The sixth edition of Pop Corn Festival del Corto will take place from 21 to 23 July in Porto Santo Stefano, the initiative dedicated to short films including screenings, meetings and collateral events. President of the jury this year will be Federico Moccia.
From parkour on the rooftops of Santorini to a music contest in the mountains of India; from the epic of two boys in the headquarters of the moral police in Tehran to the story of a communist worker in the role of none other than Jesus. These are some of the stories that will be told in the 6th edition Of Short Pop Corn Festivalthe international event dedicated to short films scheduled from 21 to 23 July in Porto Santo Stefanoon the Argentario promontory (Gr). Three days of screenings, meetings with authors and collateral events overlooking the sea; 18 films in competition, directly from the screens of Oscars, Nastri d’Argento, British Academy Film Awards, Giffoni Film Festival and Rome Independent Film Festival, which will compete among others to the Raffaella Carrà Awardthe only one acknowledgment established in Italy by Carrà itself, loyal supporter of the initiative. “Lightness: the weight of happiness”, this is the theme for 2023: in an increasingly complex world, the challenge is to face everyday battles lightly. Unique stories that will be rated by one jury headed by the writer, screenwriter and director Frederick Moccia. Pop Corn Festival del Corto is curated by Argentario Association Art Day APS with the direction of Francesca Castriconi and the support and patronage of Municipality of Monte Argentario e Regional Council of Tuscany region (free entry).
13 auteur shorts and 5 first works coming from Ireland, Italy, Greece, United Kingdom, Spain, India and Iran will follow one another on the big screen in the suggestive Piazzale dei Rionipresented by the actor Andrea Dianetti. Among the titles worth mentioning in the absolute premiere “S’Indattaraiu”new work by the director and director of the Figari International Short Film Fest Matthew Pianezzi, in the presence of the author (22/07). And then the film winner at the 2023 Academy Awards and BAFTAs as Best Short Film “An Irish Goodbye” Of Tom Berkeley e Ross White (22/07); “The snow will cover all things”Work awarded at the Alice in the cities festival and signed by Daniel Santa, guest at the festival and known to the general public for having directed some of the most iconic video clips for the new generation of Italian singer-songwriters – from Motta to Calcutta to Dente and Baustelle (21/07); “Lost Tracks”yellow of Gianluca Gloria selected for the Nastri d’Argento 2023 What will be introduced by the director himself (22/07); “The sea that moves things” Of Lorenzo Marinelli, present at the screening, applauded RIFF and Giffoni (21/07); “The Silent Echo” Of Suman Sen, in shortlist for the 2023 Academy (23/07).
Between novelty the collaboration with Moscerine Film Festival, a Roman exhibition dedicated to works created by girls and boys up to 12 years of age, which will bring to Pop Corn the winning work of the last edition: “Il sirenetto” by Caterina Pallini. Furthermore, from this year Pop Corn Festival del Corto becomes part of theAFIC – Association of Italian Cinema Festivals, becoming part of the network that brings together the Giornate degli Autori in Venice, the Festival dei Popoli in Florence and the Turin Film Festival. The synergy with also continues Southeast, a film festival based in Monopoli which every year welcomes the short film winner of the Raffaella Carrà award into its programme. Confirmed the composition of the juryanimated by film industry professionals: the award-winning editor Marco Spoletini, the strategic marketing expert for Rai Cinema Manuela Rhymethe journalist and film critic Carlo Griserithe artistic director of Sudestival Michael Suma and the costume and set designer Stephen Young. Among guests directors too Chiara De Angelis, Dominic Modafferi e Clare Toffoletto.
inauguration with the usual round table at the Boutique Hotel Torre di Cala Piccola in Porto Santo Stefano in the presence of guests, jurors, partners and sponsorsas well as the mayor of the Municipality of Monte Argentario Arthur Cerulli and the Councilor for Tourism and Culture Clare Orsini. To coordinate the meeting John Battaglia, journalist of the film portal Taxi Drivers (July 21 at 18.00). Among the side events, the presentation of the book “Anna Karina, the restless muse of the Nouvelle Vague” (Alpes) in the presence of the author Simon Galassi (July 22 at 9.30) and the festival party on the Moletto Beach (22 July 24.00). It will be later Sergio Japino, Carrà’s life partner, to deliver the award that bears his name on the awards evening and offers up €4,000 for the most original short film (23 July at 9.30pm). Prizes will also be awarded Best Short Film in each category – copyright shorts and first works – from the amount of €1000 each. Expected then i Premium Panlightwith a value of €5,000 and €3,000 for the rental of film equipment, in addition to public recognition and at special mentions.
To interpret the concept of lightness on the poster of the event is the Cuban-American artist Richard Vergez with his work “Heavy Construction”. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Vergez has worked and lived in New York as a member of the Brooklyn Collage Collective, he has exhibited in London, Chicago, Miami, Sydney and Los Angeles and currently works and resides in South Florida. His background in graphic design and audiovisual composition is reflected in handmade collages on paper and experiments with mixed media, combining human and technological elements to tell a dystopian contemporary identity in continuous evolution.
“Pop Corn is a festival of exciting little films and people full of enthusiasm for their work – says Francesca Castriconi – thus a contagious energy is created, which gives birth to new collaborations, new friendships and makes the festival grow more every year.”
For more information and for the complete programme, we refer you to the official website: www.popcornfestivaldelcorto.it.