MedFilm: The Mediterranean and beyond

by Gabriele Barcaro

05/11/2008 - While perhaps not Rome’s most prestigious film festival, it is certainly one of its oldest: this year the MedFilmFestival turns 16 and runs from November 6-16.

Created to host the best of Mediterranean cinema, over time the event has expanded its horizons, to include above all productions from continental Europe, as proven by the section “EastWest: Visions of a young German cinema,” with films such as Thomas Arslan’s Ferien [trailer] and 12 Means: I Love You by Connie Walther.

But the heart of the festival remains the Competition: 12 films, ranging from Croatian title Behind the Glass [film focus] by Zrinko Ogresta to Özcan Alper’s Turkish/German co-production Autumn [trailer], chosen as the Opening Event to celebrate the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. Turkey is also the subject of an entire Focus.

The most highly anticipated film would be Mar nero [trailer] by debut filmmaker Federico Bondi, which won an award at Locarno. However, the screening, featured on the regular programme, is actually for jury members only. The festival paradoxically risks having a winner that audiences were not allowed to see.

There are four other competitive seetions: The Eurimages Italia Award, the Italia nel Cinema Award, the shorts competition (of note is Fabio Mollo’s Giganti) and the documentary competition (which includes the curious Danish title Afghan Muscles by Andreas M. Dalsgaard).

(Translated from Italian)