The Giffoni Experience has chosen its image, its iconographic identity of 2013. Continuing to focus on the "shared" festival concept where the program is put together with its audience, Giffoni Experience launched the 1st International call for entries in November 2012. A creative challenge (open to all: professionals and amateurs) to select the poster, able to represent the 2013 festival theme: FOREVER YOUNG.   The contest has involved more than 700 participants from 28 countries (Vietnam, Poland, Jamaica, USA, Portugal, Spain, England, France, Croatia, Hungary, Brazil, Tunisia, Russia, Lithuania, Hong Kong, Singapore, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Bosnia, Taiwan, Australia, Greece, Colombia, Serbia, Taipei, Norway). Lots of work have been received: 500 exclusive works (photographs, drawings and graphic design) expressing an interesting and varied concept of the theme chosen for the competition.   A jury of experts in the graphics and illustrations field and the artistic direction of the Giffoni Experience, has scrutinized all the works received, announcing the winning work as the one realized by András Baranyai,a young Hungarian illustrator who will receive a prize of € 2000 and hospitality in Giffoni Valle Piana for 3 days during the festival in july. Giffoni Experience has chosen a strong graphic work, which combines a vaguely retro aspect with graphics and illustration for children. With his work Baranyai tried to translate in images his FOREVER YOUNG concept by using a combination of colored and bright faces with cheerful and surreal smiles and gestures. There is "joie de vivre" in the faces and they express a simple concept: smiling keeps you forerver young.   "The work has been selected bacause of its meaning that embraces the concepts of spreading and sharing - says the artistic director Claudio Gubitosi, spokesman for the message of the jury that chose the winning work -. And the expressed taste of contemporary and vintage art is a perfect metaphor of our festival spirit that remains young with a well-dosed formula of tradition and innovation. "   To emphasize the success of the initiative and to thank all the participants, Giffoni will launch a new vote through its facebook channel and allow all the friends of social network to view the works received and award a "special prize". In addition, the best selected works will be shown in an exhibition at the 43rd edition of the Giffoni Film Festival, scheduled for July 19 to 28 2013.                        

This morning the program of the first edition of the Giffoni Sao Paulo Film Festival was presented to the international press and Brazilian institutions. Special guest of the presentation, one of the greatest actors of world cinema, Giancarlo Giannini, who, tomorrow, will meet the 400 jurors from 10 countries, and discuss with them about his movie "Ti ho cercato in tutti i necrologi" which will have its world premiere at the Memorial de America Latina.   The press conference was attended by Marco Scabia, director of the GiffoniSao Paulo Film Festival, Floriano Pesaro, representative of Prefeitura of Sao Paulo, Diego Christiano of Petrobras, Claudio Gubitosi, director and founder of the Giffoni Experience and Giancarlo Giannini. Representing the Campania Region on behalf of the Governor Stefano Caldoro, there was the Assessore alla Cultura Caterina Miraglia, for the City of Giffoni Valle Piana, the Mayor Paolo Russomando, the on. Generoso Andria, Honorary President of the Giffoni Experience and Pietro Rinaldi, President of the Giffoni Media Service.   On the agenda today the first two of the 16 films in competition, O Palhaço and Xingu . The jurors, as well as discuss the film with directors and producers, met the famous brazialian actress and model Priscila Fantin. Among the activities open to the public, was presented the film "Os Desafinados" by Walter Lima Junior, and the show "Cade Meu Nariz?" of the company Cia de O Que.   The Assessore alla Cultura of the Campania Region, Caterina Miraglia, brought official greetings and thanks of the Governor of the Region, Stefano Caldoro: "The President Stefano Caldoro is present with his spirit in Sao Paulo. Thanks to all the Brazilian authorities who, with great enthusiasm and generosity, accompanied this process of sharing the wonderful and unique experience of Giffoni. Thanks also to all Brazilian citizens, with whom we have already established a sharing of interests and love. I would like to emphasize that Giffoni is an experience of great pride for us, because it transmits cultural and indelible values. The world is better when children are essential and are geared towards the valuesof friendship, brotherhood and solidarity. Giffoni creates opportunities for the dissemination of such universal values. Giffoni-São Paulo is an extraordinary addition to necessary beginning of cooperation between two countries, Italy and Brazil, promoting the dissemination and production of these values."   Giancarlo Giannini was also very enthusiastic: "I'm happy to be in this festival, in a wonderful place. If music is the language of God, the union of these guys, this extraordinary energy that they create and share, is also a part of the language of God, perhaps the best part that is able to bring this festival all around the world"  

For the first time the Giffoni Experience is flying to South America, thanks to the first edition of the Giffoni-São Paulo Film Festival to be held from January 28 to February 1 febbraio 2013. The event will take place at the "Memorial da America Latina", a symbol of the city of Sao Paulo created by the most important Brazilian architecht, Oscar Niemeyer. Brazil has adopted the same successful formula of the original GFF with the participation of 400 International jurors from 10 countries. The theme of the first edition is “Love” .   "Promoting culture and investing on youth and creativity – claims Claudio Gubitosi, artistic director of the GFF – is one of the goals of the Giffoni Experience, which has already spread its formula in every corner of the world: Australia, USA, Poland, Albania, Qatar. The Brazilian appointment is a fundamental one, for a pivotal moment in time in the history of the country, at the centre of and economical and cultural development. Sharing the Giffoni experience in Brazil represents one of the most important steps in recent Giffoni memory. The city of São Paulo promotes thousands of events all year round thanks to the support of cultural and private organizations. The Municipality chooses around ten great events a year Giffoni-São Paulo Film Festival being one of them".   “We are proud to bring this event to life with the support of Campania that will play a pivotal role in future cultural and business activities. Our goal – says Gubitosi – is to make the Giffoni São Paolo Film Festival a point of reference for youth in South America. The 2013 edition of the Giffoni Experience will also dedicate great attention to Brazilian cinema and culture".   The programme includes 16 film in competition (from 11 countries), 14 of those were selected among the best productions screened during the last two editions of the Giffoni Film Festival: Kaddish For A Friend, by Leo Khasin, Spud, by Donovan Marsh, Stay!, by Lourens Blok, Il sole dentro, by Paolo Bianchini, Cool Kids Don't Cry, by Dennis Bots, Frisson Des Collines by Richard Roy, Victor And The Secret Of The Crocodile Mansion, by Cyrill Boss and Philipp Stennert, Norman, by Jonathan Segal, Otelo Burning, by Sara Blecher, Hunky Dory by Marc Evans, King Of Devil's Island, by Marius Holst, Simple Simon, by Andrea Ohman, Submarine, by Richard Ayoade and Suicide Room, by Jan Komasa. A selection of thought provoking movies with themes such as challenged family relationships, coming of age stories.   The remaining two films are Brazilian productions selected by the São Paulo team: O Palhaço by Selton Mello, the story of a clown on a quest for his true identity and Xingu, by Cao Hamburger, a film about the Villas – Boas brothers, the main creators of the Xingu park, one of the biggest ecological reservation for natives ever created.   The programme also includes 5 films out of competition for the general public: Os Desafinados by Walter Lima Jr., Gonzaga- De Pai para Filho, by Breno Silveira, Lisbela and the Prisioner, by Guel Arraes, O Contador de Histórias by Luiz Villaça and A Busca by Luciano Moura. Several Q&As with film talent and industry are also planned together with, workshops, live music performances and more.   The jury of the first edition (2 sections) of Giffoni-São Paulo will be composed of 400 youth from Italy, Venezuela, Belarus, Sout Korea, Albania, Hungary, Armenia, Mexico, South Africa, Spain and, obviously, Brazil. All jurors from the guest country were selected through scouting in Schools and cultural organizations, whilst the International jurors were selected by the Giffoni Experience who chose 50 youth thanks to a network of Film and cultural organizations worldwide. In the same fashion of Giffoni, the jurors in São Paulo will be tasked with choosing the best film.   Among the talent set to garce the stage: brazilian thesps Eva Wilma, Suzana Pires, Denise Fraga, Ana Lucia Torre, Priscila Fantin and diretors Bruno Mazzeo, and Luiz Villaça.   The Giffoni Award and Gryphon Award for the first edition of Giffoni São Paulo Film Festival were manufactured in Campania by SCU8. The artists Salvatore and Emanuele Scuotto chose the Grifo for Brazil.   The director of the Giffoni Experience, Claudio Gubitosi, will lead the Italian delegation composed of jurors, GFF staff, journalists and Institutional personalities: Caterina Miraglia, Concillor to Culture of the Regione Campania, The Giffoni Valle Piana Mayor, Paolo Russomando, the Honorary president of the Giffoni Experience, Generoso Andria and the President of the Giffoni Media Service, Pietro Rinaldi.   “A long term festival – hopes Thiago Lobo, Councillor to sports and youth in Sao Paolo, who visited the Giffoni Film Festival in 2012 - a pivotal cultural moment for the vivacious South American city and its 6 million citizens. We hope to bring the same DNA and spirit of the festival to San Paolo with an initiative we intend to carry out every year aiming at a cultural Giffoni-like transformation. What we hope is to create filmmakers and film lovers but most of all better people".   "It is a dream come true, a one of a kind occasion for Brazil to claim a place in the world of Youth film and culture – claimed Marco Scabia, the director of Mix Brand Experience, one of the main organizations behind the event - There is no other event of this kind in Brazil that can be compared to the Giffoni Film Festival format".   The first edition of the Giffoni-São Paulo film festivalhas been carried out with the contribution of the Ministery of Culture in Brazil and is sponsored by Redecard and Petrobras, with the support of Globo San Paolo and the promotion of Magazine Contigo!, Cineclick e Radio Disney 91,3. The festival is supported by Vivacor and Holiday Inn (Anhembi) and springs from a project by Mix Maker Entretenimento and Esporte do grupo Mix Brand Experience, Giffoni Experience and Governo Federal. The Italian partners area Regione Campania, The Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali, The Provincia di Salerno, The Camera di Commercio di Salerno and Comune di Giffoni Valle Piana. The Guardans Cambò agency in milan is the promoter of the event.

The Giffoni Experience goes back to Albania. The managing director, Claudio Gubitosi, during his recent visit to Tirana was the recipient of a Honorary Degree, and also defined with Niko Ajazi, producer and organizer of the GFF experiences in Albania, all the activities to be held October 24/27 mainly in the capital.

A further great preview to be hosted today at the Giffoni Film Festival. At 19 at Sala Truffaut, the audience will get the chance to attend "Ice Age: Continental Drift", a visual epic journey characterized by a mix of emotional power, humor and fine sentiments, following the world'most beloved prehistoric squirrel and the most odd and unusual herd ever.   Squirrel Scrat's nutty pursuit of the unseizable acorn has catastrophic and world changing consequences: a continental cataclysm leading to the greatest adventure of all for Manny the mammoth, Diego the saber-toothed tiger and Sid the sloth. During their vicissitudes, Sid reunites with his cantankerous granny, and the herd encounters a ragtag menagerie of pirates determined to stop them from getting back home.   Produced by Lori Forte, the film is directed by Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier (chief animator of the saga first installment). The research & development department created some new technologies  in order to design specific extraordinary settings. A grotto where trees hang from the ceiling, the ever present threat of earth and rocks mouldering, iceberg acting as ships: each setting has its own character and unique colors. 3D technology was essential as well.   As Martino explains: "The plot transports the audience into an adventure, while 3D technology makes them get deeper into the experience. When Munny, Diego and Sid ride massive waves during a storm, thanks to 3D the viewers feel like they're part of the action".   The film soundtrack, by John Powell, includes a few themes from the previous episodes and some brand new amazing tunes, which successfully emphasize the emotional tension between Manny and Pesca, as well as Manny's longing for home.

If I think now that I almost didn't go to Holland, I want to curse myself. I would have renounced to one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.

6.30 am- Eight creepy characters (Riccardo R., Fabio, Federica, Valentina, Martina, Rossella, Riccardo P. and Benedetta) are seen walking around at dawn and everyone including the late ones ( Riccardo Pirolo anyone? :P), set off to the Roma-Fiumicino airport chaperoned by the legendary Giovanni.

Giffoni Experience is the most important Italian event dedicated to  Children & Family. This is also thanks to its "widespread and sharing"  mission which involves both the public and the partners of the event. This is the reason behind the decision to let go of the "Giffoni Film Festival" description in 2009... read more...

The rock legend will take to the stage and hold a masterclass in Giffoni on July 19

From March 21 to March 26 three GFF jurors will be at Amersfoort in Holland and from March 25 to April 2 a group of 10 youth will be at the Sousse Youth Film Festival in Tunisia