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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