Ponza Film Festival – September 2024 Event Schedule
Sala Polifunzionale “Carlo Pisacane”
via Roma, 3
Ponza
FRIDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2024
16:00 Amistà (Short film, Italy)
by Donato Leoni – with Marta Beccarini, Donato Leoni
Paul and Beckie are two close friends, they love the 70’s and the hippies era. They love each other and they can’t live without each other. They will embark on a journey that will help them to understand what their friendship really means.
16:20 Requiem Espresso (Comedy, Italy – Italian with English subtitles)
by Gil Giuliani – with Marouane Zotti, Roberta Rigano
Requiem Espresso is a VHS film from the ’80s/’90s, a love letter to POP cinema culture. It’s the story of Francesco: a delivery guy that sleep on his friend’s sofa. Only a few years earlier he was calling himself “Frank”: the front man of a band that was on the verge of success.Then one day, during his deliveries, an opportunity knocks on his door: to open the concert of an international band and finally make his comeback on the stage. Frank will have to put together his old band with which he cut the bridges and face a past he escaped from. He does not know, however, that that concert is actually a cover for something very different: his last delivery.
17:50 The Man of the Trees (Documentary, Italy – French with English subtitles)
by Andrea Trivero – with Daniel Balima
Daniel Balima, a 67-year-old senior horticulturist from Tenkodogo, Burkina Faso, has worked in the family nursery since childhood, despite contracting polio and losing the use of his legs. Walking on his hands, he followed his father with determination and turned his disability into an opportunity, rejecting a life of begging in favor of working with dignity. Every day, Daniel tends his garden, overcoming physical and environmental challenges, and takes pride in supporting his family and educating his children and grandchildren. His generosity extends to those in need, offering food to those who cannot afford it. Over five decades, he has planted over a million trees, a contribution he considers crucial for his drought-stricken country, and he dreams of planting another million to continue his life’s work.
18:15 I Promise (Short film, Romania – Rumanian with English subtitles)
by Florentina Angelo – with Oana Angelo, Vlad Andrei
An ordinary day of a woman’s life who takes care of her husband.
18:25 Giulia Ventisette “Ho perso” (Musical video, Italy – Italian)
by Simone Grazzi – with Margherita Fantoni, Giulia Ventisette
18:35 Caligo (Short film, Italy – Italian)
by Egidio Carbone – with Mariano Rigillo, Angela Pagano, Adele Rita Penna
The second cinematographic work in which the Constitutive Actor Theory is experimented.
19:15 ABBA (Science Fiction, Italy – Italian with English subtitles)
by Fabiana Lupo – with Max Malatesta, Mario Russo
A journey across the universe in search of water to survive. A journey in search of oneself. The extreme experience of the protagonist of the story is the daily experience of the human being.
19:35 Blu (Animazion, Italy – Italian with English subtitles)
with Michela Anedda
Blu is a frustrated and hungry soul collector, who has the misfortune to live in a village whose old inhabitants have no intention of dying. Jobless and sleepless, Blu takes refuge at home in the night-time television. Here she sees the Sickle4000, who promises her, with a small sacrifice, that she can kill without limit or mercy
19:50 Bubbles (Short film, Italy – Italian with English subtitles)
by Meri Dishnica – with Valeria Zazzaretta, Barnaba Bonafaccia
A forty-year-old woman named SOL, floats in a long-distance relationship bubble. She starts the day waiting for the wake-up call to accurately perform her morning ritual, which seems to be a video call with her longtime boyfriend FRED. He is so far away that the sunrise at Sol’s window marks the sunset at his’. They both look weary and on the verge of frustration as they wait to see each other for Christmas— so the story goes, for some bizarre reason, for the two of them to meet requires the crack of Fred’s bubble, which never occurs.
20:10 Il Berretto di Squille (Short film, Italy – Italian with English subtitles)
by Gaetano Cucciardi – with Christian Brandi, Marina Cioppa
In Fiorenzo Marino’s novel, set against the backdrop of an Italy yet to be reunited in 1860, a group of young people from the North retrace the country from South to North. The Battle of Volturno is a key focus, highlighting themes of courage and belonging during a pivotal moment in history. After his grandmother Maria’s death, Pietro discovers an old diary belonging to Garibaldian Aristide Panseri. Through flashbacks and diary entries, Aristide’s journey unfolds: he leaves his family, is wounded, and is cared for by a young woman, who Pietro realizes is his grandmother. Their love is cut short by Aristide’s duty, leaving behind memories, a cap, and a tombstone.
20:45 Goffredo e l’Italia Chiamò (Historical Drama, Italy – Italian with English subtitles)
by Angelo Antonucci – with Emanuele Macone, Stefania Sandrelli, Maria Grazia Cucinotta
The film tells the life of the young patriot Goffredo Mameli, who died at the age of 21, fighting against the French in Rome, to defend the Roman republic, presided over by Giuseppe Mazzini. The story that starts from Goffredo’s childhood also wants to highlight his relationship with his family, his first battles for the freedom of Italy from Austrian and French domination and his first love stories. Furthermore, Goffredo also wrote the text of the “Canto degli Italiani” which later became the national anthem of Italy.
SATURDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2024
16:00 Symphonic Youth (Documentary, Switzerland – French with English subtitles)
by Béatrice Mohr
A hundred young musicians meet in Engadin, in the Swiss mountains, to rehearse Mahler’s 7th Symphony and then set off on a cross-country tour. A roadmovie in music and the four national languages about youth, dreams, passion for music and Swiss identity.
16:55 Doldrums (Short film, Viet Nam – English, Vietnamise)
by Le Chau – with Seth Allyn Austin, Diem Truong
A Vietnam War veteran is haunted by memories of his fellow soldiers and the Viet Cong medic who treated his wounds at a great personal cost.
17:15 Au revoir, Melograno (Short film, Italy – Italian with English subtitles)
by Giacomo Pedrotti – with Enrica Cortese, Alice Manzati
How much courage does it take to let go of someone you love? Beatrice knows it well. A few months ago, she lost her boyfriend in a car accident and can’t move on. Thus, she is convinced that Stefano is still with her in the form of a pomegranate tree, the one on which she scattered the boy’s ashes. She always takes him with her. She confides in him, caresses and invites him to dance. Among the concerned and amused looks of friends and strangers, only the falling of the leaves and the meeting with the florist will help Beatrice to deal with her pain, putting her face to face with her loss and with the inevitability of Nature.
17:40 No Regrets – The Sequel (Documentary, USA – English)
by Emeline Mann Sanchez – with Mae Fong Mann
Caring for an elderly parent, or anyone undergoing a debilitating condition, is like the proverbial box of chocolates—you never know what each interaction will bring. While it can be unpredictable, being involved in your parent’s physical and emotional activities benefits both of you. When circumstances allow, caring for them at home can be deeply rewarding, as it offers daily interactions that capture the full spectrum of life—the mundane, the milestones, the good and the bad. These moments, which would be lost if your parent were away, help avoid future regrets and the pain of not having been present when you had the chance.
18:05 Men and Gods, the Sea and the Sacred (Documentary, Italy – English, French, Italian, Greek with English subtitles)
by Massimo D’Alessandro
The caves on the islet of Sant’Eufemia, opposite Vieste, hold a thousand-year-old secret: over 200 rock inscriptions telling forgotten stories of sailors from the Roman period to modern times. From dedications to the goddess Venus Sosandra, “savior of men,” to medieval Christian carvings, the cave served as both a shrine and silent witness to centuries of life. Archaeological finds, such as ancient pottery and human bones, reveal a rich past and place the site within the “geography of the sacred” along the lower Adriatic coast. Thanks to archaeologists from Bari and Foggia, led by Prof. Giuliano Volpe, the island’s history is being rediscovered.
17:50 Sweet Tooth (Shorort filn, USA – English)
by Sea – with Maya Scott, Sierra Morris
Sunny, a bright child, seeks to buy an ice cream cone. When her parents are not able to help her, she turns to someone else. In soliciting help from the tooth fairy, Sunny hopes that her earnings can be enough. The greedy tooth fairy, however, has other plans.Sweet Tooth is a folkloric nightmare that explores the strain of poverty on the parent- child relationship as well as the fragmentation of self that Black girls experience in the pursuit of joy and pleasure.
18:50 Salanitro (Short film, Italy – Italian)
by Lavinia Zammataro – with Irene Alì, Nuccio Morabito
This short film is a tribute to Professor Carmelo Salanitro, a Latin and Greek teacher in Catania in 1940, and an active supporter of the anti-fascist movement. He fought against fascism by spreading messages in support of freedom, peace, and democracy—ideals that eventually led to his arrest, deportation, and death. The film alternates between past and present, highlighting his legacy and the values he sought to pass on to his students and future generations.
19:05 Dies Natalis Sol Invictus (Documentary, Italy – Italian)
by Roberta Argenta
“Dies Natalis Sol Invictus” is a pseudo-documentary that investigates spirituality in the intimate relationship between “man and faith” and “man and nature”. The island of Ponza provides the setting for the stories of its inhabitants.
19:20 Body PainT (Short film, Italy – English)
by Giacomo Sardonini – with Sara Shakti Cincis, Cristina Marini
In a world of objectification, a female body painter’s battle with a tragic accident becomes a turning point as she uncovers her friends’ shared experiences, leading to a profound catharsis.
19:40 La Ballata del Trasimeno (Short film, Italy – Italian)
by Mauro Magrini – with Massimiliano Varrese, Mirko Revoyera
Massimiliano Varrese plays an undercover cop exposed by the underworld. The deputy commissioner (Antonio Ballarano) relocates him to Umbria as Roberto Giansoni and hides him with fisherman Renzo (Mirko Revoyera) at Lake Trasimeno. Initially grumpy, Roberto adapts to the rural life with Renzo’s help, while Jart (Fabrizio Martin) introduces him to the local blues scene and he befriends Giulia (Arianna Fiandrini), a festival photographer. Will Roberto return to his old life?
20:20 L’Acqua di San Giovanni (Short film, Italy – Italian)
by Anna Claudia Bassani – with Rosa Zodda, Federico Barbagelata
Lidia is a girl too light to be on the ground. Her mother, on the night of June 23-24, asks for help to St. John’s magical water. At the same time her friend Elio has an idea to solve her problem.
20:40 Shocking Marriage – Il Matrimonio più Sconvolgente della Storia (Comedy – Italian with English subtitles)
by Demetrio Casile – with Paola Lavini, Giacomo Battaglia, Natale Bova
The story highlights young people’s shift from violence to culture and knowledge. The film satirizes the Mafia with humor, originality, and a mix of musical and surreal elements. It centers on the wedding of a godfather’s sister and a shy boy, whose fear turns into deep affection. The bride also undergoes a positive change. After the wedding, the groom replaces his brother-in-law in the mob and, with his wife’s help, transforms the gang’s violent methods into a system of compassion and justice.
SUNDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2024
16:00 L’Era Antifascista (Documentary, Italy – Italian)
by Tito Gilberto
In 1931 the poet Lauro De Bosis dropped 400.000 anti-fascist leaflets with a small plane over Rome and on Mussolini’s head at the coast of his own life. Trough video reconstructions period films, interview with historians, the event, its background, the links to a century of Italian history are reconstructed.
17:30 Richiamo (Musical video, Italy – Italian) with English subtitles
by Aurora Garofolo – with Asya Schiavo
Lyrics, melody and voice in this song are from Aurora Garofolo. In a timeless setting as Rome, this song is an attempt at wording that vague calling from the unknown, that we often fail to sense due to the pragmatism of our lives, thus developing an insensitivity towards abstraction and meditation.
17:40 The Last Beach (Short film, Italy – Italian)
by Alessandro Onorato – with Valentina Ghelfi, Niccolò Tiberi
Ginevra, a young woman, goes to an uninhabited island in search of her former companion André, who fled on it at the end of their relationship. After the first attempts she meets Daniela, whose past is intertwined with that of the couple, who suggests to Ginevra where to find André. Finally the couple reunites, will it be a new beginning or the last chapter of their relationship? Dernière Plage (The Last Beach) is a journey into the essence and the intimate and somewhat decadent aesthetics of island life and a relationship at the end of the line.
18:10 I Nostri Ieri (Dramatic, Italiy – Italian)
by Andrea Papini – with Peppino Mazzotta, Francesco di Leva
Luca is a director who is currently teaching a film course at a prison. He decides to propose a particular theme to the small group of inmates who attend it. Starting with one of them (who will be chosen by lot) the crime committed will be reconstructed. It will be Beppe, a truck driver who killed a young woman. Luca will go to meet the family and will also meet, during the filming at the crime scene, the victim’s sister.
20:30 Award ceremony and refreshment