19th Rome Film Festival
The 19th Rome Film Festival opened on 16 October in the Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome with the Italian biographical drama film The Great Ambition by Andrea Segre. Earlier the pre-opening film of the festival, Megalopolis, an American epic science fiction drama directed by Francis Ford Coppola, was screened on 14 October 2024, at the Cinecittà film studios. The event was streamed live to the Auditorium Parco della Musica's Sala Petrassi. Coppola was honoured at the screening and introduced the film in the presence of his granddaughter, Gia Coppola.
Lino Guanciale an Italian actor hosted the opening ceremony. Viggo Mortensen and Johnny Depp were honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Awards. In the festival, an international competition featuring 18 titles hailing from 29 countries were presented. The official image of the event is dedicated to Marcello Mastroianni, on the occasion of his birth centenary, which is taken from his character Guido Anselmi in the 1964 film 8½ by Federico Fellini. Pablo Trapero, an Argentine film producer, editor, and director is serving as the jury president of the competition section.
The presentation ceremony on 26 October 2024, was hosted by Geppi Cucciari, an Italian stand-up comedian, actress, radio host, and television presenter, marking her third time in a row as host. The jury awarded the best film award to Bound in Heaven a romantic crime drama by Huo Xin of China. Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness by Johnny Depp was the closing film of the festival run on 26 October. Johnny Depp received the Lifetime Achievement Award from festival director Paola Malanga and Riccardo Scamarcio before the screening of his film.
The festival formally closed on 27 October 2024, with the preview of four episodes of the third season of Life of Carlo by Carlo Verdone and Valerio Vestoso; a series of screenings for the History of Cinema section and the screenings of the award-winning films.
Jury
Progressive Cinema Competition Award
- Pablo Trapero, Argentine film producer, editor, and director – president
- Francesca Calvelli, Italian film editor.
- Laetitia Casta, French model and actress
- Gail Egan, American producer
- Dennis Lehane, writer and screenwriter from the United States
Best First Work Award BNL BNP Paribas
- Francesca Comencini, Italian film director and screenwriter – president
- Kaili Peng, producer, composer and writer
- Antoine Reinartz, French actor
Events
Pre-opening of the festival
On 14 October 2024, Cinecittà Studios hosted the Italian premiere of the 2024 film Megalopolis by the Italian-American director Francis Ford Coppola, with a screening introduced by the director himself. The event was streamed live at the Auditorium Parco della Musica's Sala Petrassi as the pre-opening of the festival. During the evening a special tribute was paid to the director.Felicitation of [Marcello Mastroianni]
Festa del Cinema organized a large retrospective of films, some in restored versions, that saw him collaborate with directors such as Federico Fellini, Vittorio De Sica, Ettore Scola, Pietro Germi; documentaries on the life and works of the great interpreter; exhibitions and displays set up between the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone and the Casa del Cinema; and a meeting with the actress Chiara Mastroianni - daughter of the actor and Catherine Deneuve - to whom the Festa will dedicate a special tribute. He will also be the protagonist of the official image of the nineteenth edition.Master classes
- Viggo Mortensen, American actor, musician, and filmmaker
- Dennis Lehane, American author
- Chiara Mastroianni, French actress and singer
Events relating to social issues
In 2024, the film festival continued its dedication to social issues and environmental concerns. Events took place at the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS with MediCinema Italia ETS, Rebibbia Penitentiary Complex, the Rebibbia "Germana Stefanini" women's prison, the Latina prison, and the Casal del Marmo juvenile penal institute.Save the Children was the Social Partner for the nineteenth edition, showcasing a screening of its projects.
During Pink October, which focuses on breast cancer awareness, Novartis presented the DISTANCES series: Life always finds a way.
A Charity Gala Dinner was organized to support the Italian Red Cross.
The Fondazione Cinema per Roma, in collaboration with Azienda Comunale Elettricità e Acque—Electricity and Water Municipal Utility (ACEA), launched the contest "I mille volti dell'acqua" to explore the theme of water through the perspectives of young filmmakers and renowned directors. Additionally, the event included a retrospective section titled "Drops of Cinema", featuring seven films designed to raise public awareness about the importance of water as a resource.
Celebration of world of music
- Screenings of series on the life and work of artists such as Bruce Springsteen American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Vinicio Capossela Italian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist, Mario Merola Italian singer and actor, Franco Califano Italian lyricist, composer, singer-songwriter, author and actor, and Pivio, and Aldo De Scalzi two Italian composers.
- The guitarist for American rock band Talking Heads, Jerry Harrison, will meet Fest audiences on the occasion of the screening of 1984 American concert film, Stop Making Sense – 40th Anniversary by American filmmaker Jonathan Demme.
- At the Teatro Olimpico, the Italian Association of Composers of Music for Film puts on an event devoted to soundtracks and film scores.
- Every day, the festival red carpet thrilled to the sound design of Federico Sacchi Musicteller.
Official sections
- Progressive Cinema Competition
- Freestyle
- Grand public
- Special screenings
- Best of 2024
- History of cinema
- Special events
Grand public
;In co-production with Alice nella città:The autonomous parallel section unfolding within Rome Film Fest dedicated to younger generations.
Special screenings
;In co-production with Alice nella città:The autonomous parallel section unfolding within Rome Film Fest dedicated to younger generations.
Special events
Gian Maria Volonté, thirty years after his death
Gian Maria Volonté, Italian actor and activist, who died on 6 December 1994.| English title | Original title | Director | Production country |
| The Death of Mario Ricci | La mort de Mario Ricci | Claude Goretta | Switzerland, France |
Anica 80
| English title | Original title | Director | Production country |
| There's Still Tomorrow | C'è ancora domani | Paola Cortellesi | Italy |
| I'm Starting from Three | Ricomincio da tre | Massimo Troisi | Italy |
Restorations
| English title | Original title | Director | Production country |
| From the East | D'Est | Chantal Akerman | Belgium, France |
| The Seduction of Mimi | Mimì metallurgico ferito nell'onore | Lina Wertmüller | Italy |
| The Crying of the Old Maids | Il pianto delle zitelle | Giacomo Pozzi Bellini | Italy |
| Unknown Woman | Senza sapere niente di lei | Luigi Comencini | Italy |
| Finally Sunday! | Vivement dimanche! | François Truffaut | France |
Homage to Alain Delon
Alain Delon, French actor, film producer, screenwriter, and singer who died on 18 August 2024.Drops of cinema
The Fondazione Cinema per Roma, in collaboration with Azienda Comunale Elettricità e Acque—Electricity and Water Municipal Utility (ACEA), is presenting a retrospective "Drops of cinema", dedicated to water. The section consists of seven films, aimed at increasing public awareness of the value of water resource.Alice nella città
The autonomous parallel section Alice nella città unfolding within Rome Film Fest dedicated to younger generations.Opening film
Nickel Boys, RaMell Ross, United StatesCompetition
Bird, by Andrea Arnold, United Kingdom, France, Germany, United StatesThe Courageous, Jasmin Gordon Switzerland Flow by Gints Zilbalodis, Belgium, France, LatviaHoly Cow by Louise Courvoisier, France Julie Keeps Quiet, by Leonardo Van Dijl, Sweden, Belgium Lads, by Julien Menanteau, Belgium, FranceMilano, by Christina Vandekerckhove, Belgium The Outrun by Nora Fingscheidt, Germany, United KingdomA Real Pain by Jesse Eisenberg Poland, United StatesRita by Paz Vega, SpainThree Sisters, Lisa Brühlmann, United StatesUnder the Volcano by Damian Kocur, PolandWhen the Light Breaks by Rúnar Rúnarsson, Iceland, Netherlands, Croatia, France Non dirmi che hai paura by Yasemin Şamdereli, ItalyOut of competition
Luce by Silvia Luzi and Luca Bellino, ItalyMi bestia, Camila Beltrán, Colombia, FranceRabia, Mareike Engelhardt, France, GermanyJanet Planet, Annie Baker, United States Sur un fil, by Reda Kateb, France War on Education - Scelte Classe, Stefano Di Pietro, NetherlandsSpecial screenings
Megalopolis, Francis Ford Coppola, United States Savages, by Claude Barras, Switzerland, France, BelgiumA Sudden Case of Christmas, by Peter Chelsom, United StatesBlitz, by Steve McQueen, The Boy with Pink Pants by Margherita Ferri, Italy 100 di questi anni', M. Andreozzi, M. Bruno, C. Gerini, E. Leo, F. Mazzoleni, R. Papaleo, S. Sibilia, Italy In viaggio con mio figlio, Tony Goldwyn, United States A Look Through His Lens, Matthew Berkowitz, Gregory Hoblit, United States, France, United Kingdom, Ireland Ha toccato!, Giusi Cataldo, Italy Lukiskes Diletta, Di Nicolantonio, ItalyPanorama Italia – Competition
No More Trouble by Cosa rimane di una tempesta Tommaso Romanelli, ItalyIl mio compleanno, Christian Filippi, Italy L'era d'oro, Camilla Iannetti, Italy- L'origine del mondo Rossella Inglese Italia, 2024, 109’
- I racconti del mare Luca Severi, Italy
- Il complottista, Valerio Ferrara, Italy La cosa migliore, Federico Ferrone, Italy
Panorama Italia – Out of competition
Anime galleggianti, Maria Giménez Cavallo, Italy Still Here, Suranga D. Katugampala, Italy, France, Sri Lanka Balentes, Giovanni Columbu, Italy Germany Squali, Alberto Rizzi, ItalyPanorama Italia – Special Screenings
Ogni pensiero vola, Alice Ambrogi Italy Come quando eravamo piccoli, Camilla Filippi, ItalySeries
Adoration by Stefano Mordini – TV series, ItalyThe Bad Guy, Giancarlo Fontana, Giuseppe G. Stasi, ItalyThe Law According to Lidia Poët, Season 2 Letizia Lamartyre, Matteo Rovere, Pippo Mezzapesa, ItalyNever Too Late, Lorenzo Vignolo, Salvatore de Chirico Italy Nudes Season 2, Laura Luchetti, Marco Danieli, ItalyAwards and winners
A jury chaired by the director, screenwriter and producer Pablo Trapero awarded the following prizes to the films in festival:Progressive Cinema Competition - Visions for the World of Tomorrow
Best Film: Bound in Heaven by Huo Xin, ChinaJury Grand Prix: Night Call by Michiel BlanchartBest Director: Morrisa Maltz for JazzyBest Screenplay: Christopher Andrews for Bring Them DownBest Actress – Monica Vitti Award- * Prize: Ángela Molina for They Will Be Dust Best Actor – Vittorio Gassman Award
- * Prize: Elio Germano for The Great AmbitionSpecial Jury Prize: To the cast of women in ''Reading Lolita in Tehran''
Best First Film Award
Bound in Heaven by Huo Xin, ChinaHello Child by Edgardo Pistone, ItalySpecial Mention- * Liu Hsiu-fu for Pierce by Nelicia Low