Deborah Young tells In the Sicilian town of Taormina, on twisted alleys and climb hidden, churches and squares that seem precious hand-painted, including crushed almond and coffee, lemon and mulberry blacks, ceramics and boutique high fashion, has just completed the most anticipated film event of the summer, the Taormina Film Fest, now in its 56th year. From sunrise to sunset, the Palazzo dei Congressi ancient Tauromenion entertained moviegoers and journalists from all over the world, film classes, debates, film screenings and prestigious guests. At dusk, then, the Ancient Theatre, overlooking the sea and the majestic Mount Etna, has rewarded some of the most influential personalities of national and international film scene, wearing the clothes of the cinema to open one of the most beautiful in the world, offered to the general public a good selection of world premieres. To enrich the event there have been controversies even institutional, diplomatic hitches and small revolutions of the schedule, but the organizers, made up of young people from the inexhaustible resources, has continued without apparent interruption. The human energy has prevailed against a cumbersome bureaucracy and sometimes not very intelligent.
But the real heroes of the 8 days of cinema to discerning palates and bread is a kind woman and smiling, even in times of heightened tension, a film critic of American origin living in Italy for over 30 years and today it is hopelessly love. E 'Deborah Young, director of the last four editions of the Taormina Film Fest. And, in a room with Robert De Niro and a press conference next to Emir Kusturica, we succeeded in making us see her tell about himself and his Taormina.
After months of work and planning, the 56th Taormina Film Festival has finally taken shape. She who took care of every aspect, should be pleased with the outcome? A festival is always a surprise until the last moment we do not know what will happen. Decides the fate. There are those who promise to come and then terminates, or it may be some unexpected last-minute confirmation, you may experience problems with certain projections and endless setbacks. But despite this, the 56th Festival was a fairytale, a dream. We hosted a delighted Robert De Niro after two years of negotiations, Colin Firth was able to find a day of busy schedule to reach us, Emir Kusturica has been all week. And then Dario Argento, Jafar Panahi, Isabel Coixet, Francesco Alliata, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Cristiana Capotondi, Francesco Scianna, Ambra Angiolini, Nicoletta Romanoff, Margaret Madè, Diane Fleri, Giorgio Pasotti, Ficarra and Picone, and even the fashion designer Valentino Garavani City of Taormina for the prize, Toto Schillaci and Cinema Award for Sport. I can not say that the 56th Festival was exactly as I had imagined, it was better!
The festival as such represents an opportunity for interaction and exchange between producers, directors and actors, something hard to repeat for the rest of the year. It 's like this type of connection, especially in Italy, had atrophied and often possible only through shortcuts and recommendations. Why? I believe that today all trades live a bit 'the same situation. I wonder if the fashion world is not done the same. But now I can think of Toto Schillaci, with whom I have just spoken, and perhaps at least in the world of sports talent and physical ability of an athlete is what really counts. I've seen it here in Italy all those young people who really want to break down and work hard to achieve their goals, then eventually succeed. I think depends on each individual. This shows that effort and perseverance are the keys to success, not recommendations.
Each edition of the Taormina Film Festival provides a host exceptional. This year she was invited to Spain. It 'been a targeted selection? Over the past four years, since I was artistic director of this festival, we decided to Taormina the cultural center of the Mediterranean. Every year, a Mediterranean country is chosen as the guest of honor, so that you can highlight the new film. In past years we have celebrated Egypt, Turkey and France. This year, Spain had a lot of movies with particularly interesting, new and modern, showing how a country that otherwise looks a lot like Italy, may be able to generate an incredibly contemporary production. To So we asked the film critic Nuria Vidal to make the selection of English films and was a great success.
Brazil also is present in many films, we can say that it is a second guest of honor? In fact, Brazil, without formalized, as it has become our boyfriend. It 's the second year that the Italo-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce leads to Taormina the best of Brazilian cinema, but the selection of this year was much higher than last year, when we had to split the titles with the Festival of Rome. This year, we were able to select the Creme de la Creme of Brazil, not only for what concerning his film production. This year we also enjoyed a special guest as Adriana Calcanhotto, one of the greatest exponents of the Bossa Nova, 17 June captivated the audience of the Ancient Theatre with a grand concert.
She was born in the United States, home of Hollywood, why he chose to live in Italy? And what brought her to Sicily? I think it was destiny that brought me to Italy. I have always been fascinated by Italy and its film production after World War II. I arrived in Italy after my graduation to stay only one year, but then I had the opportunity to write the thesis here and find work at Variety. So I became a film critic, then discovering the world of the Festival. I worked at the Venice Film Festival with Felice Laudadio and it was he who brings to Taormina. It 'was a very natural step. Today I can be very lucky. I love Sicily and there is nothing that makes me happier than working here. Taormina
Although not exactly the best example of true
Sicily ... I personally believe that is the center of Taormina, Sicily, and not a place only for tourists like many say. I see it more as a kind of door to welcome foreign players and allow them to know and appreciate the culture of Sicily. Especially during the Taormina Film Fest. Hence many of our guests leave to visit the rest of the island and I often encourage them to remote places that I love. I think this is a great way to make one of the most beautiful regions of Italy.
returning to the cinema, she sees as the contemporary Italian cinema? Italian cinema has always been my passion. I specialize in Italian Cinema and my thesis was indeed the Italian political cinema of the 70s and 80s. But I can say that in recent years I find it rather disappointing. And I do not mean blatant examples as Gomorrah and Il Divo are beautiful films, but the film industry itself, which I consider very tame, and much less scathing television in English cinema for example, which looks like. I would like the Italian directors more teeth had a better chance of making movies. At least one film a year and not one every three or four years.
So what is the problem of Italian culture. Why can not we be innovative and competitive as other neighbors? I think that Italians are a very creative people. The problem here is related to the industrial system of film. The Cinema is an area very dear and make a feature film costs a lot. In Italy the production system is definitely flawed and bound in a disproportionate manner television movie that will not morally unacceptable. In other countries there is greater freedom of expression. Not because there is no censorship in Italy, but here is a phenomenon manifested much worse, self-censorship that is productive and profitable. And 'the real problem.
