12/03/2015 - The sixth edition of the Bari International Film Fest will unspool from 21-28 March, chaired by Ettore Scola and directed by Felice Laudadio; it will feature tributes to Fritz Lang and Francesco Rosi

“This gathering in Bari has an identity that other festivals don’t have, because they are chasing after red carpets and high society. Here, on the other hand, there is a clear idea of cinema, which must first and foremost be a tool for understanding reality.” According to master writer-director Ettore Scola, this is the main strength of the Bif&st – Bari International Film Festival, of which he is the president, and which is preparing to celebrate its sixth edition from 21-28 March, directed, as always, by Felice Laudadio. A raft of international premieres, a competition for Italian films and another one for films produced all over the world during the last year will be mixed in with film classes with eight well-respected European directors (read the news), a near-comprehensive retrospective of the work of Fritz Lang and a huge tribute to Francesco Rosi, who passed away not long ago.

Unveiled in Rome yesterday, the programme for this year’s Bif&st offers a huge number of International Premieres screening at the Teatro Petruzzelli, including Tempo instabile con probabili schiarite [+see also:
trailer
interview: Marco Pontecorvo
film profile] by Marco Pontecorvo (which will open the festival – read the news); Wolf Totem [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Jean-Jacques Annaud, a Chinese-French co-production; Ex Machina [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
film profile], the feature debut by British director Alex Garland, based on Fritz Lang’s own Metropolis; the world premiere of Ho ucciso Napoleone [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], a comedy by Giorgia Farina, starring Micaela Ramazzotti; Slow West [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: John Maclean
film profile], the feature debut by Scottish filmmaker John Maclean, starring Michael Fassbender; The Gunman [+see also:
trailer
making of
film profile] by Pierre Morel, starring Sean Penn, Jasmine Trinca and Javier Bardem, set in Africa, London and Barcelona; and, fresh from the Berlinale, the latest work by Margarethe von Trotta, The Misplaced World [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile].

On the other hand, in the International Panorama section (featuring 12 titles in competition, all previously unseen in Italy), we find the directorial debut by British actor Paul Bettany, Shelter; the Oscar-nominated film Accused [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Paula van der Oest (the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Luxembourg); and the French titles Jamais de la vie [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Pierre Jolivet, Graziella [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Mehdi Charef and Discount [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Louis-Julien Petit. There will also be 12 films duking it out in the ItaliaFilmFest section, including Black Souls [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Francesco Munzi
film profile] by Francesco Munzi, Hungry Hearts [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Saverio Costanzo
film profile] by Saverio Costanzo, The Misunderstood [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Asia Argento, The Invisible Boy [+see also:
film review
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interview: Gabriele Salvatores
film profile] by Gabriele Salvatores and Leopardi [+see also:
film review
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interview: Mario Martone
film profile] by Mario Martone. The Italian competition will include first and second works, such as Last Summer [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Lorenzo Guerra Seràgnoli, Sworn Virgin [+see also:
film review
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Q&A: Laura Bispuri
film profile] by Laura Bispuri, The Ice Forest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Claudio Noce
film profile] by Claudio Noce, The Wonders [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alice Rohrwacher
interview: Tiziana Soudani
film profile] by Alice Rohrwacher and Perez [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Edoardo De Angelis.

The gathering will also host a selection of documentaries out of competition, a round-table entitled Cinema&Fiction: convergenze parallele?, and four production-design and costume labs. Nanni Moretti (who will lead his Film Class on 28 March) will receive the Federico Fellini Platinum Award for Cinematic Excellence at the festival’s closing ceremony.

Promoted by the Mediterranean, Culture and Tourism Department of the Puglia Region and staged by the Apulia Film Commission Foundation, with backing from private sponsors, the 2015 Bif&st is benefiting from a budget of €1,200,000, which represents a reduction of €100,000 compared to previous years. Nevertheless, it is estimated that at least 70,000 viewers will attend – ie, the same number as that recorded at the two most recent editions.

(Translated from Italian)