Senza categoria Archivi ~ Wild Filmmaker

I was 14 years old when I received my first camera as a birthday gift from my brother, who had emigrated to Italy. From that day on, I started seeing the world through its lens. At that time, while my dream was to make films, most of my peers dreamed of escaping Albania, risking their lives on small boats to reach Italy or other European countries. Witnessing their struggles only strengthened my desire to stay and create something meaningful in my own country.

-When did you realize that cinema would become the protagonist of your life?

I grew up with this idea, as much as I could understand from television. In the village where I was born, there was no cinema. When I started high school, I had to leave my family and move to a larger city. There, I began working at a local TV station. After a few years, I decided to challenge myself further and moved to the capital, Tirana, where I worked in national television. I also pursued my studies in directing at the Academy of Arts. During my time there, I made my first short film, Gjyshja (Grandmother), which turned out to be very successful. From that moment on, my only focus was cinema and taking it to a higher level.

-What inspired the idea behind The Passport?

The Passport is based on a true immigration story that happened in recent years in Albania. I have always wanted to make a film about migration and the struggles of Albanians who left the country illegally, facing extreme difficulties. Coming from a family of emigrants myself, this subject has always been close to my heart. Through this film, I aim to send a message to young people who are still considering leaving Albania illegally. Not only do they put their lives at risk, but unintentionally, they also contribute to the financial growth of human trafficking networks.

-Tell us about the international success of The Passport.

The Passport is currently being screened in major European cities, including London, Rome, Athens, Zurich, Berlin, and Brussels. After Europe, the film will also reach audiences in the United States and Canada. It has been very well received by Albanian audiences, who see their own stories reflected in it, but also by international viewers who have found it compelling and eye-opening. Where does cinema stand today? I believe that cinema, in general, is not experiencing its best days. I think we are currently facing a crisis, as people are moving away from movie theaters. With declining viewership, the entire film industry suffers. Online streaming is taking over and, unfortunately, diminishing the beauty of traditional cinema. It is making people lazier, less willing to go to the theaters, and this is something we feel more and more every day.

-How do you imagine the world of cinema 100 years from now?

With the rise of artificial intelligence, I fear that films will lose their true essence. The magic of cinema that we grew up with and experienced firsthand will be gone, and everything will feel artificial. Unfortunately, I believe that movie theaters will eventually turn into museums. People will abandon them, and they will remain as symbols of the past. Cinema will primarily be consumed on smartphones, stripping it of the authentic experience that once connected audiences to the true art of filmmaking.

Planetary Rebellion (EXCLUSIVE) Interview with Fabrizio Fuochi

Posted on 22 February 202524 February 2025 by Dreamate Demo

The P.R. project is actually a refinement, meaning the completion and natural extension of Risveglio Planetario, a multidisciplinary project that originated in its original form in Italian as a song in the years 2021/22. The current P.R. maintains its song form but in English, and the music video is adapted to the new version. This process involves the art of spirituality, photography, music, cinema, poetry, society, politics (understood as “polis”), philosophy, and the interconnectivity of all things.

The song format, combined with the video, is a strategic way to maintain the lightness and accessibility of concepts that would otherwise be less accessible, if not unattainable, to our contemporary audience. In fact, the song format serves as a true Trojan horse, allowing us to breach the walls of the city of Troy that imprison us within a pre-established reality, otherwise impenetrable. I use the metaphor of the impenetrable walls because it is a fact that we find ourselves in this condition both as individuals and as a society. Obviously, Planetary is in English to honor its planetary mission.

The inspiration for this work came from an intuition and personal sensitivity, from a vision ahead of its time and events. The observation of the acceleration of events at the expense of humanity’s culture, which in my eyes is neither credible nor conceivable, is a sign of weakness in an economic, political, and cultural system at its peak of fragility and obvious decline. This downward trajectory represents, in my view, the prelude to a new era: Risveglio Planetario – Planetary Rebellion. I believe this work will confirm the success of the Italian version.

The work that Wild Filmmaker is doing is and will increasingly be important and strategic for the world of cinema, offering crucial visibility to independent productions that are free from pre-established logics. Thank you, Wild Filmmaker, for your dedication and sensitivity.

Indri Shiroka tells us about the international success of THE PASSPORT (EXCLUSIVE)

Posted on 21 February 202521 February 2025 by Dreamate Demo

-How has your experience on the set of “The Passport” changed you?

A lot. First and foremost, from a self-awareness perspective. A role like that allows you to challenge yourself, confronting many weaknesses and insecurities, but at the same time, it encourages you to trust yourself and dive in with courage, using those same vulnerabilities and insecurities to serve such an intense and delicate role. Throughout this process, working with and feeling the trust of the director Eduart Grishaj has been essential, and he will always have my sincere admiration and deepest gratitude. Furthermore, The Passport allowed me for the first time to connect directly with the hearts of millions of my fellow countrymen around the world, and I must admit it’s a beautiful feeling.

-Tell us about your character in “The Passport.”

Edon is a young man searching for stability in a country that seemingly has little to offer him. He represents an entire generation of the Albanian people. Orphaned by his father from a young age, he is determined to find a better future for himself and his mother, to whom he is deeply connected. He is willing to do anything to escape from a country that doesn’t seem to value or invest in him. He is undoubtedly very courageous and has strong principles, a positive example in many ways.

-You are an international actor, do you think it’s necessary to be an artist who addresses a global audience today?

I can’t say if it’s necessary for everyone, but for me, it undoubtedly is. I think that today, more than ever, it’s very important to reach the broadest and most diverse audience possible. Beyond the opportunity for greater career prospects, it is a necessity of a globalized and multi-ethnic society, striving to convey universally recognized messages through art. Proof of this are the increasingly frequent international productions, which aim to shed light on life stories in tune with a world that has never been so interconnected. Personally, I’ve had the fortune to work more abroad than in Italy, and I must admit that it’s the part of my job I love most, as it allows me to travel and engage with people who seem distant from me, yet I find them so close to my vision of cinema.

-Which actors from the past do you look up to? You remind us a lot of the charm and humanity of the great Marcello Mastroianni.

I’m deeply flattered to be reminded of the charm and humanity of such a global icon as Mastroianni. Being the grandson of a great Albanian actor, Bep Shiroka, who marked an era from the 1950s until the early 2000s, makes me entirely devoted to great actors, especially Italians, who since the post-war period have raised the bar of this profession to levels rarely reached by contemporary colleagues. Two names among many, besides my grandfather’s, are Gian Maria Volontè, for his incredible interpretive flexibility and intensity, and Massimo Troisi, for the authentic and sublime melancholy that characterized his comedy.

-Future projects?

Taking care of my body and mind, staying healthy to be a present father for my son, and to continue doing this rich job, never stopping to dream big. That alone would be a great achievement! More concretely, having the opportunity to work as much as possible to keep improving and becoming a good actor, which is the job of my dreams, and I always feel so lucky when I get the chance to do it. Specifically, I’m currently part of two projects, both in pre-production: Ghost Date, a psychological thriller directed by Erik Bernard, and Nossos Caminhos, directed by Carla di Bonito, well known to the Wildfilmaker community, where I’ll have the honor of portraying the great Formula One driver Elio De Angelis.

WILD FILMMAKER Awards – Special Event at the 54th International Film Festival Rotterdam, Netherlands

Posted on 21 February 202523 February 2025 by Dreamate Demo

Not Without Gloves

BEST EUROPEAN EXPERIMENTAL FILM, BEST ARTHOUSE BLACK & WHITE CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST ORIGINAL EXPERIMENTAL DIRECTOR

Wave Man

BEST EUROPEAN FEATURE SCRIPT 2025

The Days of Knight: Chapter 3

BEST NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST FILMMAKER, BEST CAST, BEST SOUND DESIGNER & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Narrative Short)

I’ve Fallen

BEST AMERICAN MUSIC VIDEO 2025

Antiquarius

BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST EUROPEAN NARRATIVE SHORT 2025

Mind over Matter

BEST ARTHOUSE SUPER SHORT FILM 2025

Remnant

BEST DIRECOR, BEST SCREENPLAY, BEST SOUNDTRACK & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: International Narrative Feature)

Walking With God

BEST ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE FEATURE 2025

The Duchess

BEST FILMMAKER (Category: International Drama), BEST DRAMA & BEST ARTHOUSE PROCUCTION COMPANY

Static

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Lambada The Dance Of Fate

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE WRITER & BEST BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT

Routine

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY SHORT & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER

The Assassin’s Apprentice 2: Silbadores of the Canary Islands

BEST ORIGINAL IDEA, BEST FILMMAKER, BEST ARTHOUSE EDITING & BEST LOCATION

Boxed In

BEST NARRATIVE MYSTERY SHORT & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING

The Demon

BEST INDIE ACTOR & BEST ORIGINAL & BEST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL ACTING

Dojo

BEST ACTION MOVIE, BEST FILMMAKER & BEST SOUND DESIGNER (Category: Indie Narrative Short)

Eye of the Storm

BEST INTERNATIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY & BEST AMERICAN PRODUCER

Lifes Mapped Out

BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER

Walk In My Shoes

BEST INDIE ACTOR

I am a God

BEST ISPIRATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT 2025, BEST SCREENWRITER & BEST EDITING (Category: Narrative Short Film)

This is Our Time (duet)

BEST INDIE SONG

Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DIRECTOR 2025

NeverWere: a Lycan Love Story

BEST ARTHOUSE INTERNATIONAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2025

Omnipotent Resolution

BEST INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL SHORT, BEST POETRY FILM, BEST ORIGINAL DANCE SHORT FILM & BEST ARTHOUSE ORIGINAL NARRATIVE SHORT

The Order

BEST FILMMAKER (Category: Indie Experimental Film)

Monument to Love

BEST ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE & BEST PRODUCER, BEST CAMERA OPERATOR & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: International Indie Documentary Feature)

Giulietta e Romeo?

BEST FIRST TIME DIRECTOR 2025 & BEST INDIE EUROPEAN NARRATIVE SHORT

Greta Gar Bitch A true story of loss light and love

BEST INTERNATIONAL BOOK 2025 & BEST ORIGINAL WRITER (Category: Book)

In a Whole New Way

BEST SOCIAL FILM & BEST INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL FILM 2025

The Bag

BEST SUPER SHORT FILM, BEST FILMMAKER, BEST EDITING & BEST ARTHOUSE CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: International Super Short Film)

Sheldon Mashugana gets stooged

BEST INDIE DIRECTOR 2025 & BEST SCREENWRITER (Category: Comedy)

Canta la gioia

BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC VIDEO, BEST ARTHOUSE INTERNATIONAL MUSICIAN & BEST SPIRITUAL SONG WRITER

Katabasis

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDE FILM, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER, BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR & BEST CAST (Category: Narrative Feature)

Nossos Caminhos (Our Paths)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Luzinete

BEST INDIE DRAMA SHORT

Whispers of Love

BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT 2025 & BEST ROMANDE SCRIPT

An Ever After Drama

BEST ARTHOUSE ACTRESS

Secrets of Montmartre 2

BEST INTERNATIONAL SCRIPT

Doctor Hyphoteses

BEST ARTHOUSE ACTOR

Love Is My Gun

BEST AMERICAN ARTHOUSE MUSIC VIDEO

The Hallmark Couple

BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT

Only in Malibu

BEST ORIGINAL INDIE SCREENWRITER

The Hallmark Couple

BEST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Am I a painter?/Czy jestem malarzem?

BEST ANIMATED PROJECT & BEST PRODUCER & BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR (Category: Animated Short Film)

BLIND FAITH: Moments of Missed Understanding

BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL FILM & BEST POETRY SHORT FILM 2025

Super mashugee and freeky passover

BEST AMERICAN COMEDY 2025

Moomtaz Khatoon: A Gender Fluid Queer Muslim

BEST CAMERA OPERATOR, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST PRODUCER & BEST EDITING (Category: Documentary Short)

Riddled Rubies

BEST PILOT/TV SCRIPT & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA

Sky Walker

BEST INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT

The White Chronicles: The Beginning?

BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER & BEST AMERICAN ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT

Drowning

BEST INTERNATIONAL SONG & BEST INDIE SINGER OF THE YEAR

Thankful

BEST WRITER & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: Feature Script 2025)

Something Ain’t Right

BEST CAMERA OPERATOR & BEST EDITING (Category: Documentary)

Ye Ole Glorya

BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCRIPT, BEST CAST & BEST ORIGINAL ACTING (Category: International Comedy)

Big Momma Earth

BEST ARTHOUSE COMEDY 2025

The Stones of Rome

BEST HISTORICAL NARRATIVE SHORT & BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL ACTOR 2025

The Pathos of Hamlet

BEST DIRECTOR, BEST ORIGINAL ACTING, BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Inspirational Narrative Short)

Amen-Amen-Amen: A Story of Our Times

BEST DIRECTOR 2025 (Category: International Documentary Feature) & BEST INDIE DOCUMENTARY

“Only You Can Save Her,” pilot teleplay of series THE BOY WHO EARNED HIS MAGIC

BEST ORIGINAL TELEVISION SCRIPT

Rodeo

BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT 2025

Alta California

BEST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY OF THE YEAR

Can’t Figure It Out

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST PRODUCER & BEST EDITING (Category: Experimental Film)

Belles Paroles

BEST INDIE HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT

“The Flame of Santa Lucia” The new documentary, directed by the award-winning filmmaker Eduardo Cocciardo from Ischia, is a story dedicated to the magnificent island in the Gulf of Naples

Posted on 19 February 202519 February 2025 by Dreamate Demo

-How did “The Flame of Santa Lucia” come to life?

The docufilm was born from an idea by Ciro Mattera, the chef of the historic Ristorante Saturnino in Forio, on the island of Ischia, making his debut as a producer. The intention was to tell the story of his late father, who passed away in 2009 and became one of the most significant figures in the local popular culture over time. His life was one of hard work, struggles, and sacrifices. Along with his beloved wife, he managed to raise 12 children, dedicating himself to farming and livestock, surviving at first thanks to the ancient practice of bartering. A devout follower of Saint Lucia, the man had miraculously recovered from colon cancer. In the 1980s, he had created a festival dedicated to the martyr from Syracuse, where faith and the desire for self-representation intertwined with the dream of community-building and the breaking down of social barriers. Naturally, this story deeply moved me, and I wanted to make a film that would describe the survival practices of ancient rural culture, which, along with the fishing culture, surely represented the beating heart of local identity not only on the island of Ischia. The result is a poetic and passionate portrait of the island from the mid-20th century, still able to survive through barter and deeply connected to the rhythms of the natural world. It was a time when the relationship between man and nature was not mediated by symbolic structures that placed humanity in a dominant position over the environment. This theme is particularly relevant today, especially considering the impact of the social world on climate change. The film brings out the humanity and creativity of this unique character, as well as his ability to strongly influence the social fabric and dream of a better world, turning his memorable gatherings into extraordinary moments of self-analysis and cross-class unity.

-You are a director who has helmed several successful Independent Narrative Features. What are the main differences between shooting a documentary and a fiction film with actors?

Making a fiction feature film requires meticulous work both during the writing process and on set, aimed at aligning the original idea with the final product as closely as possible. A documentary, on the other hand, although it starts with in-depth research of archival materials and a precise orchestration of the elements involved – and thus still requires careful writing – opens up, in a way, to a gradual rediscovery of the world being narrated. This leads to a particular form of “improvisation,” which also stems from the thrill of giving the voice to real protagonists.

-Who were the collaborators who supported you the most in the making of “The Flame of Santa Lucia”?

I must thank Luca Ricci from Aenaria Recordings, with whom I also made the feature film Prima del giorno dopo, for the wonderful cinematography that captured always-new nuances in the folds of the story, as well as for his excellent work in editing and audio/video post-production. I also thank Veronica Repole, the production secretary, for her passionate, constant, and invaluable collaboration.

-What do you expect from your new project “The Flame of Santa Lucia”?

I believe this work has a universal appeal, so I hope it will have a great journey through festivals and perhaps even on streaming platforms. I’m convinced that it can revive in the hearts of many – those attracted by the authenticity of ancient Mediterranean culture or the many Italians who emigrated abroad – memories of a time that seems only seemingly past. At the same time, it can also communicate to those who stubbornly embrace digital civilization the need to preserve the memory of what we once were.

-Do you think WILD FILMMAKER is succeeding in its mission to revolutionize cinema?

Absolutely. Wild Filmmaker today represents, at least in Italy, the only beacon attempting to guide filmmakers beyond the darkness of the mediocrity of the national production system. Congratulations to you, and never slow down. I will always run by your side.

WINNERS Canadian International Indie Film Critics Awards 2025

Posted on 18 February 202518 February 2025 by Dreamate Demo

Lambada The Dance Of Fate

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER, BEST INTERNATIONAL IDEA (Category: Script) & BEST BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT OF THE YEAR

The Brattt

BEST ORIGINAL NARRATIVE FEATURE & BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER (Category: International Film)

Something ain’t right

BEST PRODUCER, BEST CAMERA OPERATOR, BEST ORIGINAL EDITING & BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR (Category: Documentary)

Shattered Rainbows

BEST AMERICAN ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER & BEST FEATURE SCRIPT

Cafe’ Blues

BEST INTERNATIONAL PILOT/TV

Cock Robin

BEST DIRECTOR & BEST SCREENWRITER (Category: International Comedy)

Championship Season

BEST SPORT FILM & BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR (Category: Sport Film)

The Quisling

BEST ORIGINAL WRITER (Category: Feature Script)

Alta California

BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT

Out of Control

BEST INDIE ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Urban Eats MTL

BEST INTERNATIONAL WEB SERIES & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Web/Tv Series)

Thankful

BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY & BEST ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT

Cassandra Venice

BEST DIRECTOR 2025

Artists and Aliens

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER & BEST SOUNDTRACK (Category: SCI-FI)

Canta la gioia

BEST POETRY SONG, BEST SINGER & BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC VIDEO

Not Without Gloves

BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM & BEST ARTHOUSE CINEMATOGRAPHER

Am I a painter?/Czy jestem malarzem?

BEST ARTHOUSE ANIMATED SHORT FILM, BEST PRODUCER & BEST ORIGINAL ANIMATION

Mashuga Wedding and Sheldon’s Jewish Christmas

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DIRECTOR & BEST COMEDY

The Demon

BEST EUROPEAN ACTOR 2025

We are Rivers

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT 2025

You’re Safe With Me

BEST INTERNATIONAL SINGER, BEST ARTHOUSE SONG & BEST ORIGINAL SOUND DESIGNER

It’s the Gravy

BEST AMERICAN COMEDY SHORT

The Duchess

BEST DIRECTOR & BEST PRODUCTION COMPANY (Category: Drama) BEST ACTOR/ACTRESS & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER

Godforsaken: A Story Of The Three Marys (Updated 2024)

BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER & BEST AMERICAN INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT OF THE YEAR

The Lost Village

BEST CAMERA OPERATOR & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DIRECTOR

The Stones of Rome

BEST INSPIRATIONAL SHORT FILM, BEST AMERICAN ACTOR & BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Pathos of Hamlet

BEST ARTHOUSE PRODUCER & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING

NOI Crusaders – 30 anni di football americano in Sardegna

BEST EUROPEAN FILMMAKER, BEST ARTHOUSE SPORT FILM 2025, BEST EDITING & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Sport Film)

Under Tension and The Brawl

BEST EUROPEAN DIRECTOR, BEST ARTHOUSE DRAMA & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY (Category: Drama)

In a Whole New Way

BEST EDUCATIONAL FILM & BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR

Katabasis

BEST ARTHOUSE FILM OF THE YEAR, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR, BEST MAKE-UP, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Narrative Feature)

The Days of Knight: Chapter 3

BEST ORIGINAL NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST PRODUCTION COMPANY, BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER & BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY SHORT

The Assassin’s Apprentice 2: Silbadores of the Canary Islands

BEST NARRATIVE SHORT 2025, BEST PRODUCER, BEST DIRECTOR & BEST EDITING

Routine

BEST AMERICAN FILMMAKER, BEST ORIGINAL INDIE SHORT FILM & BEST CASTING DIRECTOR

Omnipotent Resolution

BEST MUSICAL 2025, BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE SONG, BEST FILMMAKER & BEST SOUND DESIGN (Category: Music Video)

Nossos Caminhos ( Our Paths)

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT

Colombano & La 21Esima Fetta

BEST EUROPEAN ARTHOUSE FILM & BEST INDIE SCREENWRITER

Eye of the Storm

BEST ORIGINAL EDITING & BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

The Chopping Block

BEST INDIE SHORT FILM

Ice Hockey Orphans

BEST FILMMAKER & BEST EDITING (Category: ARTHOUSE DOCUMENTARY SHORT)

Ndazkoh

BEST ARTHOUSE DOCUMENTARY

(EXCLUSIVE) Interview with Mario Margiotta

Posted on 14 February 202514 February 2025 by Dreamate Demo

-Who is Mario Margiotta?

I am a classical pianist, trained at the Conservatory of Bari, my hometown. After graduating, I began performing in traditional classical concerts, playing as a mere pianist. However, that model felt cold and distant to me, as if a glass wall separated the musician from the audience. I felt like a fish in an aquarium—observed, yet isolated. So, I decided to break that barrier, transforming my concerts into interactive experiences where the audience is not just a spectator but an active part of the show. I wanted to create a new way of experiencing classical music, one that is more engaging and authentic. Today, I don’t see myself as just a performer but as 50% of the author (the other half belongs to the composer and their music), bringing music, emotion, and storytelling to the stage. In my performances, I alternate between piano pieces and fascinating anecdotes about composers, using a modern and ironic approach. My goal is to make classical music more accessible, ensuring that the audience doesn’t just listen but fully immerses itself in the world of composition, understanding its context and emotions. I want people to laugh, be moved, and feel that classical music is alive and relevant. I strongly believe in the power of musical dissemination—to break down barriers and help people rediscover this extraordinary art form in a fresh, spontaneous, and engaging way.

-When did you realize that Music would be the protagonist of your life?

My passion for music was born when I was just seven years old. One day, while exploring the house, I found an old keyboard abandoned in a closet. I took it out, turned it on, and started experimenting with it. That was the first step on a journey whose destination I had yet to discover. It took me two years to convince my parents that it wasn’t just a passing enthusiasm. Finally, at the age of nine, I began taking piano lessons, and from that moment on, I never stopped playing. Music became a fundamental part of my life. But perhaps it was cinema that made me realize that my destiny would be music. When I was ten, I watched Amadeus, the masterpiece by Miloš Forman, and I was completely mesmerized. The figure of Mozart, his works, and his life—so romantic yet so tragic—completely enchanted me. That was the moment I knew: I would dedicate my entire life to this wonderful art.

-What inspired the idea for a show dedicated to the collaboration between Nino Rota and Federico Fellini?

It all started by pure chance. The artistic director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo, Maestro Elio Orciuolo, saw a recording of my musical show “Pianosolo” on YouTube and contacted me to perform at a concert in Cairo dedicated to the collaboration between Fellini and Rota. When he told me, I could hardly believe it: it was my first international engagement, and on top of that, for such a prestigious event. I clearly remember the moment I received the call. I was on the roof of the beautiful Cathedral of Siena, and in front of me stretched the entire city: a heavenly panorama that already made me feel like I was in paradise. And now, with such news, that feeling was amplified even more. I was doubly lucky because the topic was familiar to me, even though it had been assigned by others. Since my adolescence, I had been passionate about Fellini’s cinema: I had watched and rewatched all his films, and Nino Rota was a figure I knew very well, not only because I deeply loved his music but also because of the connection to the Conservatory of Bari, where I had studied. Rota had been its director for decades, and many of my teachers had been his students and had known him personally. Through their stories and teachings, I had developed an indirect but profound knowledge of Rota as both a man and an artist. It was from these memories that the show I would soon write was born. From its first performance in Egypt, it was an extraordinary success. Since then, it has traveled all around the world and continues to be the most fortunate of my musical performances. It is a work I am deeply attached to, and it still holds a special place in my heart.

-What would you change about the world?

We live in a world marked by deep selfishness, injustices, wars, climate crises, and inequalities that seem to be growing rather than shrinking. Every day, we witness conflicts that claim innocent lives, people forced to flee their homes, and a planet suffocating under the weight of pollution and indifference. Yet, in the face of all this, the reaction is often distance, habit, and resignation. We lack empathy, we lack sensitivity. I firmly believe that culture can play a fundamental role in this scenario. Culture has the power to shake consciences, to make us look at the world with different eyes. A book, a film, a concert can create cracks in the wall of indifference, sparking questions, reflections, and awareness. Music, in particular, is a universal language: it needs no translation, it speaks directly to the soul. Through it, we can tell stories of pain and hope, of struggle and rebirth; we can present people with emotions they may have never truly felt or understood. It can be a bridge between cultures, a way to unite rather than divide. Now more than ever, we need an education that cultivates sensitivity, that teaches not just knowledge, but the ability to put ourselves in others’ shoes, to feel another’s pain as if it were our own. If culture returns to having a central role in society, if art stops being seen as a luxury and becomes an instrument of awareness and transformation, perhaps we can still hope for a better future. Because a fairer, more peaceful, and more environmentally respectful world is first born in the minds and hearts of people.

-How do you imagine Cinema in 100 years?

I believe cinema is facing the same problem as music: a growing homogenization towards mass-market content, while the great filmmakers who experiment are becoming less and less visible. Artificial intelligence is also changing cinema, producing increasingly industrial content, but I believe this can be an opportunity. AI will eliminate mass-produced products and create more space for authentic creativity. This will stimulate a “competition” between human art and the machine, pushing filmmakers to create more original and profound works, while the audience will increasingly seek the authenticity that only human artists can convey. Times are changing, and we must evolve. The world is becoming more interconnected, and the arts, like everything else, tend to blend together. I think it’s a historical necessity. It’s time to mix the arts and disciplines to create something new, capable of surprising an increasingly bored audience. The success of my format comes precisely from this fusion: classical music, education, cabaret, and theater intertwining in a synergy that resonates. Cinema, always an art that blends various languages, will surely have the ability to reinvent itself once again, as it always has throughout its history, and I believe it will be the art form most capable of adapting to the changes of our times, precisely because of its hybrid and synesthetic nature.

WINNERS WILD FILMMAKER Awards – Special Event at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival

Posted on 14 February 202521 February 2025 by Dreamate Demo

The Days of Knight: Chapter 3

BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT (Category: Narrative Short)

The Sicilian

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTION SCRIPT & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER (Category: Action Script)

Angel

BEST ARTHOUSE DRAMA

Chosen Family

BEST INTERNATIONAL PILOT/TV & BEST INDIE SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR (Category: Television Script)

Rough Shot

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT

Hummel

BEST WRITER (Category: Short Script)

K Bender (The Bloody Benders)

BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR (Category: Short Script)

Adelaide’s Magic Sunglasses

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SCRIPT

The Wood Ranch Country Club

BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST ARTHOUSE SHORT SCRIPT

The Insomnia Experiment

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The Mint

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Split Endz

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NEVERWERE: a Lycan Love Story

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Eye of the Storm

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Hot Afternoons

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Atlas of Uncertainty

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The Duchess

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The Alien and The Border Guard

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Moomtaz Khatoon: A gender fluid queer Muslim

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Short)

The Hallmark Couple

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Only in Malibu

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Gold Glory & Nobility

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Something ain’t right

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I Can’t Save You

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Brothers of Babylon

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La sposa nel vento

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In the Blood

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Sons & Broken Noses

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Luzinete

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Boombox (The God of THe Dance) – TV Series (pitch deck)

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Prima del giorno dopo

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Lambada The Dance Of Fate

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The Broken Road

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The Priory of Sion

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True Friend

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Cassandra Venice

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Iriso

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The Assassin’s Apprentice 2: Silbadores of the Canary Islands

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Routine

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Canta la gioia

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When the Withered Leaf Awakens

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Doctor Hyphoteses

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Katabasis

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Riding on Duke’s Train

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Omnipotent Resolution

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The Demon

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Destination Marfa

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Hard To Swallow

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM 2025 (Category: Arthouse Animation)

Monument to Love

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Dragul and Forbes

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Drowning

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Static

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The Hourglass

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Mind Over Matter

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Ye Ole Glorya

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Big Momma Earth

BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER & BEST SCRIPT (Category: Comedy)

Over Exposed

BEST COMEDY 2025

Emergency Musical Response: Part 1 – Journey to Netherworld

BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR

The way of Mizoguchi

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Thankful

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La San Giocosa

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Dojo

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L’Amour est temps de reflets

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2020: life and death of a virus

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Amen-Amen-Amen: A Story of Our Times

BEST HUMAN RIGHTS FILM & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Lifes Mapped Out

BEST INDIE FILMMAKER

Mashuga Wedding and Sheldon’s Jewish Christmas

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L’Amour est temps de reflets

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Trouble In Paradise

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NOI Crusaders – 30 anni di football americano in Sardegna

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Remnant

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In Search of A P-I-G

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The Dinner Party

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Alta California

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Pirandello’s Wife

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Roses are Blind

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I’ve Fallen

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Out of State-A Gothic Romance

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Two Fridges

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The Dragonfly Dreaming Project

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Cabaret Cuba

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The Addends

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Fascino d’altri tempi

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Der Rote Klang

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Sam and Dukes Big River Adventure

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Walking With God

BEST INDIE NARRATIVE FEATURE 2025

Asherah’s Colors

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Sequoia Spirits

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Vessel – 2024

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The G-Files

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Dogma

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Everland

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Boxed In

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Wave Man

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Revisited – Life is Short

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The Second Coming

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In a Whole New Way

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Homeless Street Artist Documentary

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Not Without Gloves

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The Rorschach Test

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Edgar

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A Perfect Love

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I am God

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Anything You Lose

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Effata

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Ice Hockey Orphans

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Ciccillo

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Luck Court

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Princess Zarabanda

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The Dead Ringer

BEST ORIGINAL ARTHOUSE WRITER OF THE YEAR (Category: International Feature Script)

Something ain’t right

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Is He Cheating?

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Riding on Duke’s Train

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Sheldon Mashugana gets Stooged

BEST ARTHOUSE COMEDY

The Waiting Room

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THE BLANKET -Die schwarze Decke

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Revisited – Life is Short

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Nossos Caminhos (Our Paths)

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Guardians of the Flame

BEST INDIE DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

YOU ARE HERE – a dylan brody project

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Antiquarius

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Giulietta e Romeo?

BEST EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER, BEST ORIGINAL SHORT FILM & BEST INTERNATIONAL FIRST TIME DIRECTOR

The Stones of Rome

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The Pathos of Hamlet

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Planetary Rebellion

BEST EUROPEAN MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR & BEST ARTHOUSE MUSICIAN

Louie (KR ONE) Gasparro 5POINTZ

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR

Chateau De Tarot

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Life is Beautiful

BEST SONG OF THE YEAR

Precious the Baby Dragon

BEST INTERNATIONAL BOOK 2025

BLIND FAITH: Moments of Missed Understanding

BEST DIRECTOR, BEST EDITING & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Experimental Film)

Can’t Figure It Out

BEST ORIGINAL PRODUCER & BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL FILM

Turtle On A Fence Post

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Running Out Of Time

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Ageless

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Enipheres

BEST INDIE FILMMAKER (Category: Arthouse Narrative Short)

Willow’s Journey

BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT

Blooming Sisters

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTRESS

The Age of the Empath

BEST PILOT/TV

Ghost Executioners 2

BEST INDIE SCREENWRITER (Category: Comedy)

Flint&Ema

BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR (Category: International Animated Short)

The Carpet

BEST INDIE ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT

Hot Air Hippo

BEST ARTHOUSE ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Belles Paroles

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