27 young film lovers, each representing one European country, attended the Venice International Film Festival every year under the 27 Times Cinema Initiative. The 2024 edition of 27 Times Cinema will bring together ten former participants to serve as the jury for the prestigious GdA Director’s Award, marking the tenth anniversary of this accolade.
This year’s Giornate Degli Autori Director’s Award Jury President was the British filmmaker and screenwriter Joanna Hogg. Her films have reached critical acclaim and awards worldwide. Her film The Souvenir was part of the Panorama section at the Berlin International Film Festival and was nominated for the British Independent Film Awards and the Independent Spirit Awards. The sequel, The Souvenir Part II, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2021, and her latest feature, The Eternal Daughter, premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival. I had the chance to sit down with her to discuss her experience as head of the jury of the GdA and the 27 Times Cinema project, as well as her creative filmmaking process and her upcoming feature.
You have a long history with the Venice Film Festival. In 2022, you presented your film The Eternal Daughter here, and in 2020, you served on the main competition jury. Now, as president of the Giornate degli Autori jury, it must feel like a very different experience. Can you tell us more about your involvement with GdA and the 27 Times Cinema project?
When you’re part of the Main Competition Jury, you are very much kept away from everybody in the festival; your conversations happen mainly within the jury, and it’s very secretive. It was also a confrontation with my own cinema because, being on a jury, you are confronted as a filmmaker with what you do, and hopefully, it pushes you forward. The perspective I have now with Giornate degli Autori is different because I feel like I’m more immersed in the festival. My reason for doing this is that I was very attracted to the idea of spending time with filmmakers, film lovers, and professionals who’ve been on the 27 Times Cinema project.
Having a film in competition is very stressful; there’s no other way around that, and it can be really exposing. When working on a project with your collaborators for several years, the work process can get very intense. You are in this creative bubble for a long time, and then suddenly, it’s judgment day. The creativity stops there because you are there to hear the response, and you have to try not to absorb too much of it, good or bad, because you want to continue to do the work you are interested in.
Also, press conferences must be very stressful.
Yes, of course. As a filmmaker, I don’t think I am the person to judge or speak about the film. You’ve made the film, you’ve been immersed in the world of it, and now, suddenly, you are required to be articulate about it. I don’t think I can be articulate about my films because after I finish them, I just move on to the next thing. This constant rewind and looking back is challenging for me.
About your scriptwriting process, how do you find stories? For The Eternal Daughter, I understand that you had the idea for the film a long time ago but returned to it after making The Souvenir: Part II. How do you find ideas and decide when to act on them?
It’s not often that I go back to an idea that I had a long time ago. I usually find something in the moment that I’m in; what's happening in my life at the moment inspires an idea. But yes, as you say, in the case of The Eternal Daughter, I did have the idea for it in 2008 after I'd made my first film, Unrelated. What happened was something very personal for me as I was writing about my relationship with my mother. We were planning the shoot, and then I suddenly got cold feet and realized I couldn't speak about my mother at that point in time. Then, when I returned to it after making The Souvenirs, my mother was still alive at that point, and I felt I was in a better position to look at this idea. It was also during the pandemic when we were all isolated from each other. That's how the story came back to me, like a ghost story, which it hadn't been before. And there was something about the atmosphere during the pandemic; I think we all felt like ghosts in a way.
I noticed that your films have some connections to each other. For example, the mother and daughter names, Rosalind and Julie, are the same in The Eternal Daughter and The Souvenirs. Also, the dress Rosalind is wearing during the birthday scene in The Eternal Daughter makes an appearance in The Souvenir during Julie’s birthday. What is the process of making these connections? Are they planned in a very thorough way, or is it more of an intuitive process?
In all my films, I have always worked together with long-time collaborators. I create a world and a story, and then we immerse ourselves in that. The ideas come when we are deep in work, all the connections and coincidences. Sometimes, I play consciously with some connections. For example, as you say, the dresses that Julie and her mother wear in The Souvenir come up again in The Eternal Daughter because although they're not the same characters, they're sort of playing a version of those characters. I like to make films with a lot of detail and a lot of richness. But sometimes, something you might have observed that connects one film with another might be something I haven't seen. That’s because of this intuitive, creative process.
In your films, the space in which the characters live and their clothing seem to reflect their inner selves. How do you achieve that? How early in the process of filmmaking are you thinking about the production design and costumes?
I've been working with my production designer, Stéphane Collonge, for about 20 years now. It’s very exciting for me to have conversations with him very early on. It got to the point that I was talking to him before I knew what I was doing next. For me, this is the ultimate form of collaboration, where you generate ideas together. And then, with Grace Snell, my costume designer, I’ve worked with her on my last three films, although I feel like I’ve worked with her forever. I also love to discuss ideas with her.
Music has an important role in your films. The song choices in The Souvenir are sometimes unexpected but work very well within the scenes. Do you plan the soundtrack during the scriptwriting process, or does it come later during the editing? Or is it a mix?
It’s mostly both. During the script writing of The Souvenirs, I had songs in mind that brought back a particular point in time for me. It was all about going back in time and trying to remember what I might have forgotten. But sometimes you write a song into a script and then can't get the rights. I wanted a David Bowie song that was too expensive, for example. Then, during the editing, when I work with my sound designer, Jovan Ajder, who is also a long-time collaborator of mine, we are always excited to find new tracks, experiment, and share ideas. I have always loved using existing music in my films.
Are you already planning your next feature film? Is there something you can share about it?
Well, what I can say is that what I have done from The Eternal Daughter to what I'm working on now is push myself into new territory. As a filmmaker, I have a duty to myself and my creative process to not just sit in a comfortable place. I always believe in challenging myself and am happy to risk failure if it doesn't work. I'm talking about failure in the light of being in this festival where so many films are being judged and can have a bad reception. But we've all become a bit too afraid of taking risks, and it's imperative that we do so not just as artists but as human beings.
The participants of the anniversary edition of 27 Times Cinema included Jury President Joanna Hogg and the crew of Manas, winner of the GdA Director’s Award.
The film by Brazilian filmmaker Marianna Brennand has won the GdA Director’s Award; Alpha. by Jan-Willem van Ewijk has received the Europa Cinemas Label.
Joanna Hogg, renowned for her deeply personal and introspective films, held a masterclass on 5th September at the Venice Film Festival, offering a glimpse into her creative processes and approach to filmmaking. Known for films like The Souvenir series and The Eternal Daughter, Hogg shared reflections on her journey from early struggles in film school to becoming a director celebrated for her unique voice, emphasising the intimate nature of her work and her commitment to creative authenticity.
Hogg's journey into filmmaking was not marked by an early cinematic epiphany. She admitted that she didn’t realise cinema would become truly central to her life until much later, despite growing up as a fan of movies and having a background in photography. Her time at film school was far from encouraging; feeling isolated and unsupported, with a lack of mentors to guide her, she encountered antagonism that led to a crisis of confidence, pushing her away from filmmaking for a time. Yet, Hogg shared that even though she couldn’t fully articulate it or reflect on it back then, she was indeed trying to fight and develop her artistic voice.
After film school, Hogg found herself working in television, driven by uncertainty in her career path. While the technical experience of directing for television proved invaluable, the work itself left her disappointed. The scripts she directed were often impersonal, telling stories she had no connection with, which fuelled her desire to seek work with greater substance and resonance. This eventually led to the making of her first feature film, Unrelated, developed outside the mainstream system. Having to navigate numerous production limitations, doubts, and rejections, Hogg embraced the constraints, discovering a raw, authentic style that would come to define her later work.
Hogg carries a distinctive approach to narrative and collaboration with actors. Rather than relying on auditions or rehearsals, she prefers an instinctive, improvisational method, working with actors she discovers personally, who resonate with her and the characters she envisions. Collaborating with people she trusts allows the dynamics of the moment to shape the performance, often leading to discoveries during filming that rewrite the initial story. Yet, this improvisation takes place within a meticulously planned framework. While the scenes may not follow a rigid script, a detailed written guide ensures the creative play remains grounded in her vision.
A notable aspect of Hogg’s films is her longstanding collaboration with Tilda Swinton, with whom she has developed a unique creative partnership over the years. Swinton’s roles in The Souvenir and The Eternal Daughter have been particularly significant, due to the deep personal connection the two share. Hogg noted that this relationship has allowed them to explore complex emotional landscapes together, especially in films reflecting on family dynamics. “There’s a shorthand between us”, Hogg remarked, “that makes the process feel deeply collaborative and intuitive”.
Hogg also reflected on her relationship with time and resources in filmmaking. Despite her growing acclaim, she remains averse to large-budget productions. For Hogg, the true luxury in filmmaking is time, not money. Big budgets, she explained, often bring the pressure of larger crews and more constraints, which can stifle the exploratory nature of her work. Hogg thrives on the freedom to experiment, something she finds harder to achieve on larger sets. She expressed a fondness for smaller, more intimate productions, even stating that she could happily continue making films on an iPhone, as long as it allowed her the creative freedom she values.
One of the most fascinating elements of her filmmaking process is her deep engagement with sound design. For Hogg, sound is as integral to storytelling as the visuals, if not more so. She approaches sound as a narrative tool, using it to build atmosphere and emotion in ways that dialogue and imagery alone cannot. This is why the mixing of sound in her films has taken on increasing importance over the years, sometimes consuming weeks of work in post-production. “I realise now that sound is almost more important to me than the image”, she noted, underscoring the weight she gives to the sonic layers of her films.
Ultimately, Hogg’s films, often autobiographical in nature, are deeply rooted in memory and personal experience, which shape her unique voice as a filmmaker. During the masterclass, Hogg discussed how places and memories from her own life inform her stories. The process of recreating personal spaces, as she did in The Souvenir, not only grounds her films but also helps unlock forgotten memories, adding an emotional depth to her work. Hogg revealed that even though she sometimes struggles with recalling certain details from her past, the act of filmmaking itself mystically brings these lost memories back to life.
Hogg’s masterclass painted a portrait of a filmmaker driven by the pursuit of authenticity and creative integrity. Her journey from television to independent cinema, her evolving interest in sound design, and her instinctive casting methods all point to an artist continually searching for new ways to express her vision. Despite the pressures of the industry and the temptation of larger projects, Hogg remains focused on her personal path, dedicated to making films that reflect not only her own experiences but also the shared emotional landscapes of her audience.
Marjane Satrapi, the renowned Iranian-born, French artist and filmmaker, was recently honoured with the “Le vie dell’immagine” award, an accolade presented by Cinematografo, Giornate degli Autori, and NABA (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti). Although Satrapi was unable to attend the event in person due to unforeseen personal circumstances, she joined the ceremony virtually, connecting with an audience eager to hear from the creator of Persepolis (2007).
Satrapi’s career is marked by her defiance of norms and her quest to express herself beyond the constraints of her upbringing in Iran. Best known for her autobiographical graphic novel Persepolis, Satrapi offered a candid portrayal of life under the Iranian regime following the 1979 Revolution. The book, which has been translated into over 100 languages and sold more than 4 million copies, struck a chord with readers worldwide, offering a rare glimpse into the struggles and resilience of Iranian women. In 2007, Satrapi co-directed an animated film adaptation of Persepolis, which further cemented her reputation as a fearless storyteller.
During the online session, Satrapi shared her journey of self-invention, her artistic philosophy, and her views on the role of art in society. “I always wanted to create”, she shared, emphasising her refusal to be pigeonholed into any one medium or genre. Her career began with graphic novels, a choice driven by her frustration with constantly having to repeat her story. “I knew how to write and draw, so I started telling my story through comics”, she explained. However, as her books gained widespread success, she found the medium too comfortable and unchallenging, prompting her to pivot to filmmaking.
Satrapi’s foray into cinema was marked by her willingness to take risks. “I was ready to make a bad film because I had nothing to lose”, she stated, reflecting on her early days as a director. Despite her humility, Satrapi’s directorial ventures have been anything but failures. Her filmography includes the critically acclaimed Poulet aux prunes (Chicken with Plums, 2011), the quirky dark comedy The Voices (2014), and the biographical drama Radioactive (2019), among others. Each film, distinct in style and substance, reflects her insatiable curiosity and refusal to be confined by her previous successes.
Beyond her success in graphic novels and films, Satrapi's first love was painting. However, she never envisioned herself confined to “posh galleries,” preferring instead to create art that is accessible and speaks to a broader audience. Her desire for inclusivity also extends to her more recent work: the direction of a graphic novel, Woman Life Freedom, which includes only a few pages of drawings by her. She made the Persian version available for free to Iranians online, underscoring her commitment to making art accessible.
Satrapi’s conversation with the audience was punctuated with reflections on her relationship with Iran. Despite the significant influence of her Iranian heritage on her early work, she has deliberately chosen not to focus exclusively on her homeland in her art. “I don’t live there, and I’ve only lived there for 18 years,” she explained, asserting her right to explore other stories and themes that interest her. However, she remains deeply engaged with the idea of revolution, describing the Iranian women’s rights movement as one of the most important events of the 21st century.
Throughout her talk, Satrapi was candid about the challenges faced by female artists, particularly the double standards that exist in how society views their dedication to their craft, highlighting the criticism women often face for choosing art over traditional female roles.
Satrapi’s reflections were both personal and universal, resonating with an audience captivated by her honesty and wit. Despite her diverse career and multiple accolades, she remains grounded and focused on what’s next. When asked about her future endeavours, she remained open to possibilities, even humorously suggesting that dance might be her next artistic pursuit.
A relentless seeker of truth and expression, Satrapi continues to push boundaries and challenge conventions, embodying the spirit of an artist who is not only reflective of her past but also unafraid of the unknown future.
I can't believe our time in Venice is already coming to an end. Being back here as part of the Giornate Degli Autori jury has been an absolute dream. It's been like stepping back into a place where cinema truly comes alive — a place where we’ve met filmmakers, storytellers, and fellow film lovers from all over Europe. We've crossed borders without leaving our seats, listening to diverse voices and watching powerful stories unfold on the big screen. And getting to experience it all again has made those connections even deeper and more meaningful.
But here's the thing — can you believe this is the last year that young people from across Europe will get this incredible chance? We can't wrap our head around it! So, we did something about it. The whole jury came together to take a photo, spelling out: “Keep 27 times cinema alive.” It’s our way of shouting out to the world how vital this initiative is, how much it’s given us, and why it should continue to exist.
We’ll be back home soon, but we already can’t wait to return to Venice next year… and we’re holding out hope that 27 Times Cinema will still be here, giving a new group of film lovers the chance to have the same unforgettable experience.
Miu Miu Women’s Tales fourth panel at the 81. Venice Film Festival hosted always radiant Raffey Cassidy, who is in Venice for the premiere of much-praised The Brutalist, Alia Shawkat, most recently seen in mystery thriller Blink Twice helmed by Zoë Kravitz, and title character of the Brigitte Bardot biopic series Valentina Romani in a light and fun, but also insightful discussion under the title Unpicking the Craft.
When talking about the significance of Miu Miu Women’s Tales series, Romani noted that she is fascinated by both film and fashion, which have broken a lot of walls, and it’s interesting to see those changes carried out by captivating and inspiring women. Raffey Cassidy, who starred in Miu Miu Women’s Tales #19 Nightwalk in 2020, praised the initiative for providing an opportunity to both first-time and big-time directors to tell fascinating stories for which it seems to get harder and harder to find funding.
And some projects which start as a short films in Miu Miu Women’s Tales series, live to be made into feature films, as seen for #12, Crystal Moselle’s That One Day (2016) developed into Skate Kitchen (2018), which won several awards. And now awaits #27 Shako Mako (2019) by Hailey Gates and starring Alia Shawkat. Gates’s upcoming feature is rumoured to have Luca Guadagnino, also present in Venice for the premiere of his latest, Queer, and Alia Shawkat’s father, Tony Shawkat, as producers.
Mostly recalling their greatest collaborations with different filmmakers and hinting at works in progress, the panellists also discussed the overall state of cinema and its currents. Shawkat noted that people seem to love horror films at the moment as they reflect on the precarious state of the world around them. Romani underlined the importance of film in also understanding and remembering our history: “We need to know our history and why we have this freedom. We have generations of women who did this for us”, she noted. Also referring to the reassuring and safe work environment that female directors manage to create: “With female directors, there is a non-verbal dialogue which makes you feel safe and heard without even talking”.
Shawkat noted that it seems like everyone is trying to get something made, and intriguing films need encouragement to get made. When referring to a kind of #metoo thriller that Zoë Kravitz is working on, she said that in the US things are very black and white, but now is the time to discover the grey areas, referencing also Blink Twice and Cat Person which give ambivalent and at times uncomfortable views which need to be discussed. “There’s a lot more room for these conversations now, but they need to get deeper. And you have to remember it’s not a war, we are trying to heal people”.
At the Venice International Film Festival, Miu Miu hosted its Women’s Tales panel, focusing on the experiences of women in the film industry. The discussion featured actresses Molly Gordon, known for her role in The Bear, and Jasmin Savoy Brown from Yellowjackets. Over 45 minutes, they explored topics such as the unique challenges women face in film, the creative processes they embrace, and the opportunities offered by platforms like Women’s Tales to tell authentic stories.
The panel began with an introduction to Miu Miu’s Women’s Tales, a celebrated initiative that has commissioned short films by women directors for over a decade. The series has featured a range of notable filmmakers, such as Ava DuVernay and Dakota Fanning, showcasing the importance of diverse voices and unique narratives in cinema. The speakers praised Women’s Tales for creating a space where women can express their creativity in a medium that is often limited by commercial constraints.
Molly Gordon shared her journey from acting in small roles to her recent success with The Bear. She reflected on her experience working in an industry that often prioritizes male narratives and spoke about the impact of short films as a medium to experiment and hone one’s craft. She highlighted how the rise of digital technology has made filmmaking more accessible, allowing for more experimentation with storytelling techniques. Gordon expressed her desire to direct in the future, despite acknowledging the challenges that come with transitioning from acting to directing.
Jasmin Savoy Brown, on the other hand, discussed her varied roles across genres, from horror in the Scream series to the dramatic mysteries of Yellowjackets. She spoke candidly about how the industry is evolving, yet still presents obstacles, particularly for women of colour. Brown underscored the importance of authenticity and the freedom to explore diverse characters and stories, noting that platforms like Women’s Tales play a crucial role in providing women directors with the chance to create impactful narratives that may not align with mainstream studio expectations.
Both actresses emphasized the importance of creative freedom. They highlighted the value of short films as a format that allows filmmakers to experiment without the pressure of a full-length feature. Gordon noted that the short film format serves as an excellent “proof of concept” for directors looking to develop their ideas further. She underscored how this medium offers a way to create compelling content in a condensed form, which can capture audiences’ shorter attention spans while still providing meaningful storytelling.
Savoy Brown agreed, sharing her love for improvisation and spontaneity on set, which she feels brings a level of authenticity and freshness to performances. She explained how allowing for unexpected moments—whether through improvisation or by working with children and other non-actors—can create a genuine connection with the audience. Both actresses shared a common passion for pushing boundaries and finding unique approaches to filmmaking that honour their artistic visions. They expressed a wish to explore more “insane” or “unhinged” roles, implying a desire for greater freedom to portray characters with intense, unrestricted emotions.
The panel at Miu Miu’s Women’s Tales highlighted the ongoing challenges women face in the film industry, but also celebrated the opportunities and spaces being created for women to tell their stories. Both Gordon and Savoy Brown expressed hope for the future, where initiatives like Women’s Tales will continue to grow, paving the way for more diverse, inclusive, and authentic narratives.
Ultimately, the discussion reinforced the idea that while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done. With platforms like Women’s Tales leading the charge, there is great potential for continued innovation and representation in cinema.
This week, fashion and cinema merged again on the Lido as excited lovers of the two art forms experienced the premieres of the newest “Miu Miu Women's Tales” films during the Venice International Film Festival.
Over the past 14 years, 28 films have been directed by women filmmakers, with the latest shorts I Am The Beauty Of Your Beauty, I Am The Fear Of Your Fear, directed by Chui Mui Tan and El Affaire Miu Miu, directed by Laura Citarella. This initiative offers a unique platform for exploring femininity through cinema, pushing boundaries and challenging women's traditional roles in the industry.
The directors of the newest episodes sat down for a special in-depth panel, sharing the story of how & why they made their “Miu Miu Women’s Tales”.
Both Citarella & Mui Tan shared that they were given a singular task: to create a short film about femininity using the latest fashion Miu Miu collection.
“When I received the email invitation, I was surprised, because I was not involved in the fashion world. However, I knew the project had little to do with fashion and more with the encounter between the worlds of cinema and fashion through our feminine view”, started Citarella.
Mui Tan continued by saying that she was inspired by the younger generation of women in China and their evolving understanding of femininity. “I began questioning what being a woman means to me, influenced by my upbringing and the generational gap in China”, she explained.
This filmmaker chose to explore femininity through the lens of martial arts, a departure from traditional genres. “This is my first martial arts film, continuing from my previous artistic pursuits”, she said, adding that the film allowed her to design a fight and storyline that embodied both strength and beauty—something that she believes every woman carries within her.
It’s no secret that Miu Miu Women’s Tales intentionally focuses on giving a platform to a diverse range of acclaimed women directors from all kinds of backgrounds and cultures. On being asked about diversity, Citarella emphasized: “Women are diverse. We’re trying to build on this concept, showing that we’re not the same”. This diversity is reflected not only in the stories told, but also in the portrayal of women in the films, challenging the stereotypical narratives often found in cinema.
However, the director also noted the challenges posed by critics who often oversimplify these films by labelling them as works about femininity. She mentioned: “Sometimes critics don’t understand. They might say, 'Oh, this is a film about femininity,' which can lead to other women filmmakers making films that just check those boxes because they feel like this should be the way”.
Both directors also discussed the challenges faced by independent filmmakers, particularly in regions where government support for the arts is inconsistent. The Argentinian director pointed out that “the government stopped supporting the arts, putting the entire industry in crisis”. This has led to a reliance on platforms and small-budget films, with filmmakers taking on multiple roles to ensure their projects come to life.
Despite these challenges, the filmmakers remain committed to their craft, constantly learning and evolving. As the Malaysian director & producer Chui Mui Tan noted: “I’m fortunate to be a filmmaker, constantly learning and travelling for work. And my next film will continue on this martial arts topic, focusing on jiu-jitsu, and I hope Laura will help me explore South America”.
The Miu Miu Women’s Tales films showcase the diversity, creativity, and resilience of women filmmakers worldwide. Through their unique perspectives, they continue to challenge the status quo, redefining what it means to be a woman in the film industry. The project not only celebrates femininity but also highlights the collaborative spirit that drives these filmmakers to create compelling and innovative cinema.
The four members of the Europa Cinemas Label Jury at the 2024 Giornate degli Autori —Daira Āboliņa (Artistic director, Splendid Palace, Riga, Latvia), António Costa Valente (Director and Programmer, Teatro Aveirense, Aveiro, Portugal), Andrea Porta (Social Media Manager and Projectionist, Cinema Teatro Nuovo & Cineclub Filmstudio 90, Varese, Italy) and Jana Trnková (Programming Director, Kino Světozor, Prague, Czech Republic)— were interviewed by representatives of the 27 Times Cinema to discuss their role at the festival and their expectations about this year's selection.
What do you expect from the selection, as you are yourselves programmers? What do you consider to be a good competition?
Daira Āboliņa: I aim to discover young European authors, a new cinematic language, and new aesthetics: I'm searching for the next generation of film directors! Another concern is whether the films can interest wider audiences: how universal are they?
Jana Trnková: I always look for something that excites me. I don’t have specific expectations or search for particular qualities—I just want to be impressed by something special. I’m looking for that feeling you get as a spectator, but also as an exhibitor: the desire to share the film and the excitement that you experienced with other people.
Are your views as spectators and as exhibitors the same? Or are they different?
JT: I'm in a very privileged position (laughs). Kino Světozor shows basically what I like and what I want to watch! We program festival films that are on the verge between artistic and mainstream. Something innovative, different, and exquisite, but also accessible to a wider audience beyond just cinephiles.
In addition to the first question, can you tell us about your criteria for judging a film and giving awards?
Andrea Porta: It is quite difficult because each movie has its own specific characteristics. Each film could be interesting for different reasons. We must pay attention to everything —the actors, the photography… There are no canons that we must follow.
JT: We don’t have a table or spreadsheet where we score the points. We are quite different from each other—different countries, different ages, different experiences… The ideal movie is the one that offers each of us something different that we are intrigued by.
AP: A universal movie…
JT: … that offers something for everyone!
António Costa Valente: For me, it is better not to have strict rules when programming or watching films at a festival. The essential elements are a big screen and a great movie. The important is not the chairs, as comfortable as they can be… You must be taken by the film. In Giornate degli Autori, I expect to see these kinds of movies!
Over the past five years, Europe has been through different crises—sanitary, political, geopolitical… How does it affect the audience? Have you had to innovate to bring people back to the cinema?
DA: In general, I think people are back. It depends on the content. If you have strong films, it doesn’t matter if it’s July! Even in the summer, if a film sparks discussion, it works. I’m from a Baltic country, and I work for the biggest and oldest cinema in the country, the Splendid Palace, founded in 1923, now 101 years old!
Nowadays, people are confused and living in the shadow of the war. Many Ukrainians live in Latvia, and we have special free screenings for refugees. We try to understand how to live together with people that suffer from war. Some Russians are also coming to our country and trying to find places to live. The geopolitical situation makes everyone nervous… For that reason, we are looking for strong narratives which reflect the complexity of the current world situation. In Eastern Europe, people look for films that are honest and open to discussions about “living together”.
In my region, people are deeply affected by the current global situation, and we feel responsible for helping them find some stability and positivity. The criteria for judging films are now higher than before COVID—we need stronger films!
ACV: During COVID-19, we opened a drive-in cinema where people watched films from their cars and, instead of clapping at the end, they blinked their car lights and honked their horns. It was fantastic for the audience.
DA: We also opened an open-air cinema next to the wall of our historic venue. This year we had a great summer in the Baltics, it was very warm, and the cinema was absolutely successful. This year we introduced Jacques Demy’s films and musicals, and it was 90% full every screening.
What about Southern European countries? They don’t have the same proximity to the war but face other issues. Cinemas are closing in Spain—what about Italy and Portugal?
AP: In Italy, it’s the same. I live in Milan, and the historic cinema near the Duomo, right in the city centre, closed quietly. The cinema just shut down, and no one was talking about it. For me, it’s a tragedy.
I started working at my cinema in Varese two years ago, so I wasn’t there during the COVID-19 crisis. Now, I think people want to see movies they can’t watch on their laptops or smartphones—something special. One of the most interesting films in Italy last year was La Chimera by Alice Rohrwacher. It is a great movie you must see in a theatre, like Perfect Days by Wim Wenders, which was an unexpected success. Arthouse cinemas must go that way, offering something special.
DA: We sometimes especially announce films as “only for the big screen”. For example, the new Latvian film Flow is a very positive, dynamic, and light story with philosophical depth. Everybody knows that this film will only be in theatres until mid-2025. If someone wants to see it, they need to come to the cinema—and they do! Last year, some films were already available on platforms just three or four weeks after their theatrical release. Some people preferred to wait because COVID habits persisted. But now, the big screen is back as a big event, and Flow helps to open a new era for our cinemas.
JT: After COVID, some people obviously waited for films to come to small screens. But that doesn’t mean films stop being successful in theatres. For example, Poor Things, The Menu... —these films continue to do well even though they’re available for free if you have a subscription. However, now there is so much digital content that you start to lose common themes and topics with your friends. Some have Netflix, others have HBO, some have Disney+, and everybody watches something different. Cinemas, especially arthouse cinemas, offer curated content with a limited number of titles, making it easier to watch the same thing or even meet and watch it together. And then, have a debate. I think that a very important part of the experience of watching audiovisual content is talking to someone about it and sharing your thoughts. In this regard, VOD services and digital spaces are losing a large portion of their audience, who are returning to curated content.
ACV: It’s difficult for me to speak about cinema exhibition in Portugal as a whole, but I can easily talk about the exhibition in my cinema at Teatro Aveirense. The curation of films is crucial for our audience. Directors are crucial when selecting films because people know their names. Not so much the actors, who are more important in the context of American titles. Also, presenting films with the presence of directors, actors, or other filmmakers is very impactful and easy for us to organise with Portuguese films.
JT: I also feel that the post-COVID return has been kinder to arthouse cinemas and smaller theatres than to the huge multiplexes, partly because of the atmosphere. The content is also essential. People stop going to see a lot of these products that are usually shown in the multiplexes because they are not as important, while in arthouse cinemas there are films that spark discussions, films people talk about for months. There’s Anatomy of a Fall, there’s Miyazaki, Wim Wenders... These are topics that start buzzing in May during film festivals and continue until they reach the cinemas, and then people go see them. It doesn’t have to be with a Q&A, but our titles are not products—they’re different films on various topics that engage people. They last longer in the cinema. For example, we have been playing Perfect Days for eight months, and people are still coming to see it. This doesn’t happen with whatever films are screened at multiplexes.
What about young audiences? Children are growing up with small screens, and there’s a crucial age when they could learn to have a shared experience with a film on the big screen. What can arthouse cinemas do to help develop this habit?
ACV: Our best experience with children was with the first Portuguese feature animation, in collaboration with the education department of the region and various schools. At each session, which we held on weekends when the cinema was booked exclusively for this event, they made drawings after the screening about the film. It was a big experience for them, and their reflections are very good.
DA: We have a special program for young audiences called Cinema Academy, and we create special programming for them. Some films are suitable for all ages, but these screenings include additional content, like a lecture specifically for young audiences. We also involved cinema influencers who work with cinema issues in our region. They are younger and have many thousands of followers. Of course, not all of them will come to the cinema, but if they discover, discuss and debate some topics in the films, then people will come to the cinema.
Splendid Palace is a popcorn-free cinema and for young audiences, this is an important issue. We’re planning our first cinema lunch event with a film for a younger audience, featuring special gourmet dishes. We’re still committed to being a popcorn-free cinema, but we’ll see what happens.
JT: Don’t give up on that! (laughing).
We also have a state programme called Schoolbag, supported by the Ministry of Education, where teachers can decide whether to spend a small amount of money on cinema, theatre, museums, or something else. There are many options, but some teachers are our regular audience, and they come almost every year because they trust our taste. You need to impress the adults to bring the kids to the cinema, and school screenings are a perfect example. I think this is something exhibitors should focus on—talking to teachers, talking to adults, and of course, offering options that are educational but also fun and exciting. When kids go to a cinema with their school, it shouldn't be a hardship. It should be fun, it’s something that they should look forward to. If it’s an exciting experience, then they will want to do it even without the school.
Two years after her raving Venice success, the Argentinian director Laura Citarella makes her return to the Lido as part of the Miu-Miu Women Tales programme with a short that further explores her Trenque Lauquen arena with a distinctive change of tone.
As for all the illustrious filmmakers who signed the Miu-Miu shorts before her (a list that includes Agnès Varda, Lucretia Martel, Naomi Kawase and Alice Rohrwacher, just to name a few), Citarella is given complete freedom on her subject matter, cast and production. The only link to the programme is the use of Miu-Miu clothes as costumes, which Citarella decides instead to put at the center of her narrative.
What would happen in the small and forgotten town of Trenque Lauquen, lost in the pampas, if a top model disappeared during a fashion show? Citarella takes us on a humorous journey into an all-female police investigation over the disappearance of someone who maybe was never lost in the first place, rephrasing the elements of her own cinema with a comic beat to them and giving her cast the chance to show us yet another alternative, among the many possible lives of her Trenque Lauquen characters. What a joyful ride!
REVIEW – MIU MIU – #27 I AM THE BEAUTY OF YOUR BEAUTY, I AM THE FEAR OF YOUR FEAR
By Dimosthenis Kontes (GR)
This new short film by renowned Malaysian filmmaker Chui Mui Tan, produced for the Miu Miu Women’s Tales series, explores the themes of female empowerment and sisterhood through a very personal scope. It portrays the story of Gita and her involvement in an all-women's group, where they learn and exercise self-defence and martial arts.
From the first moment in the film, you realize this is not a safe world. Our protagonist, Gita, is play-acting as part of her training a careless pedestrian when a woman holding a knife jumps in front of her and asks for her phone. She gives it to her, but when a second woman does the same, the fight becomes inevitable. Being thrown right into the heart of the action in such a way gives the viewer the sense of urgency that the character needs to rise to the challenges that lie ahead.
Gita’s story and background are only revealed to us in small puzzle pieces, that we are encouraged to put together in order to understand her psyche. It is revealed that she left China for Malaysia in an effort to escape or distance herself from a tragedy. Most importantly though, the mark that the past has left on her is expressed through emotion, through the fear that shifts to determination, through the determination that becomes anger, especially in the climax of the film.
A big strength of the film is the expertly choreographed and designed action. You see the artistry and care put behind creating the fighting sequences, with the direction doing a good job of focusing on the physicality, highlighting the female body as it is put under stress and tension. Other highlights are the atmosphere and the sound design, which create an ambience sometimes eerie and at other times calm and reassuring.
By keeping always close to the character and looking through Gita’s lens, we come to realize the positive effect that it has on her to belong in this sisterhood and connect, which not only provides her with a safe place and skills to reclaim and defend her body, but also to explore her mind. And so the journey we go along with her is not merely about understanding, but also about expanding, about wilfully taking up space.
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