Rome vs. Venice: festival death match?
Filed under: Newsstand
With at least one film festival in every city these
days, it should come as no surprise to learn that Rome (Italy, not Georgia) is planning a brand-new film festival starting in
October this year. Watching films in Rome in the fall sounds pleasant enough...unless you're involved with the ailing
Venice Film Festival - the world's oldest - which takes place in September. Rome's mayor claims that the two film
festivals will not be competing for funds, films, or audience members but should be able to work hand-in-hand to grow
together. Personally, I can't imagine celebs and festival attendees traveling to one Italian city one month and a
different one the next, unless they already lived in nearby parts of Europe.However, the mayor has that covered too. He says the Rome festival will focus on more "popular" films, with a jury comprised of non-celebrity filmgoers, as opposed to Venice's more "high-brow" programming. In other words, there shouldn't be much overlap. Unfortunately, the Venice festival is so short on money that it may not be able to continue at all, and scheduling a second festival nearby, less than a month later, could further jeopardize its survival.
Which would you prefer: Venice in September or Rome in October? That's assuming you could afford to jet over to Italy at all in the autumn months. I notice that Rome's festival dates overlap with Austin Film Festival, which is practically in my backyard, so you know where I'll be. (Hint: not Venice, unless someone else is paying.)
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