The power of cinema to unite and sustain us during Corona
by Stefano Francia di Celle and Fedra Fateh, Director and Deputy Director of the Torino Film Festival
Cinematic storytelling is an integral element of our social fabric. Just as movies shape our view of ourselves, movies are also shaped by our collective experiences. Corona, its lessons, its tragedy and its opportunities will be with us for years to come. So instead of just surviving and moving on, lets embrace all the insights that it can offer us. TFF, like every member of our community, aims to evolve and learn from this unprecedented experience. Although it is too soon to draw conclusions about the lessons of Corona, TFF would like to reaffirm our values as we transition to a new era that is more compassionate, resilient and just.
TFF would like to reaffirm its commitment to three key values: (a) collaboration; (b) diversity and (c) innovation. By collaborating we acknowledge that filmmaking is a collective effort of teams from diverse backgrounds and nationalities. Making, watching and celebrating movies are a global experience. The world of cinema has no borders. We reaffirm the importance of international collaboration and the universality of the human experience that films celebrate.
By supporting diversity we value different perspectives, recognizing that outcomes are better when we engage all stake-holders. Cinematic storytelling and all aspects of the film business should reflect the diversity of our societies. Not just gender and ethnicity but celebrating the full range of human perspectives. The Corona challenge has helped us better appreciate healthcare workers, grocery store employees, drivers, farmers, transit workers, sanitation workers, teachers, all unsung heros. No doubt, there are stories to be told by and about people from a more diverse range of perspectives.
By focusing on innovation, we recognize that our creativity, imagination and resilience will find new and better ways to make, view, discuss and celebrate films. We plan to use technology and new collaborations to strengthen the inspiring and uplifting role of cinema.
Although we hope to hold the festival in person, we are obligated to prepare for the possibility of a more limited festival or an online event. Either way, we are very excited to have an all female jury this year in support of gender equality. Also, we will be launching a global campaign entitled “Women in Cinema” to ensure that the voices of girls and women are heard, supported and celebrated. We want to take this opportunity to expand our digital platform to make the festival more global and active all year round. Reimagining the potential of the digital platform is the unexpected gift of this challenge. It will enable us to innovate, to engage with a broader audience and to remain active year round on issues that are important to us, like gender equality.
Our 38 year history of supporting new and diverse voices in cinema will help us adapt to a post-Corona era that will have both familiar and unfamiliar elements. We can learn and grow from this experience by finding new ways to collaborate, engaging more diverse storytellers and subjects and developing innovative ways of making, watching, studying and celebrating films. TFF will continue to support and celebrate films, artists and audiences while evolving to adapt to a new era.
Applications to the 38th Torino Film Festival open on May 5th. You can submit your film to selection until September 4th by reading “rules and regulations”, fill in the form on FilmFreeway and follow the instructions.
For any information you can send an email to programmazione@torinofilmfest.org.
