FERRARA FILM FESTIVAL: EIGHTH EDITION
A NEW PRESTIGIOUS JURY AND THE RENEWED PARTNERSHIP WITH STUDIOS

The esteemed film studio is supporting and strengthening its partnership with the film festival and leading the main jury, which includes exceptional names from the big screen.

Ferrara, June 28th, 2023 - After announcing Giancarlo Giannini as the recipient of the Golden Dragon on opening night, the Ferrara Film Festival continues to enhance its eighth edition with elements of excellence.

Alongside this historic partnership with Studios, one of Europe's most important film studios (located in Rome) and the first privately managed one in Italy, Studios International's director, Daniele Taddei, will preside over the main jury of the film competition. Assisting him in the challenging task of awarding the Golden Dragon Awards for feature films and documentaries will be actors Martina Stella and Francesco Montanari, director Luca Ribuoli, set designer Tonino Zera, costume designer Nicoletta Ercole, and photographer and cinematographer Roberto Rocco.

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The partnership between the Ferrara Film Festival and Studios, a historical and renowned legacy of the "Stabilimenti De Paolis," was established last year and is further solidified this year, bringing additional prestige to the festival. The De Paolis Studios, formerly known as such, were constructed in 1938 and have played a significant role in the history of Italian cinema. The famous Stage 5, located within these studios and for a long time the largest in Europe, has served as the backdrop for some of Italy's most important films created by cinema masters such as Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Dario Argento. After a period of closure, Capitoline entrepreneur Daniele Taddei reopened and renamed the studios in 1997, reviving them through television productions such as "Affari Tuouri," "Soliti Ignoti," and several editions of "Maurizio Costanzo Show." Today, the studios host programs such as "Dimartedì," "Non è l'Arena," "Propaganda Live" (La7), and "I Migliori Anni" (Rai 1).

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The bond between Ferrara and its festival is strengthened through the appointment of Daniele Taddei as the jury president, a decision strongly supported by the Mayor and Festival Director Maximilian Law that states: "I am extremely proud of our partnership with Studios. Thanks to them, this year's Ferrara Film Festival will not only feature the most prestigious jury in its young history, but also one of the most important in Italy. This marks the beginning of a great synergy at the national level, impacting both the production and distribution sectors of the Italian and international film market."

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The Main Jury of this eighth edition will add further prestige to the festival. Chaired by Studios, it comprises distinguished figures from the world of cinema. Alongside Daniele Taddei, there are actors Martina Stella and Francesco Montanari, well-known faces from film and television, Luca Ribuoli, director of successful Italian TV series and films such as "La Mafia Uccide Solo D'estate" "Speravo De Morì Prima," and "Call My Agent," which were also shot at the studios. Additionally, there is Tonino Zera, a renowned set designer who recently won the Nastri d'Argento for "L'Ombra Di Caravaggio" by Michele Placido and also received accolades for the incredible story of the rose island. Furthermore, there is costume designer Nicoletta Ercole, who has collaborated with top Italian directors and has also worked in American cinema on films such as "Piranha 2" by James Cameron, "My House In Umbria" by Richard Loncraine (where she was nominated for an Emmy), "Under the Tuscan Sun" by Audrey Wells and "Tentacles" with John Huston and Henry Fonda. Lastly, there is Roberto Rocco, a director of photography and photographer who has captured iconic moments of Italian and international stars such as Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Robert De Niro, Madonna, Monica Bellucci, Claudia Cardinale, and many others.

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"It is with enthusiasm and pride that I accepted the proposal from Mayor Fabbri and Artistic Director Maximilian Law to preside over the jury composed of great artists in this edition of the Ferrara Film Festival". Says Daniele Taddei, President of the historic film studios in Rome. "Moreover, this role particularly pleases me because the Studios and the city of Ferrara are connected by an artistic thread brilliantly embodied by the film 'The Long Night of '43,' written by Pier Paolo Pasolini, which was filmed in the magnificent city of Ferrara and with the interiors (and exteriors) expertly reconstructed in our Studios by the master Carlo Egidi. I am eagerly looking forward to watching and judging the films in competition alongside my fellow jurors with great respect."