Umbria Film Festival (Montone, July 7-11, 2010)

UMBRIA FILM FESTIVAL Alternative voices in european cinema
XIV Edition

1. Umbria Film Festival hosts "Umbriametraggi", a section dedicated to the works of film-makers who where born or are living in Umbria, selected through a specific competition.

Screening schedule

2. Special event: Immigrants

" Immigration has been the underlying theme of Umbria Film Festival already for a long time. Some of the most beautiful and poignant films screened in Montone show immigration as a relentless stream having an impact on the lives of many people, and asking them a high toll in terms of blood and death, but also as a phenomenon marked by triumphant challenges and the continuous search for better living conditions. However, today the word immigrant threatens to arouse irrational fear, hatred and violence, as a consequence of the influence of the so called political entrepreneurs of fear. In order to contrast this trend, the Region of Umbria is committed in the building of a multiethnic society, in the belief that cultural creativity, the development of civilizations and economic prosperity are the result of cooperation among the people, rather then their separation.

Since 2007 the festival has hosted a specific section: Immigrants. Many events are born from the cooperation between the Regional Council for Social Policies and Umbria Film Festival, such as the meetings on "Second generations" (2007) and on "Cre-Active Immigration" (2008). The latter was dedicated to all the cultural phenomena introduced by the "non local" people who have drawn inspiration by their cross-cultural personal experience, and expressed it in the most diverse artistic fields, ranging from literature, to cinema, from theatre, to music. Both meetings have clearly shown that the second generations of immigrants are taking an increasingly important role in the cultural and political life of our country, but nonetheless they have to face the same problems as all the other youngsters trying to build their own future.

Today school is the place where the resources, contradictions and weaknesses of our social system are most evident. In 2008 there were 13688 foreign students in Umbria (11.4% of the total enrolments), according to data provided by the Ministry of Education.

Nowadays, speaking of a multicultural education does not mean pointing out the indubitable statistics of multiethnic classes, nor regurgitating the slogans of democratic tolerance. That only shapes people who are unprepared, at both cultural and material level, to face the hard experiences to which a serious intercultural education should train. A multicultural school neatly reveals all the contradictions of the education system. (...)

The Immigrant section of the 13th Umbria Film Festival starts from this element to deal with pedagogical, cultural, philosophical and literary research, as well as the current political discussions and the proper classroom practices, especially in this delicate phase of transition (burdened by heavy cuts in the financial resources available), facing difficulties despite the individual and collective efforts to overcome them. A cooperation between generations and a joint work is possible only admitting this fact.

The Section programme will see the screening of feature and short films which have distinguished themselves at international level, and the organization of a forum on the theme: “A school for a multiethnic society”. "

3. Forum “A school for a multiethnic society” July, 9 - 4PM Oratorio San Fedele

"Today school is the place where the resources, contradictions and weaknesses of our social system are most evident. The conference programme aims at dealing with pedagogical, cultural, philosophical and literary research, as well as with the current political discussions and proper classroom practices, especially in this delicate phase of transition (burdened by heavy cuts in the financial resources available), facing difficulties despite the individual and collective efforts to overcome them.

Speakers: Antonella Castelnuovo, Giuseppe Nuccetelli, Massimo Palermo, Franco Pittau, Nicola Rossi, Stefania Scaglione, Damiano Stufara, Mariano Tirimagni, Alessandro Maria Vestrelli, Andrea Villarini.

Experiences: Rita Capacci, Paola Palmieri, Fabrizio Zappelli. "