Amarcorti 2023: This Year’s Finalists and Jury Announced
AmarCorti, the section of the Umbria Film Festival dedicated to the filmmakers of today and tomorrow, returns for its third edition, this year with a major new development: the awards will be presented by a jury of professionals.
Meet the judges
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- Agostino Ferrente
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- Giulia Cosentino
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- Giuseppe Scoditti
- Agostino Ferrente, who presented his latest documentary, *Selfie*, at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2020
- Giulia Cosentino, screenwriter and assistant director on Pietro Marcello’s *Martin Eden* and Matteo Garrone’s upcoming film *Io Capitano*, and director of *Lui e Io*, among others
- Giuseppe Scoditti is part of the cast of Nanni Moretti’s latest film, *Il Sol dell’Avvenire*, which was presented in competition at the 76th Cannes Film Festival
The three jurors will evaluate the nine short films selected by the selection committee and award two prizes: The Best Short Film will win a collaboration with Produzione Straordinaria S.r.l. to produce a new work, entry into the Italian London Short Film Festival, and will be screened in London as part of the CinemaItaliaUK film festival.
The Honorable Mention, on the other hand, will have free access to the Augustus Color archive, a leader for over 40 years in the field of film production, post-production, and restoration.
The selection of short films—which vary widely in genre, style, and subject matter—aims to promote and showcase the works of emerging filmmakers, fostering dialogue and exchange within the new national cinema scene. The AmarCorti screenings will take place on
The screenings will take place on July 7. On the afternoon of July 8, the awards ceremony for this section will be held, followed by a discussion with the jury moderated by Lee Marshall, which is open to the public.
So here are this year's winners!
Super Jesus
by Vito Palumbo. 20 min., 2022. Starring Luca Avagliano and Fabrizio Boffetti
Carlo is nine years old, seriously ill, and has a passionate devotion to Jesus. Ugo has been laid off; he’s an atheist and a communist, but out of necessity, he decides to audition for a role as Jesus. And so Ugo will become the greatest superhero of all time: Super Jesus.
Tria: On the Feeling of Betrayal
by Giulia Grandinetti. 17’, 2022. Starring Irene Casagrande, Ilir Jacellari, and Tiziana Foschi
In a dystopian Rome, a law is in effect stipulating that immigrant families cannot have more than three children. If a fourth child is conceived, it must be born, but then one must be killed, with girls given priority for sacrifice. Zoe, Iris, and Clio are three sisters, but one of them will soon be killed.
I wanted to be Gassman
by Cristian Scardigno. 16′, 2021. Starring Simone Finotti, Sofia Maggi, and Astrid Meloni
Aldo Marianecci, a 40-year-old actor trying to make it big, returns to his hometown, Cisterna di Latina. He’ll spend the weekend with his longtime friends and a young American woman he met on a film set in Cinecittà. His days are marked by the anticipation of a phone call that could change his life.
Dependent variables
By Lorenzo Tardella. 15 min., 2022. Starring Simone Evangelista, Mattia Rega, and Silvia Venturi
In a theater, in the dark, Pietro and Tommaso kiss for the first time, but when the lights come back on, the two young men have different expectations about what will happen next—a mix of hope and fear, desire and complexity.
The sea that moveswhere things
By Lorenzo Marinelli. 15 min., 2022. Starring Gea Martire and Nando Paone.
Massimo has Parkinson’s disease; meeting an African boy will give him the opportunity to cope with his pain.
Dream of Glass
By Andrea Bancone. 21’, 2022.
Manuele, a blind boy, embarks on a journey to discover the island of Ventotene, where—through a sensory workshop—he will interact with the students at the island’s school, helping to raise their awareness through play, and will then continue exploring the sea and the island’s wilderness alongside various residents of Ventotene.
Lost Traces
By Gianluca Gloria. 10 min., 2023. Starring Antonio Catania and Silvia D’Amico
An aging detective and a clumsy rookie investigate the mysterious disappearance of an elderly man. There is no sign of his family, and a kidnapping is suspected. Despite the mess, however, none of the valuables in the missing man’s home have been touched. As details emerge, the mystery deepens.
Jamal Tosmal
By Martina Pastori. 17’, 2022.
*Jamal Tosmal* is a cynical and offbeat comedy. The two protagonists embark on a tragicomic “coming-of-age” adventure in the suburbs of Marseille, which leads them to discover that beyond the high-rises, there are incredible and unexpected “treasures” to be found.
Where Children Don’t Dream
By Stefano Sbrulli. 20 min., 2022.
Lourdes and her family live just a few meters from a huge lead mine that is polluting their environment. Lourdes’s children suffer from serious illnesses caused by heavy metal poisoning, which is affecting their life expectancy.
Out of Competition
WINNER OF THE PIGNETO FILM FESTIVAL, ROME 2022
Tsunami by Leo Černic
Director Leo Černic’s short film seeks to explore the theme of care (and caring for others) in a playful and seemingly lighthearted way.
At first glance, this story may seem like a comedy of the absurd, but it conceals a deeper range of themes beneath the surface. The director wanted to explore the themes of madness, social marginalization, hope, love, and—albeit only tangentially—the climate crisis we are facing and will continue to face. Whenever we encounter someone who doesn’t fit the norm, we foolishly try to “cure” them and make them “normal,” expecting them to become like us, even believing we’re helping. And if we ultimately fail, we marginalize them by eliminating the “problem.” This story is simply meant to be a small and humble reminder to let go, to accept, and to accept ourselves. *Tsunami* tells the story of Speedo, a young man living in a world he no longer recognizes as his own. He will soon realize that the only cure for his unease is to seek out what this world is not—and to let it breathe.
The UFF… leadership has changed.
The Umbria Film Festival is heading in a new direction… or rather: it’s moving forward with a
Happy Birthday, Pimpa!
Get ready for a truly special opening night at the 29th edition of the Umbria Film Festival,