Between new creativity and tradition:
Documentaries triumph at Ca’ Foscari Short 2016
winning both First Prize and Levi Prize
La silla de la vida (The Chair of Life) by Carlos Valle, a Spanish documentary, is the short film awarded with the First Prize of the International Competition at Ca’ Foscari Short Film Festival, the first film festival in Europe entirely organized and conceived by a university
The Levi Award for best soundtrack went to the documentary Gleichgewicht (Keeping Balance) by Austrian filmmaker Bernhard Wenger. Volumina Special Mention and Vivarini Special Mention were both assigned to Under the Sun by Chinese director Qiu Yang
Two Faces by Riccardo Tonon won the First Prize of the Veneto Competition, while Fleeting Time by Riccardo Dall’Acqua received the “VideoConcorso Pasinetti” Special Mention.
Collateral competitions: “Olga Brunner Levi” Award went to AAH Venessia by Alice Fraccaro, Video-competition “Short&Sustainability” awarded What Weee Are – Weee Are Cutter Ants by Alessio De Marchi and Alessandra Turcato
The Spanish documentary La silla de la vida – The Chair of Life (Spain, 2015, 10’11”) by Carlos Valle, produced by one of the most important cinema schools in Spain – Septima Ars Escuela de Cine y Television of Madrid – is the recepient of the First Prize of the International Competition at the sixth edition of the Ca’ Foscari Short Film Festival, the first film festival entirely conceived and organized by a university. The International Jury composed of the leading animation expert Giannalberto Bendazzi, the Indian director Girish Kasaravalli and the Japanese director Takashi Shimizu, awarded the four prizes of the International Competition without motivations: the Jury simply decided to award those considered to be the best short films in competition.
The First Prize, delivered by Michele Bugliesi, Rector of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and by jury member Girish Kasaravalli, consists of a wave-shaped glass art-work made by Vetreria Artistica Vivarini. The young Spanish filmmaker, winning the first prize with his debut short film, sent a video-message expressing his gratitude to the Festival and his excitement for the award, dedicating it to the two elderly ladies of the documentary. The short film is about two elderly ladies, Carmen and Maria, who support each other in their daily lives despite being alone. Instead of a walking stick, Carmen uses an old wooden chair to get about. La silla de la vida is a touching reflection about old age, enhanced by director Carlos Valle’s lyrical style.
The International Jury also awarded the Levi Award and two Special Mentions to the International Competition.
The winner of the Levi Award for the best soundtrack (music, words, sound) is Gleichgewicht – Keeping Balance (Austria, 2015, 5′), a documentary by Bernhard Wenger from the Filmacademy Wien. In this way, the two major prizes of the International Competition were assigned to documentaries, confirming the recent trend in international cinema festivals, where “cinema of reality” has been awarded consistently, as in the case of Gianfranco Rosi. The Levi Award, delivered by Luisa Zanoncelli, President of the scientific board of the Ugo and Olga Levi Foundation, and by the jury member Takashi Shimizu, consists of a glass sculpture.
The Volumina Special Mention – Cinema as Art, to the movie offering the most significant contribution to cinema as an expression of art, was awarded to the Chinese director Qiu Yang for Under the Sun (Australia/China, 2015, 19’), from the Victorian College of the Arts of Melbourne. The award was delivered by Maria Ida Biggi, Rector’s Delegate for theatrical activities at Ca’ Foscari University, and by the American animator Bill Plympton, and it consists of a prestigious photographic volume on cinema.
The Vivarini Special Mention to the best cinematographer was assigned to Under the Sun (Australia/China, 2015, 19’) by Qiu Yang from the Victorian College of the Arts of Melbourne. Under the Sun won two prizes at the Festival. The award, delivered by Martina Sguazzin (Fondazione Ca’ Foscari) and by the jury member Giannalberto Bendazzi, consists of a celebratory plate made by the Vetreria Artistica Vivarini using Murano glass, .
The Veneto Competition, dedicated to short films made by high school students from the Veneto region, has been won by Two Faces (Italy, 2015, 2’13”) by Riccardo Tonon from Liceo Artistico B. Munari in Vittorio Veneto (TV). The jury was composed of Ca’ Foscari University’s students, headed by cinema historian Carlo Montanaro. The award was delivered by Carlo Montanaro and it consists of a wave-shaped glass art-work made by Vetreria Artistica Vivarini. Fleeting Time (Italy, 2015, 3’01”) by Riccardo Dall’Acqua from Liceo Artistico M. Guggenheim in Venice won the “VideoConcorso Pasinetti” Special Mention for the Veneto Competition. The award was delivered by Anna Ponti and Giovanni Andrea Martini, President and Director of Videoconcorso Pasinetti, respectively.
The “Olga Brunner Levi” Award was established by the Levi Foundation in collaboration with the Ca’ Foscari Short Film Festival. The award is dedicated the best video clip realized by Italian High School students. The competitors have to realize a video on women’s musical performances or on the historical relationship between women and music. The jury members were Roberto Calabretto, Roberta Novielli and Luisa Zanoncelli. The winner of the third edition is AAH Venessia by Alice Fraccaro.
The Video-competition Short and Sustainability was established by Sustainable Ca’ Foscari in collaboration with Ca’ Foscari Short Film Festival. Presided over by cinema historian Carlo Montanaro, the jury was composed of Ca’ Foscari University’s students, assisted by the Rector’s Delegate for Sustainability, prof. Fabio Pranovi, and of the staff of Sustainable Ca’ Foscari. The winner of the fourth edition is What Weee Are – Weee Cutter Ants by Alessio De Marchi and Alessandra Turcato.
The closing ceremony was enriched by the greetings of Michele Bugliesi, Rector of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, to the audience of Auditorium Santa Margherita, and by two spectacular performances. One by dancer Roberta Pennisi with a LED show, and one by Chinese martial artist Xu Baolong with a wushu demonstration, sponsored by the Confucius Institute in Venice. Finally, Roberta Novielli, artistic director and overall organizer of the Festival, thanked all the volunteering students for their tireless efforts, inviting them to come up on the stage to receive a well deserved applause.
Images and videoclip from the awarded short films:
La silla de la vida (The Chair of Life): https://cafoscarishort.unive.it/en/portfolio/la-silla-de-la-vida-2/
Gleichgewicht (Keeping Balance): https://cafoscarishort.unive.it/en/portfolio/gleichgewicht-keeping-balance-2/
Under the Sun: https://cafoscarishort.unive.it/en/portfolio/under-the-sun/
Two Faces (Veneto Competition): https://cafoscarishort.unive.it/en/portfolio/two-faces-2/
Click here to dowload all the photos from the Closing Ceremony: https://cafoscarishort.unive.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/ClosingCeremonyShort2016.zip
Click here to download all the press materials: https://cafoscarishort.unive.it/en/download-2/
