The first edition of the Aqua Film Festival
The first edition of the Aqua Film Festival was held from the 6th to the 9th of October at the Casa del Cinema in Rome – entry to the festival was free for as long as seats were available – This event was a film festival hosting Short Films regarding the theme of Water, and the project is the brainchild of its artistic director, actress, journalist and water aerobics and methodologies in water expert Eleonora Vallone. A busy programme of screenings, meetings and events enlivened the festival, which was divided into thematic areas such as sport, culture, fashion, the arts and performances. The film competition was divided in three themes: Fresh WATER, Sea WATER and Thermal WATER and divided in two sections: ‘Short Films’ of 25 minutes maximum length and ‘Mini-Short Films’ of 3 minutes maximum length, including those made with mobile phones.
The Short Films were judged and awarded prizes by the Jury made up by its chairman, the film director Giancarlo Scarchilli; the author Pietro Belfiore; the singer Cecile; the Marketing Director of Comingsoon.it, Marco D’Ottavio; the actor Ludovico Fremont; the actress Paola Gassman; the actress Veronica De Laurentiis; the actress Caterina Murino; the Director of Photography Blasco Giurato; the actress and film director Simona Izzo; the author and playwright Giuseppe Manfridi; the film editor Luca Montanari; the actress Elisabetta Pellini; the music critic and presenter Dario Salvatori; the film director Massimo Spano; Commander Emanuele Di Franco; the actor and film director Ricky Tognazzi and the actor and dubber Luca Ward. The festival also boasted a Scientific Committee chaired by Professor Giovanni Spagnoletti.
The following prizes were awarded at the festival.
BEST SHORT FILM Sister Water Prize
DOVE L’ACQUA CON ALTRA ACQUA SI CONFONDE, by Gianluca Mangiasciutti and Massimo Loi (Italy)
JURY’S SPECIAL MENTION Sister Water Prize
THE DIVER, by Esteban Arrangoiz (Mexico)
BEST MINI-SHORT FILM Sister Water Prize
DANCING, by Danilo Torre (Italy)
AQUA FILM ANCIM Prize – Best Screenplay
WHALE VALLEY, by Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson (Iceland)
AQUA FILM Students of Tor Vergata University Prize
GRACE UNDER WATER, by Anthony Lawrence (Australia)
AQUA FILM Students of Tor Vergata University Special Mention
SUBMERGENCY, by Debora Vrizzi (Italy)
SEA WATER Special Mention
ALIENI DI CEBU’, by Lucio Coccia (Italy)
FRESH WATER Special Mention
LA FONTE, by Mattia Venturi (Italy)
THERMAL WATER (“Water that cures”) Special Mention
OLTRE LA LINEA – NELL’ACQUA, by Paolo Geremei (Italy)
AQUA FILM COMINGSOON.it Prize – Best Filmmaker
LA FACILE FELICITÀ, by Ludovico Di Martino (Italy)
ACQUA DONNA PRIZE (AFF Jury)
LA DONNA INCINTA E’ FUGGITA, by Paola Pace (Italy)
“A dream has come true” emphasizes the artistic director Eleonora Vallone at the culmination of the festival. “Aqua Film Festival is born, and is worthy of the success which is the result of years of hard work! Filmmakers from all over the world enthusiastically answered our invitation to send us Short Films and Mini-Short Films on the theme of ‘Water’, and contemplating it in the most diverse and insightful manner. Many young film directors – and I am sure that their talent will become renown – completed their mission of conveying the Water that envelopes us by means of the passion of Cinema. I truly hope that this festival becomes a veritable springboard for these young talents. Meanwhile, we are already hard at work on the second edition, with other important innovations!”.
AquaFilmFestival 2016 was organized by the Universi Aqua Voluntary Association with the patronage of UNESCO, WWAP UNESCO, The MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND PROTECTION OF LAND AND SEA, THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, THE ITALIAN NAVY, CONI (ITALIAN OLYMPIC GAMES COMMITTEE), FIPSAS (ITALIAN WATER SPORTS FEDERATION);with the patronage and contribution of the PRINCE ALBERT II OF MONACO FOUNDATION, the technical contribution of the CENTRO SPERIMENTALE DI CINEMATOGRAFIA, the partnership of AMREF, ANCIM, LO SCRITTOIO, MAREVIVO, ACQUA DELL’ELBA, MICHELANGELO GIOIELLI, UNIVERSITÀ EUROPEA DI ROMA; with the support of AQUANIENE, ARTEMARE, MARECHIAROFILM, UNIVERSITA’ DI TOR VERGATA; with the mediapartnership of COMING SOON, METRO FREE PRESS, FREETIME EXCELLENCE LIFESTYLE.
