In this last period it was hard to hope, but also this year the Venice International Film Festival is here and we are very happy!

The oldest festival in the world has taken up the challenge of post-covid and returns to the Lido from September 2 to 12 for an edition organized in compliance with health and hygiene regulations and with some innovations in terms of fruition, which will not fail to turn on an important spotlight on the seventh art with previews of films, many guests and meetings and a particular attention to address the situation of the cultural and creative industry in times of crisis.

An important and positive signal for the future of all festivals, dramatically marked in this last period.

As we do every year, we will also be there to tell you about all of Africa, Asia and Latin America at Venice 2020.

From the official selection we point out Nomadland by young Chinese director Chloé Zhao who directs the intense Frances McDormand in search of a life outside of conventional society, like a modern day nomad and the film Khorshid (Sun) by Majid Majid from Iran, which tells us about children forced to work to support their families who embark on an adventure in search of treasure. Full selection HERE.

In Horizons a presence that makes us particularly happy: the Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, already winner of the African Film Mile award with the documentary Le Challat de Tunis at FESCAAAL 2015, will present her latest film The Man Who Sold His Skin, after the great international success she had with the film La belle e la meute. In this film, Kaouther tells us about migration and a young Syrian who flees to Lebanon to dream of leaving for Europe but will find himself questioning the meaning of freedom. All the films of Horizons HERE.

In the section Out of Competition, never as in this year marked by waves of revolts in favor of civil rights started in the United States and spread all over the world, it is worth mentioning the presence of the film by Regina King, One Night in Miami. Inspired by a theatrical play, it brings back to life on screen some of the protagonists of the anti-discrimination movement of the 1960s, such as Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown, who meet in a bar in the aftermath of Muhammad Ali’s historic defeat of Sonny Liston.

From the program of Venice Days, the parallel section that aims to select the most innovative and original titles of the contemporary scene, we point out, instead, the feature film by Algerian Karim Ainouz Cigar au miel that takes us back to the 90s and explores the theme of patriarchy, religious extremism and the desire of seventeen years old Selma who undertakes a journey to become a free woman made of dreams and resistance. Full program HERE.

Back as part of the Venice Production Bridge at Venice 77 is Final Cut In Venice, the workshop supporting films in post-production from Africa and Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria, which encourages networking between authors and producers, buyers, distributors and film festival programmers. Among the 6 selected this year, who will compete for prizes that will support the post-production phase of the work are films from Algeria, Tunisia, and Lebanon and an author dear to us: Lebanese Zeina Daccache with her project The Blue Inmates. Zeina had been with us at FESCAAAL in 2014 when she presented her documentary about the condition of a women’s prison Scheherazade’s Diary. All Final Cut in Venice selections HERE.

About Africa and more will be discussed at the European Union for the future of World Cinema meeting, which will be held on Sunday, September 6 from 10:45 am to 1:00 pm in the Spazio Incontri at the Hotel Excelsior, home of the Venice Production Bridge at the Venice Film Festival. Among the panelists will be Alessandra Speciale, who will talk with some directors from Afghanistan, Iran and Ivory Coast in a virtual journey from Kabul to Bamako to discover the production opportunities of the audiovisual industry in countries that are culturally rich but face difficult situations of political and civil instability. At the end of the sessions the musical performance Kabul to Bamako Social Club, at the Bluemoon Terrace. The event can also be followed in streaming HERE. More information and full program on the website of the Biennale Cinema.

Also the Milano Film Network will be present at the Lido with the inevitable meeting to talk about the Atelier and In Progress projects in support of Italian independent cinema, the next edition of the MID Milano Indutry Days and the calendar of the 7 festivals of the network. The meeting will be held at the Italian Pavillon in the Tropicana Conference Room of the Hotel Excelsioe on Sunday 6 September at 4pm but it will also be available online at www.italianpavillon.it.