The ceremony brought the 24th edition of the Gran Paradiso Film Festival to a close. This was a particularly vibrantedition: over 18,000 spectators across the venues and online, 18-day programming, 80 screenings in theatres, 150 hours of streaming, 10 national and international high-profile guests hosted during the De Rerum Natura conference series,571 people registered to take part in the Festival Jury.

“It has been an extensive, particularly meaningful edition,” said the Festival’s Artistic Director Luisa Vuillermoz; “after a difficult year and a half, the Festival is back as a space where people can enjoy the pleasure of sharing and discussing today’s topical issues. There is no vaccine to stop the current ecological and climate crisis. Yet a collective effort can still change things; the example provided by directors who, with their talent and commitment, contribute to raise awareness for wildlife protection is inspiring. Like Pippa Ehrlich with her film, My octopus Teacher.

The GPFF is a unique vantage point on the natural world, but it can also be a platform to defend it!”

Corrado Jordan, the President of Fondation Grand Paradis, said: “Th GPFF films leave us with a sense of wonder for the natural world – for ecosystems near and far. Nature is amazing yet fragile. The tipping point is never too far. We have a responsibility to take action to preserve it. Each of us can and must do something about it.”

In the feature film category the Technical Jury awarded “On thin ice”, by Henry M. Mix and Boas Schwarz, with the following motivation: “An extreme environment depicted with such technical skill as to make a complex, controversial topic utterly clear. It is a challenge to humanity’s survival. This is not fiction; filming was carried out ethically, and the result is raw, unsparing images that shake our conscience. It is a wake-up call for humanity”.

The Short Film Award went to “Stories of you and I”, with the following motivation shared by the Technical Jury: “a dramatic crescendo of ideas and emotions, masterfully narrated by a talented, renowned actor. Viewers are drawn into understanding the meaning of the journey as it unfolds, until they are overwhelmed by the force of the revelation: humankind is unable to understand the world in which it lives. Humans are lost in the daily business of life, trapped between their ignorance and indifference”.

The Gran Paradiso National Park Special Mention went to “Okavango”, by Dereck and Beverly Joubert, described as “askilfully narrated plot, with spectacular, poetic images that succeed in transforming the stories of individual species intoan allegory of the resilience of ecosystems threatened by desertification”.

The Youth Audience (for under-14’s) awarded the “Stambecco d’Oro Junior” Award to “Planète Méditerranée” by Gil Gébaïli – the story of an outstanding diving challenge deep into the waters of the Mediterranean. Lorenzo Riboni won the “CortoNatura” category competition with “La danza tra terra e cielo”. “The Frozen Kingdom of the Snow Leopard” by Frédéric Larrey won the “GPFF online” category: it was the most voted by the Festival’s online audience.

The “De Rerum Natura” series opened with two leading figures from one of Italy’s most important cultural institutions: Evelina Christillin and Christian Greco, the President and Director of the Egyptian Museum of Turin, who presented their latest book entitled “Le memorie del futuro”.

On Wednesday 28 July, climbers Nives Meroi and Romano Benet joined the audience gathered at the foot of the Châtel-Argent promontory in Villeneuve. Among their various mountaineering exploits, the couple narrated the compelling story of their ascent of all the world’s 14 eight-thousanders.

The Gran Paradiso Film Festival continues today at Introd Castle, where the President of the Accademia della Crusca, Professor Claudio Marazzini, will take the stage to talk about “Parole della Montagna (Mountain Words)“, followed by the screening of the International Competition official selection films.

Prof. Carlo Cottarelli, interviewed by Luisa Vuillermoz, the Festival’s Artistic Director, drew from his latest book “All’Inferno e ritorno. Per la nostra rinascita sociale ed economica” (Einaudi, 2021) to discuss the three principles that should steer the country towards the path of sustainable development: firstly, ensuring a level playing field, i.e. giving everyone a chance in life. Secondly, rewarding merit and solidarity: the lucky ones tend to have a bette chance in life than the less fortunate ones. Thirdly, there is room for redistributionof wealth.”

In his book, Cottarelli analyses the consequences of the crisis, the weaknesses of the economic system, which the pandemic exposed, and the opportunities that arise from economic recovery. He also highlightsthe potential of sustainable development on a social, financial and environmental level.

The conference ended with an extensive Q&A session with a thoroughly engaged audience.

Full house in Cogne and a large online audience for the event featuring Prof. Alberto Mantovani, who spoke about “immunological memory: from cancer to Covid-19″, answering questions on the pandemic and vaccines. “One of the reasons why people are skeptical about vaccines,’ he explained, ‘is that they find it hard to reason in terms of risks and benefits. In medicine zero risk simply does not exist. “It would be best,’ Mantovani continued, ‘to provide accurate information with every single vaccine dose.” At the end of event, the audience showed its appreciation with a sustained applause followed by questions and requests for further information.

The last De Rerum Natura event will be held in Cogne on 12 August. The constitutional judge and former Prime Minister Giuliano Amato will speak about “Identity and history”. Through these conferences, the Gran Paradiso Film Festival continues to pursue its mission: to stimulate people’s curiosity and a yearning to discover new things, not only through the outstanding films in competition, but also through such popular in-depth series.

On 1 August, Maria Chiara Carrozza will take the stage in Cogne for the first time. Recently appointed President of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council), she is the first woman to hold this position, as well as the former Minister for Education, Universities and Research. She will be speaking on the “Geopolitics of recovery and resilience in the era of sustainable technological development”.

Carlo Cottarelli, the Director of the Observatory on the Italian Public Accounts and already a guest at the 22nd Festival edition, will be back in Cogne to present his latest book “All’inferno e ritorno” (To Hell and Back), the most political of his works, in which he reflects on the opportunities arising from the crisis and on Italy’s economic future. He proposes an agenda based on three principles: level playing field, merit and solidarity.

Alberto Mantovani, a medical immunologist, outdoor enthusiast and connoisseur of the Aosta Valley, will also reflect on highly topical issues during his talk on “Immunological memory and vaccines: from Cancer to COVID-19”.

During the ceremony, attended by Festival partners and several high-ranking regional officials, the theme of this year’s edition – “Building from memory” – was unveiled alongside the extensive programme of events that will take place in the municipalities of Gran Paradisoarea from 28 July to 13 August.

The ceremony was presented by the Festival’s Artistic Director, Luisa Vuillermoz, and by the quick-witted comedian, Dario Vergassola, who entertained the public and the authorities with his signature dry humour.

Festival partners underlined the importance of the event for the Gran Paradiso area, and drew attention to the growing environmental sustainability awareness among the wider public. Vergassola commented: “The Festival is all about quality: the official selection includes outstanding documentaries. Never before has the need for nature, as well as the importance of protecting the planet, been so strongly felt. The Festival is clearly dear to its audience, and partners and stakeholders are justly proud of it“.

Registration to join the Festival jury is still open. In a clear sign of significant growth from past editions, 375 entries have been registered to date.

The Gran Paradiso Film Festival is a Fondation Grand Paradis project, realised within the framework of the PACTA Project Promouvoir l’Action Culturelle en Territoire Alpin (Interreg V-A Italy-France ALCOTRA 2014-2020); in collaboration with: the Department of Environment, Transport and Sustainable Mobility of the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley; with the support of: the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Activities and Tourism, the Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, Sport and Commerce of the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley, The Regional Council of Aosta Valley, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Torino, Gran Paradiso National Park, Compagnia Valdostana delle Acque; Municipality of Cogne; with the participation of: Federparchi, Italian Alpine Club; Fondazione Comunitaria della Valle d’Aosta, the Alpine Convention; with the patronage of: Municipality of Aymavilles, Municipality of Introd, Municipality of Rhêmes-Notre-Dame, Municipality of Rhêmes-Saint-Georges, Municipality of Valsavarenche, Municipality of Villeneuve and Ente Progetto Natura; technical sponsorship – Montura.

]]> https://25.gpff.it/registrations-to-the-public-jury-of-the-24th-gran-paradiso-film-festival-are-open/?lang=en Mon, 19 Jul 2021 11:48:50 +0000 https://25.gpff.it/?p=15287