Tiziana Rocca is gearing up for the ninth edition of Filming Italy – Los Angeles, a festival she has created and directed, set to kick off from Hollywood on February 26th. Once again, the event is organized in collaboration with the Italian Institute of Culture in Los Angeles, under the direction of Emanuele Amendola, alongside APA (Association of Audiovisual Producers), and under the auspices of the Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles.
Filming Italy has consistently strived not only to showcase Italy as a prime filming location and foster connections between Italian and American cultures but also to bolster Italian cultural development through cinema. "It is an honor this year to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Franco Nero, a man and actor whom I immensely admire, and to welcome Matteo Garrone, a close friend of the festival, in anticipation of Oscar night."
This year, the festival will commence with Matteo Garrone, an Oscar nominee. Rocca confirms, "Yes, we will have Matteo and the protagonist of the film, Seydou Sarr, who will be honored during a special screening of 'Io Capitano.' We closely followed the entire American campaign for the film, and it was immensely satisfying to see it make the Academy's shortlist. Let’s hope for the best. We’ll see what happens on March 10th."
One of the esteemed guests at this year's edition will be Franco Nero, an iconic figure in Italian cinema celebrated worldwide, particularly admired and cherished by Quentin Tarantino. He will be honored with the Filming Italy Los Angeles Lifetime Achievement Award on the evening of February 29th. To commemorate his legacy, we will feature a marathon of films dedicated to him, commencing with Sergio Corbucci’s Django, a classic choice. The festival serves as a platform to showcase the excellence of Italian productions, whether through luminaries like Nero, or through films, documentaries, costume designers, or set designers.
In 2018, through significant efforts, I succeeded in securing a star on the Walk of Fame for Gina Lollobrigida, followed by Giancarlo Giannini last year. I take great pleasure in highlighting the talents of our industry.
Furthermore, this year's festival will also be available on the digital platform. We will be live, yet we won't forsake the digital realm that has previously reached over 600,000 viewers during editions in America. On the platform, accessible to the American audience, there will be over sixty titles celebrating Italian cinema, including series, timeless classics from the Classic section, documentaries, short films, debuts, and much more