Foreword by Daniel N. Casagrande and colophon for the 2014 edition, news about the sponsors and press releases. In this section, all you need to know
FOREWORD
The eighth edition of Queer Lion, the collateral award of 71. Venice International Film Festival dedicated to movies “with homosexual themes or queer interest”, has this year the patronage of the Presidency of the Cabinet – Department for Equal Opportunities, Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, Veneto Region, Province of Venice, Venice Municipality and the National Union of Italian Film Critics.
Seven movies are competing for the award this year (details on page 2). Furthermore, worthy of being mentioned for their GLBT contents, are Rami Yasin’s short movie Fi al waqt al dae’a (Orizzonti) and Paola Randi’s episode in the collective movie 9X10 Novanta (Venice Days).
This year’s cover image, ideated by Francesco Gangemi, is a very personal way of celebrating the 75th anniversary of Victor Fleming’s cult movie The Wizard of Oz.
The Queer Lion Award board, in the year of the presentation of the restored version in Venice of the movie Una giornata particolare (A Special Day), has decided, with the approval of the direction of 71. International Venice Film Festival, to bestow a Queer Lion of Honor to Ettore Scola’s masterpiece, because, regardless of its own artistic merits, the movie represents a true milestone for the international LGBT culture, and because in years when “politically correct” was still something yet to come, it managed to create a story centering on a dignified, positive main homosexual character, in an absolutely bold and unprecedented way for Italian cinema. Director Ettore Scola already stated he will joyfully accept the award, that will be handed out during the 71. Venice Film Fest; all the updates on www.cinemarte.it
Enjoy the show!
ORGANIZATION
General management Daniel N. Casagrande
Translations Marco Busato
Graphic design Francesco Gangemi
Website design Djurica Nikolic
THANKS
71. Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica: Alberto Barbera, Luigi Cuciniello, Angela Savoldi, Paolo Lughi, Flavia Lo Mastro, Fiorella Tagliapietra, Elisa Terzi, Elena Mantoan, Paolo Bertolin, Silvia Menegazzi, Michele Boselli
11. Giornate degli Autori: Giorgio Gosetti, Giovanni Marco Piemontese, Sylvain Auzou, Gaia Furrer, Renata Santoro, Roberta Ria
29. Settimana Internazionale della Critica: Franco Montini, Francesco De Pace, Bruno Torri, Eddie Bertozzi
Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri – Dipartimento per le Pari Opportunità UNAR: Marco De Giorgi, Ada Ferrara
Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali e del Turismo: On. Dario Franceschini, Giampaolo D’Andrea
Regione Veneto: On. Luca Zaia, Mara Ferrari, Francesca Del Favero
Provincia di Venezia: Francesca Zaccariotto
Comune di Venezia: Angela Vattese, Valentina Mazzolin
34. Cinema Sotto le Stelle: David Casagrande Napolin, Massimo De Grandi, Municipalità di Marghera.
7. Padova Pride Village: On. Alessandro Zan, Claudio Malfitano, Pierangelo Serio, Federico Illesi
Ed ancora: Eric J. Lyman, Lorenzo Di Las Plassas, Vincenzo Patané, Sandro Avanzo, RaiNews, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Venezia News, Adriano Virone, Andrea Curti, Carlo Barcone, The Open Reel, Cosimo Santoro, Prodigio Divino Srl, Bruno Tommasini, Linda Marchi, Franco Grillini
PRESS RELEASE
The eighth edition of Queer Lion, the collateral award of 71. Venice International Film Festival dedicated to movies “with homosexual themes or queer interest”, has this year the patronage of the Presidency of the Cabinet – Department for Equal Opportunities, Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, Veneto Region, Province of Venice, Venice Municipality and the National Union of Italian Film Critics.
This year’s cover image, ideated by Francesco Gangemi, is a very personal way of celebrating the 75th anniversary of Victor Fleming’s cult movie The Wizard of Oz.
JURY – Heading the jury this year is Alessandro Zan (Padua, 1973), member of the Italian Parliament, working in the Commission for Environment of the Parliament, and LGBT rights activist. Managed to activate the first Italian anagraphical registry for unmarried couples. Rounding up the jury, Daniel N. Casagrande, creator of the Queer Lion Award, and Marco Busato, General Delegate of the cultural association CinemArte.
MOVIES IN COMPETITION – Seven movies are vying this year for Queer Lion Award 2014: Larry Clark’s The Smell of Us with its controversial tale of young parisian skaters spending their days between boredom, sex, and prostitution; also from the Venice Days sidebar, we have Mario Fanfani’s “en travesti” story Les nuits d’été; Guy Myhill’s The Goob, from Uk; The Farewell Party, from Israel, co-directed by Sharon Maymon and Tal Granit; and Christophe Honore’s new movie Métamorphoses, from France. Dealing with prostitution is also the Vietnamese entry Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere directed by Nguyên Hoàng Diep, a first work selected in the International Critics’ Week; and on September 4th, the last movie competing to be unveiled will be Abel Ferrara’s Pasolini, in the run as well for Venice’s main prize, the Golden Lion.
OTHER MOVIES – Furthermore, worthy of being mentioned for their GLBT contents, are two movies not competing for Queer Lion: Rami Yasin’s short movie Fi al waqt al dae’a (Orizzonti), telling the story of a difficult coming out, and Paola Randi’s episode in the collective movie 9X10 Novanta (Venice Days), celebrating Istituto Luce’s 90th birthday.
SPECIAL AWARD – The Queer Lion Award board, in the year of the presentation of the restored version in Venice of the movie Una giornata particolare (A Special Day), has decided to bestow a Queer Lion of Honor to Ettore Scola’s masterpiece, because, regardless of its own artistic merits, the movie represents a true milestone for the international LGBT culture, and because in years when “politically correct” was still something yet to come, it managed to create a story centering on a dignified, positive main homosexual character, in an absolutely bold and unprecedented way for Italian cinema. Director Ettore Scola already stated he will joyfully accept the award, that will be handed out during the 71. Venice Film Festival.
EVENTS – Thursday, September 4th at 5.30PM, at Villa degli Autori (headquarter of the Venice Days sidebar), presentation of the VOD – Video on Demand – web portal of The Open Reel, project dedicated to quality cinema, with a specific attention to queer movies. Right after, a very particular wine tasting of Vinocchio and Uvagina, two twin wines, wanting to remind us, even during convivial moments, the cultural challenge of civil rights, “two wines aimed at voicing the battles of lesbians and gay men for equal citizenship rights in Italy”.
On Friday, September 5th, at 6PM, again at Villa degli Autori, ceremony of the main collateral awards, among them: Queer Lion Award, Fedeora Award, Label Europa Cinemas, Venice Days Award, BNL Audience Award.
