More than 4,000 children from 50 countries are part of this year's jury at the Giffoni Film Festival, dedicated to children's cinema and now in its 46th edition, which takes place July 15-July 24 in the tiny town of Giffoni Valle Piana near Salerno.
The theme of this year's festival - Destinations - is representative of the dozens of films in competition from around the world, as well as the current reality facing thousands of migrants arriving in Europe in search of a future.
Jurors have come to Italy from destinations across the Mediterranean, including Albania, Croatia, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Macedonia, Morocco, Qatar, Serbia, Slovenia, Tunisia, and Turkey.
The festival has also formed strong Mediterranean partnerships over the years, among which the Doha Film Institute figures prominently.
The Institute promotes film culture in Qatar and has sent a delegation of jurists to Giffoni, where four Qatari films will be screened as well: Good As New, Immortalising Memories, Light Sound, and To My Mother.
Festival director Claudio Gubitosi will meet with partners from the Balkans, including Arben Ceku, director of Albania's National Film Centre, and Niko Ajazi, director of Giffoni Albania. Macedonia will be represented at Giffoni by Mimi Gjorgoska, director of the Macedonian Film Agency.
This year's Giffoni will also help bring awareness to Europe's young people on the plight of refugees, thanks to a campaign by Amnesty International called "SOS Europe - First People, Then Borders".
Doctors Without Borders will be at Giffoni with its #Milionidipassi (Millions of Steps) Experience, a multimedia experiential tour focusing on the millions of people who are fleeing their home countries due to war, violence or poverty.
And as always, Giffoni will have at its heart movie stars and films, like this year's guest of honour Jennifer Aniston, and the Disney-Pixar Finding Nemo sequel Finding Dory, inaugurating the screenings at the Festival's opening night Friday.
More than 175 films will be screened at Giffoni, with 105 in competition and four premieres, as well as a programme of concerts, shows, and workshops for children.
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