"Never limit your creativity". This invitation addressed to more than 500 giffoners marked the end of the first stage of Italia Experience, Giffoni's latest project, co-financed by the Ministry of Culture - Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual with the aim of promoting Italian cinema around the world. The event took place during the 10th edition of Giffoni Macedonia Youth Film Festival. The initiative was co-financed for North Macedonia by the National Agency for Cinema, the Italian Embassy in Skopje and the Italian Cultural Institute in Belgrade and was organized by the Ente Autonomo Giffoni Experience with the support of the Planet M association.
The final ceremony was held yesterday at the Millenium Cinema in Skopje, and was attended by Giffoni Macedonia director Darko Basheski and festival program director Dea Krstevska. During the event, the titles of the winning films were also announced, including Italians works Ad Alma by Giuseppe Cardaci, Carlè by Francesco Manzato and The Shift by Alessandro Tonda.
"Italia Experience marks the beginning of a fundamental path for all the young people who participate in this beautiful project devised by Giffoni and strongly supported by the Ministry of Culture", explained Giffoni general manager Jacopo Gubitosi, who was in Skopje at the opening ceremony and during the first days of the event. "This initiative will allow many young people to get acquainted with Italian cinema and culture, engage in dialogue and grow together. What’s more, we will not stop here: after the stage in North Macedonia, in the coming months we will be in Spain, Poland and Croatia to spread the values of Giffoni and enable everyone to live this unique experience in the world".
This first stage was very well attended. Indeed, the event saw the participation of more than 500 young people, grouped into three categories: juniors (10 to 14 years old), cadets (14 to 16 years old) and seniors (16 to 19 years old), who could once again this year meet peers from Italy, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ireland, Romania and Poland. The large Italian delegation included Nicola Bottiglieri, Andrea Brancaccio, Gabriella Casciello, Mario Marcello Cesaro, Nicola Di Meo, Anna Di Muro, Francesco Gabola, Giacomo Gabola, Paolo Giannattasio, Giulia Mancino, Clarissa Russomando and Daniela Senatore, accompanied by Giusi Rago and Marta Frasca of the jury team, as well as Elena Scisci of the Giffoni team.
Numerous workshops, laboratories and special events were also offered to giffoners, the most important of which was the presentation of the first TV series produced in North Macedonia and made by young artists, including many giffoners. Also, the event Italian Comics Day, an entire day dedicated to Italian comics at the MKC Youth Cultural Center, was a great success, with Bonelli Editore artists Alessandro Bilotta and Sergio Gerasi as guests from Italy. The two held a masterclass in the presence of the Italian Ambassador to Skopje Andrea Silvestri. In addition to this, an exhibition was organized featuring several Tex Willer sketches. Later, the Skopje Museum of Contemporary Art hosted the exhibition combining art and nature curated by artists Roberto Ghezzi and Antonio Massarutto.
The second stage of Italia Experience is scheduled for next November in Spain.
