Photo Credits: Simone De Iuliis
Astonishing records, the most popular social-media festival in the world, 11 days of youth excitement: the final evaluation of Giffoni Experience 2014 is amazing. Quoting Director Claudio Gubitosi, it’s been an “indelible” edition. “To the jurors – explains Gubitosi – this is going to be the hardest day, as time has come to say farewell. We’ll stay simple today, since Giffoni has never dropped the distinguishing simplicity of a little town which has become renowned all over the world. I’ve been asked over the last days how many collaborators the festival has got. The answer is 120 thousand, that is all the people who share with us their energy, enthusiasm and thoughts through the social media. All the things that happen here at Giffoni, from the talents to the music, or even the t-shirts colors, are a children’s choice”.
This year’s adventure started 11 days ago with the Marvel marathon, the cinemas overcrowded day and night, the youth camping out in the Cittadella waiting for Lea Michele and Dylan O’Brien, the enthusiasm for the Negramaro and for film stars such as Richard Gere and Alan Rickman: “The jurors have had great fun, have faced sensitive and tough topics, as Giffoni always tells the truth. If society is bad, it’s not cinema to blame but society itself – goes on Gubitosi. The children will go back home with a suitcase full of doubts to think over. But they will also carry off the friendliness and beauty of our region”.
Gubitosi also recalls the meeting in Caivano with 3 thousand youth from the "Terra dei Fuochi/The Land of Fires", counts the record numbers, the 5 thousand youth who have attended the Meet&Greet, the festival’s projects all over the world, from Brazil to Quatar which we consider ”our investors, the ones that set energies in motion and help to spread the Giffoni brand all over the world”. It’s also been a very crowded edition as far as music is concerned. The concerts held at the Giuseppe Troisi stadium have included performances from Negramaro, Giorgia, Rocco Hunt, Coez, Gemitaiz, Emis Killa and Zero Assoluto, scheduled for tonight. “10 thousand people crowding the Cittadella, together with 10 thousand people round the town and 10 thousand more people attending the concert on Negramaro’s night it’s a sure sign that Giffoni can make it. Our musical project will be even richer next year” – promises the director.
Gubitosi insists on Giffoni's unique values, deeply understandable only by who has attended the festival: "There has never been such an intensive participation of families – says the director – I've seen hands clasping, families gathering together, fathers trusting their sons. Many youths asked us to arrange a meet&greet with Richard Gere for their mothers, because they had seen them extremely enthusiastic for his arrival...", he says amused. "South Italy must be proud of this project – underlines Gubitosi – because we also give attention to the territory: 70,000 people live in Giffoni and, thanks to Giffoni's liveliness, 10,000 people have moved to Giffoni in the last ten years".
Regione Campania's local authority of arts and entertainment Caterina Miraglia says: "Even when the festival is over, Giffoni remains the heart of Campania. Giffoni has been investing on youths and on a place that, even if it cannot be compared to the most beautiful places in Italy, has improved thanks to the festival". The secret? Gubitosi has no doubts about it: "Giffoni is true, loyal and respectful towards its little and adult spectators, it's the most followed festival on social networks, it deals with everything: cinema, television, web, and everyone does what can do best. The jurors met writers, film directors, actors, poets, journalists". Giffoni also has no fears: "In Autumn we'll meet authors, film producers and Italian distributors to understand why films for youths aren't produced in Italy – he reveals – Polemics? A few, but unfounded and targeted to make us have controls and a parliamentary inquiry. We'll answer everyone, people must stop speaking withouth thinking, we'll take measures".
The mayor Paolo Russomando talks about "the sad youths who are leaving Giffoni", bringing out "families' extraordinary availability to welcome and host foreign jurors". He also confirms that funding has been released to support Multimedia Valley, a project that aims to make Giffoni the most creative centre of South Italy, as well as a chance of employment for hundreds of youths.
"Giffoni is a great work as well as a great machine. We're a positive and concrete example in the south of Italy, since our community has also welcomed thousands of youths who have discovered a wonderful place and region", underlines Pietro Rinaldi, Giffoni Experience public body director.
Giffoni's conclusion emphasizes the keyword 'semplicity': "A few days ago – says Gubitosi – I was having dinner with some important guests. I asked the waiter to bring us white rice. My guests obviously felt embarassed, but I explained them that rice is what we were and what we'll be. We don't have a swollen head. And to young jurors I say Louis Malle's film quote: "'Au revoir, les enfantes'".