Social Emergencies and Cinematic Reflections: The Italian Comedy Festival's Youth Jury Prize

From the problems of young people in the urban outskirts of the South to the no longer "invisible" drama of the homeless. Many of the social emergencies of our time are among the themes of the films selected in the quartet of finalists for the Youth Jury Prize of the third edition of the Italian Comedy Festival (ICF). The nominations were unveiled this morning at the Suor Orsola Benincasa University in Naples during the first stage of the ICF, which this year for the first time started from Italy. The big novelty of this new edition of the Italian Comedy Festival is the collaboration with the Master in Cinema and Television of Suor Orsola directed by producer Nicola Giuliano. A collaboration that also gave life to a new section of the Festival's awards: the "Youth Jury" Prize. A jury composed entirely of Master's students at Suor Orsola revealed the nominations of the finalist projects that will represent Italy in Hollywood. For the young cinema experts of Suor Orsola competing for the prize that will be awarded on April 14 at the Casa del Cinema in Rome in the second stage of the ICF 2024, there will be three short films and one feature film (Scianel): 1) "The Last Party" (Italy, 2022) by Matteo Damiani. With Dora Romano and Luisa de Santis. Production: Movie Factor. The story of two elderly sisters who embark on a journey to Gabicce. On board a van, they teach us that it's never too late to pursue one's passions and lost loves. 2) "The Conspiracy Theorist Barber" (Italy, 2022) by Valerio Ferrara. With Lucio Patanè and Maria Pia Timo. Production: Experimental Centre of Cinematography. It is the story of Antonio, a barber who runs a blog where he exposes his "theories" about disturbing events for him. This short is a journey through conspiracy theories and the reality that surrounds us, which can be interpreted by each of us, according to our imagination. 3) "The Law of the Market" (Italy, 2023) by Alessandro Panza. With a special appearance by Claudio Amendola and Aki. Production: Deltaduemedia. How often do we find homeless people asking for alms? This moving short makes us reflect on two similar conditions but, in the eyes of society, completely different. A stray dog attracts the compassion of passersby; a homeless person is negligible. The performances of Claudio Amendola and Aki show us how, obeying this market law, two "invisibles" together, become "visible". 4) "Scianel" (Italy, 2023) by Luciano Accomando. With Lollo Franco and Giulia Fragiglio. Production: Centro Studi Pianosequenza for the "Officine Malaspine" project. This delicate feature film tells the story of a girl, Scianel, who discovers she has magical powers. A lover of drawing, her illustrations suddenly come to life. Having always lived in the Zen district of Palermo, Scianel dreams of being able to cross the limits within which she has been confined by her grandfather and the society that surrounds her. During the Neapolitan day of the ICF, a short film-tribute to Chaplin and Totò was screened in world premiere, made by the students of the Master in Cinema and Television, the result of surprising research and editing work, with the supervision of the teacher Pietro Paolo Centomani. The short film, which also reflects at length on the current themes of wars, will be presented to the American public on April 30 in Los Angeles during the final evening of the third edition of the Italian Comedy Festival. "In 'Totò & Chaplin: Follow the Smile', the Italian comic genius Totò and the icon of silent cinema Charlie Chaplin meet on screen with the goal of demonstrating to the international audience that the two artists are really very similar and that only linguistic barriers have prevented Totò from achieving international recognition." Thus, the MCT students of Suor Orsola present their work. "The short highlights the similarities and differences in the comedy styles of Totò and Chaplin, showing how both have left an indelible mark on the world of cinema. While Totò wins over the audience with his frankness and irresistible Neapolitan charm, Chaplin enchants with his mastery in transforming the most banal situations into moments of pure entertainment. Through this celebration of their work, Totò & Chaplin: Follow the Smile offers a compelling and entertaining overview of Italian and international comedy, introducing Totò to the global audience in an unforgettable way."