Against all odds it is Festa again in Rome for Cinema makers & lovers with the Rome Film Fest, 15-25 October 2020

By Francesca LombardoFollowing in the footsteps of Venice, Rome too made a massive effort this year not miss the 15th Edition of the Rome Film Festival despite Covid19. The film festival will be packed with film screenings from all over the world, special encounters, conferences and plenty of special sections and exhibitions. 

From the 15th to the 25th of October, the Auditorium Parco della Musica will see actors, actresses, directors, screenwriters, and above all audiences return to the Fest’s traditional venue and recreate that marvellous festive atmosphere created by partaking in the passion for film.

This year’s official poster for the Rome Film Fest is photo of two film icons: Sidney Poitier and Paul Newman in a relaxed moment on the set of Paris Blues. 

The Festival cannot miss this year to pay a special tribute to Roman born and bred international giant Ennio Morricone, whose music has made unforgettable many iconic films.

“The recent death of the composer Ennio Morricone was an enormous loss for film and for Rome, his own city. The decision to name the Auditorium after him was unanimous, a testament to the universal love for his music and artistry among audiences the world over. The Fest will pay tribute to the maestro by filling the air with his timeless compositions as the artists walk the red carpet, ushering them into the Auditorium with this uniquely evocative soundtrack” says Mayor of Rome Virginia Raggi. 

The Festival presents 24 films and documentaries in the Official Selection, 2 Co-productions with Alice nella città, 5 Everybody’s talking about it, 6 Special Events 14 Close Encounters. There will be also a retrospective of 15 titles, and pre-opening screening and will give a special Lifetime Achievements Awards to British Film Director Steve McQueen

BNL PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD Audiences can vote for the films of the official selection at the My Cityplex Savoy “Acea”, at the first repeat screening. The film that gets the greatest number of votes will be awarded the BNL People’s Choice Award of the fifteenth edition in collaboration with the Main Partner of the Fest, BNL Group BNP Paribas. 

OFFICIAL SELECTION 2020

SOUL by Pete Docter, United States, 2020, with the voices of Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey is this year’s opening film. The official selection is a varied and interesting selection of films from France (9 JOURS À RAQQA |by Xavier de Lauzanne, LE DISCOURS) United Kingdom (AFTER LOVE by Aleem Khan, AMMONITE by Francis Lee, with Kate Winslet, FIREBALL: VISITORS FROM DARKER WORLDS by Werner Herzog, SMALL AXE by Steve McQueen, STARDUST by Gabriel Range and SUPERNOVA) but also films from Japan ( ASA GA KURU | TRUE MOTHERS by Naomi Kawase, SUBARASHIKI SEKAI | UNDER THE OPEN SKYby Miwa Nishikawa,) Algeria  (DE NOS FRÈRES BLESSÉS | FAITHFULby Hélier Cisterne, DES HOMMES | HOME FRONT by Lucas Belvaux),  Denmark (DRUK), Belgium (ÉTÉ 85), Italy (Fortuna by Nicolangelo Gelormini, THE SHIFT by Alessandro Tonda) United States (I CARRY YOU WITH ME by Heidi Ewing, TIME by Garrett Bradley, United State) and important co-productions such as HOME by Franka Potente and Lithuania.  

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT IT (section)

This section includes a selection of films to be screened at the Rome Film Fest after a remarkable international debut.

IRONBARK | THE COURIER by Dominic Cooke, United States, United Kingdom, 2020, 111’

PALM SPRINGS by Max Barbakow, United States, Hong Kong, 2020, 90’

In co-production with Alice nella città

Herself (Ire-UK)
Dir. Phyllida Lloyd

Tigers (Swe)
Dir. Ronnie Sandahl

PRE-OPENING SCREENINGS – OCTOBER with the Rome Film Fest

12 October 6 pm | Casa del Cinema

ERA LA PIÙ BELLA DI TUTTI NOI – LE MOLTE VITE DI VERONICA LAZAR

by Roberto Savoca, Leonardo Celi, Italy, 2020, 52’| Doc |

12 October 9 pm | Casa del Cinema

EARTHLING / TERRESTRE

by Gianluca Cerasola, Italy, 2020, 71’| Doc |

13 October 6 pm | Casa del Cinema

L’AMORE NON SI SA

by Marcello Di Noto, Italy, 2019, 92’

Cast: Antonio Folletto, Silvia D’Amico, Diane Fleri, Gianni D’Addario, Simone Borrelli

13 October 9 pm | Casa del Cinema

PORTO RUBINO – STORIE, CANZONI E LUPI DI MARE

by Fabrizio Fichera, Italy, 2020, 57’ | Doc |

14 October 9 pm | Casa del Cinema

DISCO RUIN – 40 ANNI DI CLUB CULTURE ITALIANA

by Lisa Bosi, Francesca Zerbetto, Italy, 2020, 115’| Doc |

The 15th Rome Film Fest devotes an ample section of its programme to the onstage conversations with directors, actors, and important cultural figures.

STEVE MCQUEEN | Lifetime Achievement Award, FABIO AND DAMIANO D’INNOCENZO, THOMAS VINTERBERG, GABRIELE MAINETTI, MARCO E ANTONIO

MANETTI, FRANÇOIS OZON with the support of the France Embassy in Rome, GIANFRANCO ROSI. ZADIE SMIT, FRANCESCO TOTTI, JOHN WATERS with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Rome, THOM YORKE.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS ON-AIR

PETE DOCTER | Lifetime Achievement Award, DAMIEN CHAZELLE, WERNER HERZOG

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