The Italian Embassy in Lebanon announced in a statement that the ITALIAN SCREENS Festival, "شاشات إيطالية," is coming to Beirut. This initiative is a joint effort by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Directorate General of Cinema and Audiovisual in the Italian Ministry of Culture, organized by Cinecittà Studios. The statement highlighted that "Italian Screens" includes a selection of films representing contemporary Italian cinema, primarily released in 2023. Many of these films have won awards at the 69th David di Donatello Award and have received numerous national and international accolades at renowned film festivals worldwide, including the Cannes International Film Festival, the Rome Film Festival, the Gothenburg Film Festival in Sweden, and the BCN Film Festival 2024.
Among the selected films are four of the five nominees for the David di Donatello Award, along with a selection of short films. The event is part of the seventh edition of the annual "Fare Cinema" initiative, organized by the Italian Embassy in Lebanon and the Italian Cultural Institute in Beirut from July 5 to 13, 2024, at Cinema City - Downtown Beirut. "Fare Cinema" promotes Italian cinema and the Italian film sector, organized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, ANICA, the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), Istituto Luce-Cinecittà, the Italian Film Commission, and the Accademia del Cinema Italiano - Premio David di Donatello.
The statement noted that the "Fare Cinema" initiative was launched in 2018, focusing on organizing activities by the diplomatic and consular network and Italian cultural institutes, aiming to promote Italian cinema abroad and highlight the knowledge and expertise of Italian professionals in this field—actors, directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, production designers, filmmakers, costume designers, makeup artists, editors, special effects technicians, etc., who all contribute to the complex film production machinery and the success of cinema in Italy and beyond.
Italian Ambassador to Lebanon Fabrizio Marcelli affirmed that "the Italian film industry has undergone significant changes in recent years, particularly regarding its perception abroad, with its value increasing by 124% during the four years from 2017 to 2021 compared to the first ten years of the 21st century, rising from 41 to 92 million euros." He stated, "The quality has also changed, as we have witnessed Italian films participating in all major festivals worldwide since the beginning of the 21st century, along with a parallel increase in co-production percentages with Italy."
Additionally, the statement mentioned that, alongside "Italian Screens," Marcello Mastroianni will be honored on the centenary of his birth. This mini-program pays tribute to the multifaceted talent of the great Italian actor. It includes the film "8 ½," honoring the partnership between Federico Fellini and Marcello Mastroianni, who played the director's alter ego, and another film, "Matrimonio all'italiana," directed by Vittorio De Sica, in which Mastroianni starred alongside Sophia Loren, with whom he collaborated in 14 films that shaped the Italian artistic scene.
The other two selected titles, "Il bell'Antonio" and "Oggi, domani, dopodomani," showcase different acting performances by Mastroianni, reflecting his ability to transition from dramatic roles to comedic ones, demonstrating his boldness in constructing and deconstructing the traditional image of the Latin lover, presenting a fragile and sarcastic yet alluring male figure.
Angelo Giowui, director of the Italian Cultural Institute, noted that "cinema often serves as the only cultural focal point in society and is more accessible to all ages and social categories; cinema is a place where emotions are amplified through shared viewing. It reflects the society of its country of origin, often analyzing its vices and virtues and opening new perspectives on historical facts. Therefore, promoting a country's cinema, whether past or present, means promoting the country itself (as well as its economy) more easily, even if it is not always easy to understand."
The winning films of the 2024 David di Donatello Award are:
- "C'è ancora ancora domani," directed by Paola Cortilezi
- "La chimera," directed by Alice Rohrwacher
- "Io capitano," directed by Matteo Garrone
- "Il sol dell'avvenire," directed by Nanni Moretti
- Recent films include "Comandante," directed by Eduardo De Angelis; "Ultima notte d'amore," directed by Andrea De Stefano; "Palazzina LAF," directed by Michele Reondino; "Non riattaccare," directed by Manfredi Lusipilo; "Romantiche," directed by Pilar Foglietta
Short films:
- "Asterion," directed by Francesco Montagner
- "Foto di gruppo," directed by Tommaso Frangini
- "In quanto a noi," directed by Simone Massi
- "The meatseller," directed by Margherita Giusti
- "We should all be futurists," directed by Angela Norelli
Tribute to Mastroianni:
- "8 ½," directed by Federico Fellini
- "Matrimonio all'italiana," directed by Vittorio De Sica
- "Oggi, domani e dopodomani," directed by Eduardo De Filippo, Luciano Salce, Marco Ferreri
- "Il bell'Antonio," directed by Mauro Bolognini
