Film directors Paul Haggis and Steven Zaillian, Italian actor Christian De Sica and actress Mariagrazia Cucinotta and British actress and producer Trudie Styler are the first artists to join the 3rd Social Cinema Forum of Ischia focused on “children’s right to education”. From July 12th throughout 19th, after the G8 international political summit to be held in Italy, and in a moment characterized by very urgent globalized humanitarian and environmental issues, the “leading” players of international cinema and music will gather at the 7° Global Film & Music Fest together with the people who are actually engaged in solidarity and children’s causes in order to reflect upon and “rethink” the education of children and the models to be adopted in order to guarantee a better future for children all over the world.

Promoted by the Ischia International Arts Academy “Rethinking Children’s Education” (www.socialcinemaforum.com) also envisages a competition for short films, video-clips and commercials that will be Internationally launched during the upcoming Cannes Film Festivals. The Ischia Social Cinema Forum will be chaired for the second year by American screenwriter Steven Zaillian (Oscar-winner for the screenplay of Schindler’s List) whereas his colleague Paul Haggis (Oscar-winner for “Crash”) will be the chairman of the whole event for the third time in a row.

After India, China, Russia, Germany, Brazil and Japan, Ischia Global Fest 2009 will welcome South Africa with film screenings, exhibitions and artists who will attend all the events organized in the main squares and movie theatres of Forio and Ischia Porto. A further contribution to the making-of of the most spectacular and highly anticipated show-biz event of the summer 2009 will be made by the “master of ceremonies” of the Global Fest: Jason Weinberg (one of the best talent managers in Hollywood) who is already working side by side to the “legendary pillars” of the Ischia Arts Academy, Marina Cicogna, Franco Nero and Tony Renis for the music. Producer Mark Canton heads the Global Fest’s Honorary Board, which will be comprised of many of the talented filmmakers and performing artists who have attended the Festival over the past five years. The event (www.ischiaglobal.com) is organized in association with the Azienda Cura, Soggiorno e Turismo “Isole di Ischia e Procida” and with the support of the Department of Tourism and Culture of the Campania region and the Department of Cinema of the Ministry of Cultural Assets and Activities.