After Fabrizio Bentivoglio and Vanessa Scalera, Michele Riondino and Sonia Bergamasco, Sergio Rubini, Lino Banfi, Caterina De Angelis, Federico Gheghi and Marco Tullio Giordana, this year Monica Guerritore and Laura Morante will take the stage of the Trifiletti Theatre in Milazzo.
During the new edition of the Milazzo Film Festival Attorstudio, scheduled from March 25 to 28, they will be honored for the excellence of their work as performers and authors.
These are the first two names revealed by the artistic directors, Caterina Taricano and Mario Sesti.
“The attention from the press and the public for Milazzo Attorstudio in its first two editions,” they say, “has exceeded our expectations. We believed that a festival dedicated to actors — without whom you can’t make cinema, theatre, or anything — was missing in the crowded landscape of festivals. The presence in Milazzo of truly important names in just a few editions confirmed that this was a good idea.”
The Milazzo festival, now in its twelfth edition, is once again sponsored by the Municipality of Milazzo. “The Milazzo Film Festival is growing,” states Mayor Pippo Midili. “It is one of the most important initiatives in our city, especially because it aims at the de-seasonalization of tourism. The artists present are of great prestige and represent a valuable example for all young actors.”
LAURA MORANTE. “Before becoming an actress, I was a dancer,” recounts Laura Morante, who will receive the Excellence Acting Award after a short live performance in which she will read excerpts from her book of stories, Immoral Tales, now in its second edition. “My marriage to dance was a love marriage (from my side, not from dance), while my marriage to cinema and theatre was a marriage of convenience. As sometimes happens, the marriage of convenience turned out better than the love marriage, and I ended up falling in love with the profession of acting, even if it took a long time. But I have continued to doubt my abilities as an actress, and every time I receive an award, I am left with the feeling that I didn’t truly deserve it. This is also the case here, so I accept this award more as a gift than as recognition. And I thank those who granted it to me as one would thank someone for a greatly appreciated present.”
MONICA GUERRITORE. Completely different is the career path of Monica Guerritore, who has lived the profession of actress since she was young and has worked extensively both in theatre, also as a playwright, and in film (also as a director). As with artists like Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Sergio Rubini, Sonia Bergamasco, and Michele Riondino, the Milazzo Film Festival also intends to honor the richness and multiple facets of an actor’s talent. “I am honored by this award,” says the actress and author from Paris, where she is attending the French premiere of her film curated by the Italian Cultural Institute. “It is being awarded to me at a festival dedicated, finally, to actors — especially after making, as actress and director, Anna, about Anna Magnani, which is not only about a great actress but also about the difficulty of succeeding in a cinema that you love. In truth, beyond the recognition of my work as an actress, playwright, and filmmaker that began on a stage when I was 15, I am happy to meet high school classes for a masterclass on Magnani, cinema, and acting, which I will hold after the screening of my film.”
As for the competition, 144 submissions were received from twenty-eight countries. The selection of the works that will take part in the next edition of the Milazzo Film Festival has officially begun.
The organizers have launched an open call for volunteers, active until February 15. Anyone can join the team and take part in production, hospitality, and communication activities. Applications can be submitted through the “Contacts” section.