Pressetext zu AsoloArtFilmFestival 2008 International festival of art films and artist biographies August 29 - september 7 2008 Teatro E. Duse - Asolo (TV) From the 29th of August to the 7th of September 2008 in Asolo (TV), will take place the 27th edition AsoloArtFilmFestival. The Festival was re-launched in 2001 by A.I.A.F under the name of AsoloArtFilmFestival in the wake of the “Festival del Film sull’Arte e di Biografie d’Artista”(Festival on Art Films and Artist Biographies) established in 1973 by Flavia Paulon (brilliant photographer and heart of Venetian “Mostra del Cinema”). 50 works in contest, selected among the 643 received from 52 countries. Both big and independent productions will take part in the competition, divided in different sections: films on art, artist’s biographies, video art and computer art, experimental productions of Schools of Cinema, architecture and design and the new section called “making of”. The jury, presided over Tony Jop (responsible for the Spectacles section of the news paper L’Unità ), is settled by Francesco Gostoli (architect, town planner and designer), Andrea Dall’Asta (director of the Galleria San Fedele in Milano), Chiara Gatti (critic, researcher and art curator), Mikkel Maltha (musical supervisor for Gruppo Zentropa and musical composer for cinema and television), Silvano Mezzavilla (critic, comics historian and screen player), Andrea Miekish (film editor, director and author of publications on cinema). The Festival, besides the screening of all competing films at Teatro Eleonora Duse (Eleonora Duse theatre), involves a range of art exhibitions, in the most characteristic locations of the city: on the “Torre della Reata”, in “via Canova”, in “via Browning” and at the “caffè Centrale”. Our purpose is to turn Asolo into a unique great exposition area, in which local artists of international fame, such as Anna Maria Iodice, Walter Davanzo, Alberto Condotta Claudia Buttignol , Flavio Favero, Mario Martinelli, Mauro Lovisetto, Paolo Loschi, Pietro Callegari, Isotta Dardilli, will expose their works. Among the extra screenings, of great historical and artistic value, there is Cenere (Cinder) by Febo Mari and Antonio Ambrosio jr., mute film that highlights the acting skills of an amazing Italian Diva, who spent the last years of her life in Asolo, Eleonora Duse, for the first time in a movie. Another must see is The Universe of Keith Haring by Christina Clausen, a documentary on the career and background of one of the most famous and significant contemporary artists. The third, Poemi Asolani by Georg Brintrup, in which the actual protagonist is G.F. Malipiero’s music(the great Italian musician, who was born in Venice, but spent his whole life in Asolo). As an alternative to the usual “caffè letterario” (literature coffee), AsoloArtFilmFestival puts forward the so called “Spritzart” (Spritz is a tipical aperitif made with prosecco and soda, which, in this case, only represent the idea of “getting together before dinner”); a range of meetings, opened to everyone, in which our public will be able to discuss with artists and intellectuals involved in the festival about different topics, sitting at the historical Caffè Centrale’s patio. The festival will also involve the millenary Rock of Asolo, facing the area between Piave and Brenta’s rivers. On Saturday August 30th, from 9pm, lights, sounds, pictures and words will combine in the unique atmosphere of this mysterious construction, lookout of the fascinating scenery of Asolo’s hills. Professor Gabriele Farronato will read some passages about the fortress’ history, meanwhile films from A.I.A.F. archive will be screened on the walls. Afterwards a percussions ensemble Brake Drum Percussion established in 1983 by Pietro Bertelli and made by 12 instrumentalists will perform important Italian contemporary pieces. They already performed in many international festivals like: Biennale d’Arte e Musica Contemporanea, Sonopolis, in Venice and Festival anti-dogma in Turin. Even our MINISTER BONDI welcomes this event and in a catalogue’s note he writes: AsoloArtFilmFestival inherited in 2001 the important Festival of art Films, strongly wanted by the critic, essayist, cinemagoer, historical operator of Venetian “Mostra del Cinema” ever since its beginning in 1932, Flavia Paulon. Thanks to the care of Secretary General Attilio Zamperoni and the support of the territory, it has been possible to carry on a significant experience in the variety of cinematographic festivals worldwide. The positive intuition of dedicating an event to artists documentaries and biographies, allowed to make room to a cinematographic genre, wrongly considered as minor, by highlighting its ability to catch the creative and narrative moments in the history of great painters and sculptors. Over the years, this festival has been able to disclose rare works, filling the gaps of cinematographic distribution and television broadcasts. It also contributed to the diffusion of masterpieces such as Andrey Rublyov by Tarkovsky, honoured, in the first edition, with the Gran Premio Asolo (Asolo Great Prize). This year, the selection committee has chosen 640 film coming from 52 countries, clear sign of the reverberation, the authority and the value that have been achieved. Thus, I am sure that also in 2008 Asolo will be able to become a protagonist, exposing itself to the international critique for the quality of its proposals. INFO: Press office: REGGI&SPIZZICHINO COMMUNICATION Maya Reggi +39 347 6879999 - maya@reggiespizzichino.com Raffaella Spizzichino +39 338 8800199 - raffaella@reggiespizzichino.com ufficiostampa@asolofilmfestival.it info@asolofilmfestival.it www.asolofilmfestival.it