye for all of the short films present at the festival in the Maremetraggio section, is also an inquisitive and cordial young man.

It is with great pleasure, naturally, that we remember the bubbly and dynamic Paola Uxa, in charge of productions, volunteers and workshops: a smiling, kind, friendly face every evening. It’s a given that film is a universal language, we are all equally aware that only the highest and most accurate level of translation can allow a full global understanding of what is seen….

We don’t know if they do in fact take tea at 5 each afternoon, but without a doubt Victoria Ellison and David Mc Connell are 100% English; they are our high level translators and adopted Triestini. 

Beatrice Fiorentino – proud mum of the great little talent Tommaso Gregori – probably still has the many NUOVE IMPRONTE sequences fogging up her vision. The film projections at the Cinema Ariston are welcomed by a large and punctual public turnout.

A Festival doesn’t just live in cinematic art and poetry:  in fact it would all go to waste if there were no skilled technical hands with the ability to juggle wires and cables. In this case these people respond to the names of Pietro Crosilla and Luca Luisa, masters of the stage, cool in the face of a storm and amidst unexpected waters.

Always elegant and beautiful, Zita Fusco brings a touch of feminine magic to the final evening at San Giusto.

The highest level photography by the trio formed by our dear Martina Parenzan, the young and fast Luciana Faino, of Argentinean origin, and Jorge Muchut….

L’ARMATA DEGLI SCARTI VIVENTI, another section dedicated to youngsters, was made possible thanks to the work of Francesco Filippi and, newly, Raffaella Canci, who are busy in promoting a growing artistic initiative.

At the Teatro Miela, under the attentive eye of Paolo Venier in the projection room, while the volunteers who seem to be getting younger; cause yours truly to notice in horror his first white hairs….

When all is said and done, the festival, of light, colour and great guests, from the journalist Rula Jebreal, alluring like a model and rich in exotic fascination, to the director Alessandro D’Alatri, to the evolving young actress Daphne Scoccia…. moving on to the handsome musician Pivio, the seven-note ‘tight rope walker’.

Have we finished? Of course not, and errors or omissions can be counted solely on your indulgence.

While the spotlight has gone out, and all we have is the enormous moon- as the visual park fades like a halogen lamp, our final thoughts go out to luck: for being part of a society that shares, that respects freedom and opinion, where images from all over the world come to us, in-tact, on a big silver platter.

See you next year.

Riccardo Visintin