VIII EDITION
The CINIT Music Video Competition, organized in collaboration with CINIT – Cineforum Italiano, is now at its eighth edition, and is once again presenting a selection of the best music videos directed by students from universities and film schools from all over the world. Ten finalists have been selected, representing ten countries. The winner will be chosen by a professional jury formed by producer and film director Giovanni Bedeschi, journalist Alice D’Este and CINIT board member Giordano Giordani.
FINALISTS:
Ya ne hochu
Directors: Maria Gost
Russian Federation, 3’28
Wordshop Academy
SYNOPSIS: A girl assembles a still life of objects in a bright room. After finishing the composition, she goes into a gloomy pottery workshop and steals one small statue. While walking along the street, the main character meets some strange people, she hides the stolen statue and gets past some obstacles. She then gets into a glowing red car and drives deep into a forest, where she will bury the small statue in the ground and finish her journey.
PROFILE: Maria Gost, 25 years old, was born in Moscow; she wondered about the eternal and observed with interest those around her with a camera in her hands. Her first education was as a graphic designer. After working in the profession for several years, she decided to take up photography professionally. After her experience with static shots, she started to study direction of short films to bring her stories to life. She tried to study the issues related to anxiety and how people, sometimes, fail to take the first step.
Basilicata
Director: Angelo Chiacchio, Walter Molfese
Italy, 4’45
La Sapienza
SYNOPSIS: A musical and visual postcard of the Basilicata region, which depicts the heart of this land unveiling landscapes, faces, local characters and off-the-radar villages with a fresh, honest and ironic approach, enriched by a funky and catchy soundtrack song.
PROFILES: Angelo Chiacchio and Walter Molfese are from Southern Italy. Their music is influenced by plenty different sounds and styles: funk, rock, electronica, trip hop, psychedelia, 80’s sound. In 2009 they released their first record Rural Chic Revolution. The numerous reviews define it as one of the best debuts of Italian hip hop. In 2013 they launched their second album TrogloDigital. In 2016 they started to play some new music, a project inspired by the “Travel Experiment. This project reaches more than 1 million plays. Thanks to these albums and singles, they have toured Italy and brought their music around the peninsula and not only. They have released their Travel Experiment EP in July 2021 and their new single Basilicata in July 2023.
Starry will
Director: Jiajing Yin
China/Japan,2’14″
Tama Art University
SYNOPSIS: The one who was born amidst chaos and then abandoned chaos. Trying to create a safe planet for freedom and peace.
PROFILE: Jiajing Yin /Marskasei was born in 1998 and is presently living and working in Tokyo, Japan. Formerly employed as a rookie animator at Bandai Namco Studios. He’s also an independent animator and illustrator. Through his artwork, he aims to convey a fantastic visual experience and express his imagination of space exploration.
By some miracle
Director: Aspen Chalusian
UK, 2’48
University of Hertfordshire
SYNOPSIS: This music video By Some Miracle by Philip Selway’s is a visual retelling of the ancient Greek myth of the uncatchable Teumessian Fox and Artemis’ inescapable hound. Amphitryon had set the hound upon the fox after Dionysus sent it to terrorize the Greek city of Thebes. Stuck in such a paradox of fate, Zeus throws them into the sky, where they became constellations.
PROFILE: Aspen Chalusian studied 2D Digital Animation at the University of Hertfordshire, which made him realize that his future career would have to be that of an animator and that he really enjoyed responding to music as a visual artist. His final year film By Some Miracle was his imagined recreation of a track by Philip Selway, a member of Radiohead who was kind enough to allow the use of this piece of music in his film. After graduating, he began working as an animator in a large graphic design studio, making animated commercials where he takes other people’s static ideas and bring them to life.
A View Of Kadıköy
Director: Çağla Irmak Badem
Turkey, 6’49
Ozyegin University
SYNOPSIS: An experimental documentary about the impressions stemmed from the meetings in Kadıköy, Istanbul.
PROFILE: Çağla Irmak Badem was born in 1999 and raised in İstanbul, Turkey. She has recently graduated with high honors in Communication Design at Ozyegin University, Faculty of Architecture and Design Faculty. She is interested in multimedia arts, design and filmmaking. Believing in the deep connection between visuals and music, she is enthusiastic about documenting and conveying the aspects of life while intertwining visual narratives with the emotionl power of music. In 2022, her animation project Hawaii Upside Down, was successfully screened at several film festivals worldwide.
Antes de irte
Regia/Director: Valeria Alzate
Colombia, 4’44
Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina
SYNOPSIS: Camila wakes up in her bed in a calm river. Following a path, she comes across a mysterious door. When she crosses it, she finds herself immersed in a movie where her loved ones act without recognizing her. Collecting objects that remind her of home, Camila repeats this journey through other different cinematic dimensions. After exploring each film and gathering the items, she comes out of these doors with a collection of memories. Upon returning home, Camila carefully rebuilds her home, step by step, from the collected objects.
PROFILE: Valeria Alzate Rivera, 21 years old. She is currently attending her final year in Audiovisual and Digital Communication in Pereira, Risaralda. During her university career, she has participated in various projects as art director, cinematographer and editor. Since her childhood, she has been attracted to the world of cinema and the possibility of telling stories and evoking emotions in the audience has always fascinated her. She has already had some opportunities to work as an art assistant for TV commercials and advertising campaigns.
Bleach Kiss
Director: Santiago Vitale
Argentina, 3’14
UNA
SYNOPSIS: Found footage worked with corrosive material. Animated and intervened with bleach and manually applied masks. It reminds you of the innocence and illusion of childhood, of games and the limitless fantasy. The title is a word pun between the technique used on the material and the images of the emulsion. Fitted to Black Diamond by the Kiss and performed by The Replacements.
PROFILE: Santiago Vitale is an audiovisual editor; he studied audiovisual preservation, restoration (DiPRA) and Sociology at the Faculty of Social Sciences (UBA). He investigates photography, live visuals, video and experimental cinema. His short films participated in festivals and cycles such as La Semana by film experimental S11, Dobra, Curta 8, Cine hidden, Animation Volda Festival, Super off, Linoleum, among the others.
You will forget in a week – Let me have peace
Director: Ekaterina Nikiforova
Thailand/Russian Federation, 3’32
Saint-Petersburg School of New Cinema
SYNOPSIS: A collaboration between Thai and American musicians with Russian independent filmmakers. ‘Let me have peace’ is an anti-war song that describes exploitation of the working class following the COVID-19 pandemic. Issues such as exploiting labor’s rights law, recruiting people to fight in wars they do not want, and overworking in both children and adults in modern society. The music was inspired by the book of Isaiah, and cases of child abuse in Russian society.
PROFILE: Ekaterina Nikiforova was born in Karaganda, Kazakhstan in 1998, the same year her parents moved to St. Petersburg, Russia, where she spent her childhood and teen years. She was a shy and isolated child. Her ideas required more than a static image, and one summer she decided to watch more films, some of which inspired her to attend a film school. She studied filmmaking under professor Konstantin Lopushansky, a student and a successor of Andrei Tarkovsky.
Ex Epafis
Director: Nefeli Dimakea
Greece/UK, 3’48
Middlesex University
SYNOPSIS: Lolla, a prostitute that is facing some financial difficulties, finds herself in an appalling situation. The music video goes deep into her emotional struggle as depression sets in. Will she surrender to despair, or will inner strength and hope illuminate a path through the darkness?
PROFILE: Nefeli Dimakea, a filmmaker born and grown up in Athens, where the world of art and filmmaking has always surrounded her. At 18, she decide to follow her dreams and ventured to London. Since then, she has been consistently creating, from documentaries shedding light on sexual assault to music videos exploring mental health issues and short films tackling police brutality. Her portfolio reflects her dedication to using film as a powerful medium for social advocacy. Each project is a deliberate step towards sparking conversations and raising awareness about important societal issues.
Disconnect
Directors: Simeon Lumgair, Elena Zacharaki
UK, 5’42
University for the Creative Arts
SYNOPSIS: Shay Levy’s mesmerizing music video for her debut single, Disconnect, explores the deep theme of disconnection within relationships. Taking viewers on an emotional journey, Shay encounters an array of captivating characters, each embodying a distinct form of love. Yet, she finds herself trapped in an unrelenting state of disconnection. Shay delves into the intricate layers of love through this film, showcasing its diverse expressions.
PROFILES: Elena Zacharaki is an emerging Greek director, currently living in the UK. She is best known for her films, The One You Were Before, Custodian and Sympatheia. Elena is extremely enthusiastic about her projects and has an exceptional ability to inspire and convey energy to her crew. She is drawn to stories that explore complex social issues, encouraging audiences to think deeply about topics often overlooked or ignored. Simeon Lumgair is an award-winning Writer/Director based in London. Since graduating with a BA [Hons] Film & Video degree from the University for Creative Arts, he has worked for several film companies. Simeon’s professional portfolio includes numerous music videos, documentaries and commercials for a range of clients. Alongside his production company, he has also been working successfully as a freelance director.
