RIFF AWARDS 2022 17 /25 November 2022 RIFF - Rome Independent Film Festival in its 21st edition announces award winners

Best Italian Film is “Un mondo fantastico” by Michele Rovini

Best International Film “Alice” by Krystin Ver Linden

Best Italian Documentary “Il paese delle persone integre” by Christian Carmosino Mereu

Best International Documentary “Moruroa Papa” by Paul Manate Raoux

Best Italian Short Film is “Super Jesus” by Vito Palumbo

and Best International Short Film “Adriana In Oblivion” by Elena Piquer

RIFF - Rome Independent Film Festival in its 21st edition, directed by Fabrizio Ferrari, announces award winners.

85 works were screened in competition, coming from several countries as Italy, Germany, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, USA, among films, short films and documentaries, in order to represent the independent contemporary cinema: 15 world-premieres, 10 European-premieres and 50 Italian-premieres and a rich programme of side events, meetings and masterclasses.

The competition's sections are: Feature film, International documentary, National documentary, International short film, Italian short film, Animation short film, Student short film and the sections for screenplays and storylines.

The jury required to judge the finalists is composed by: Domenico Centamore, Filippo Luna and Lorenzo Gioielli, the executive producer Ilaria Zazzaro, the Ukrainian film critic Nadia Zavarova, the cinematographer Federico Annicchiarico and Adriana Bruno by Noeltan Film.

Best International Film is Alice by Krystin Ver Linden.

“A very original story, shot with great skill; a beautiful photography that perfectly depicts people and places, always at the director's disposal. A "pulp" style combined with a cruel tale, but still told with extreme sensitivity, and... what a soundtrack!!!”

The Award for Best Italian Film goes to Un Mondo Fantastico by Michele Rovini.

“A good example of independent cinema, the one made without an overly technical approach. The perfect example of an interesting storyline, no matter how told. Graziano and Igor bring us to a light-hearted world, similar to the one of I Vitelloni by Fellini. They are complete opposites, even though very similar. Michele Rovini chooses summer as a setting and he does a good job, because the sweat on the characters' forehead, as well as Graziano' sandals, give us a sense of intimacy that decreases the distance between the spectator and the screen”.

A special mention goes to Corsa abusiva by Andrea Bifulco “for making such a daring and dashing first work in its deceptive simplicity, with a non-trivial look on Naples which never has an iconographic dimension, but is extremely alive and desperate. A political film in the highest sense of the word, supported by a millimetric screenplay and enriched by very essential and perfect interpretations, casting a superb Gennaro Maresca in his inevitable descent into hell”.

Best Actress: Sveva Alviti for her role as Lea in Tra le onde by Marco Amenta.

The Award for Best Italian Documentary goes to Il Paese delle Persone Integre by Christian Carmosino Mereu “for its capacity and courage to give voice to the last ones, to those who, generally, can't or shouldn't talk. This is the strength of the film: showing what the mainstream media often hide. A stream of consciousness that unfolds in the director's diary through a high sense of ethics of images and facts, shared with the audience along with the four characters and their hope that their own Country may soon become truly free and fair".

Special mention to Come Una Vera Coppia by Christian Angeli “for the sensitivity the director stages intimacy and incomprehensions, enthusiasm for a possible future and pondered disillusionment, lightness and a sense of responsibility of six young couples. For its capacity to face ‘diversity’ with great tenderness and respect and to deal with a subject that unites us all: trying to live our own existence and affections cutting the umbilical cord, sometimes too bulky, with family".

The Award for Best International Documentary: Moruroa Papa by Paul Manate Raoux “for its intimate and unpredictable story that the director gives back to the audience through his camera. A film about a father who comes closer and reveals himself to his son, who struggles to understand his parent's reasons. A film about inheritance and memory, parent-child relationship and transmission, with an interesting usage of repertory and family archive images".

Special mention to Vento Na Fronteira (The wind blows the border) by Laura Faerman and Marina Weis "for the clearness the two directors talk about an ancient theme, that is lost in the night of time, and concerns us all, regardless of the nationality and the colour of the skin: the right of a community to look after the lands of its ancestors. On the other side, the reasons of power and speculation. An important message the directors send: persevering with faith in the ancestors' spiritual strength and the elements of Nature".

The Award for Best Italian Short Film goes to Super Jesus by Vito Palumbo.

Miracles exist only in fairytales, according to Vito Palumbo, the film's director. This is clearly not the case: miracles exist on the Earth; we carry them out when we believe, we love, we are able to put ourselves in the shoes of others' suffering. The encounter between Ugo, who is hopeless and thinks that a revolution is possible only by leaving, and Carlo, a very sick child, creates a deep improvement in Ugo, who eventually finds his faith. These days stories like this one are needed, stories that inspire, use as a model and tell that the faith of men can make a difference.

The Jury special mention goes to 68.415 by Antonella Sabatino and Stefano Blasi “for its theme: Will plastic become the food of the future? The doom and gloom prediction becomes reality within the film. The message is powerful and makes us reflect on our lifestyle and the little we do for our planet”.

The Rai Cinema Channel Prize, worth € 3.000, consists of a purchase contract of the short film's web and free tv rights on behalf of Rai Cinema Channel. It will benefit visibility on www.raicinemachannel.it, on its partners websites and, at the discretion of the authority responsible for the networks, on RAI channels. The Prize goes to Letizia by Francesco Manzato. “The film leaks a strong sense of reality and encourages the audience to empathize with the well-directed characters by a lean and definite directing hand, ready to go further“.

The Award for Best International Short Film is Adriana In Oblivion by Elena Piquer “for the simplicity and irony the director deals with the author's creative process, who invents and writes the storyline. A Complicated and personal process”.

For Best Short Film for the Schools of Cinema: Fatjona by Steve Bache (Germany).

The Award for Best Animated Short Film goes to Think Something Nice by Claudius Gentinetta (Swizzerland).

The Award for Best Screenplay goes to L’ultimo Lenzuolo Bianco by Gisella Orsini, Alessandro Ruzzi and Gennaro Capasso.

For Best Short Film Screenplay: Dieci Secondi by Roberta Palmieri.

The Award for Best Subject for a Feature Film goes to Piccole Parti by Riccardo Basso.

RIFF - Rome Independent Film Festival, is organized with the contribution and patronage of the Directorate General Cinema – Ministry of Heritage and Cultural Activities, of the Department of Culture and Youth Policies of the Lazio Region. The project, promoted by Roma CapitaleDepartment for Cultural Growth, won the Public Notice Contemporaneamente Roma 2020 – 2021 -2022, curated by the Department of Cultural Activities and realized in collaboration with SIAE. visit the new virtual press office to access the catalogue, the programm and the high definition photos of the selected films. Trailers available on the Riff youtube channel https://riff.it/media-room/sala-stampa/