The 19th Rome Film Festival opened on 16 October in the Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome with the Italian biographical drama film The Great Ambition by Andrea Segre. Earlier the pre-opening film of the festival, Megalopolis, an American epic science fiction drama directed by Francis Ford Coppola, was screened on 14 October 2024, at the Cinecittà film studios. The event was streamed live to the Auditorium Parco della Musica's Sala Petrassi. Coppola was honoured at the screening and introduced the film in the presence of his granddaughter, Gia Coppola.
Lino Guanciale an Italian actor hosted the opening ceremony. Viggo Mortensen and Johnny Depp were honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Awards. In the festival, an international competition featuring 18 titles hailing from 29 countries were presented. The official image of the event is dedicated to Marcello Mastroianni, on the occasion of his birth centenary, which is taken from his character Guido Anselmi in the 1964 film 8½ by Federico Fellini. Pablo Trapero, an Argentine film producer, editor, and director is serving as the jury president of the competition section.
The presentation ceremony on 26 October 2024, was hosted by Geppi Cucciari, an Italian stand-up comedian, actress, radio host, and television presenter, marking her third time in a row as host. The jury awarded the best film award to Bound in Heaven a romantic crime drama by Huo Xin of China. Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness by Johnny Depp was the closing film of the festival run on 26 October. Johnny Depp received the Lifetime Achievement Award from festival director Paola Malanga and Riccardo Scamarcio before the screening of his film.
The festival formally closed on 27 October 2024, with the preview of four episodes of the third season of Life of Carlo by Carlo Verdone and Valerio Vestoso; a series of screenings for the History of Cinema section and the screenings of the award-winning films.
Jury
Progressive Cinema Competition Award
Pablo Trapero, Argentine film producer, editor, and director – president Francesca Calvelli, Italian film editor . Laetitia Casta, French model and actress Gail Egan, American producer Dennis Lehane, writer and screenwriter from the United States
Best First Work Award BNL BNP Paribas
Francesca Comencini, Italian film director and screenwriter – president Kaili Peng, producer, composer and writer Antoine Reinartz, French actor
Events
Pre-opening of the festival
On 14 October 2024, Cinecittà Studios hosted the Italian premiere of the 2024 film Megalopolis by the Italian-American director Francis Ford Coppola, with a screening introduced by the director himself. The event was streamed live at the Auditorium Parco della Musica's Sala Petrassi as the pre-opening of the festival. During the evening a special tribute was paid to the director.
Felicitation of Marcello Mastroianni
Festa del Cinema organized a large retrospective of films, some in restored versions, that saw him collaborate with directors such as Federico Fellini, Vittorio De Sica, Ettore Scola, Pietro Germi; documentaries on the life and works of the great interpreter; exhibitions and displays set up between the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone and the Casa del Cinema; and a meeting with the actress Chiara Mastroianni - daughter of the actor and Catherine Deneuve - to whom the Festa will dedicate a special tribute. He will also be the protagonist of the official image of the nineteenth edition.
Master classes
Viggo Mortensen, American actor, musician, and filmmaker Dennis Lehane, American author Chiara Mastroianni, French actress and singer
Events relating to social issues
In 2024, the film festival continued its dedication to social issues and environmental concerns. Events took place at the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS with MediCinema Italia ETS, Rebibbia Penitentiary Complex, the Rebibbia "Germana Stefanini" women's prison, the Latina prison, and the Casal del Marmo juvenile penal institute.
Save the Children was the Social Partner for the nineteenth edition, showcasing a screening of its projects.
During Pink October, which focuses on breast cancer awareness, Novartis presented the DISTANCES series: Life always finds a way.
A Charity Gala Dinner was organized to support the Italian Red Cross.
The Fondazione Cinema per Roma, in collaboration with Azienda Comunale Elettricità e Acque—Electricity and Water Municipal Utility (ACEA), launched the contest "I mille volti dell'acqua" (The Thousand Faces of Water) to explore the theme of water through the perspectives of young filmmakers and renowned directors. Additionally, the event included a retrospective section titled "Drops of Cinema", featuring seven films designed to raise public awareness about the importance of water as a resource.
Celebration of world of music
Screenings of series on the life and work of artists such as Bruce Springsteen American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Vinicio Capossela Italian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist, Mario Merola Italian singer and actor, Franco Califano Italian lyricist, composer, singer-songwriter, author and actor, and Pivio, and Aldo De Scalzi two Italian composers. The guitarist for American rock band Talking Heads, Jerry Harrison, will meet Fest audiences on the occasion of the screening of 1984 American concert film, Stop Making Sense – 40th Anniversary by American filmmaker Jonathan Demme. At the Teatro Olimpico, the Italian Association of Composers of Music for Film puts on an event devoted to soundtracks and film scores. Every day, the festival red carpet thrilled to the sound design of Federico Sacchi Musicteller.
Official sections
Progressive Cinema Competition Freestyle Grand public Special screenings Best of 2024 History of cinema Special events
Pre-opening and Opening films
English title Original title Director(s) Production country(ies)Pre-opening filmMegalopolis Francis Ford Coppola United States Opening film The Great Ambition Berlinguer. La grande ambizione Andrea Segre Italy, Belgium, Bulgaria
Progressive Cinema Competition - Visions for the World of Tomorrow
English title Original title Director(s) Production country(ies)100 Litres of Gold Teemu Nikki Finland, Italy The Tree L'albero Sara Petraglia Italy The Art of Nothing L'Art d'être heureux Stefan Liberski Belgium, France Bound in Heaven Kun bang shang tian tang Huo Xin China The Great Ambition Berlinguer. La grande ambizione Andrea Segre Italy, Belgium, BulgariaBring Them Down Christopher Andrews Ireland, UK, Belgium The Choice Le Choix Gilles BourdosFranceAbout Luis Es geht um Luis Lucia ChiarlaGermanyGreedy People Potsy Ponciroli United States The Island of Idealists L'isola degli idealisti Elisabetta Sgarbi ItalyJazzy Morrisa Maltz United StatesReading Lolita in Tehran Eran RiklisItaly, Israel Night CallLa nuit se traine Michiel Blanchart Belgium, France They Will Be Dust Polvo serán Carlos Marqués-Marcet Spain, Italy, Switzerland Beloved Tropic Querido trópico Ana Endara Panama, Colombia Spirit World Eric Khoo France, Singapore, Japan Paradise for Sale Luca Barbareschi Italy, FranceThe Trainer Tony Kaye United States
Freestyle
Films
English title Original title Director(s) Production country(ies) Arsa Masbedo Italy Pierce Cì xīn qiè gŭ Nelicia Low Singapore, Taiwan, Poland Hello Child Edgardo Pistone ItalyGhostlight Kelly O'Sullivan, Alex Thompson United States Grand Theft Hamlet Pinny Grylls, Sam Crane United Kingdom – documentaryMarko Polo Elisa FuksasItaly McVeigh Mike Ott USA Christmas After Hours Gianfranco Firriolo Italy – documentary Nottefonda Giuseppe Miale Di Mauro ItalyOn Falling Laura Carreira United Kingdom, PortugalSunlight Nina Conti United States Under a Blue Sun מתחת לשמש כחולה Daniel Mann France, Israel – documentary
Arts
English title Original title Director(s) Production countr y(ies) Waiting for King Lear Aspettando Re Lear Alessandro Preziosi Italy The Tirana Plot Manfredi Lucibello Italy Duse, The Greatest Sonia Bergamasco Italy Franco Califano - I Will Not Hold You Back Antonio Mondini Italy My dear Giulia! Giorgio Maria Mauti Italy I Am Martin Parr Lee Shulman France, United Kingdom Italo Calvino in the Cities Davide Ferrario ItalyLeonardo da Vinci Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon United States Musicians with the Pianola Matteo Malatesta Italy Pellizza Painter from Volpedo Francesco Fei Italy Stones and Bricks Saeid Shahparnia Iran, Italy The King of Naples - History and Legend by Mario Merola Massimo Ferrari ItalyRoad Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Thom Zimny United States They say about me Isabella Mari Italy
Series
English title Original title Director(s) Production country y(ies) My Brilliant Friend L'amica geniale Laura Bispuri Italy This Is Not Hollywood: Avetrana Avetrana - Qui non è Hollywood Pippo Mezzapesa Italy Bellas Artes Gastón Duprat & Mariano Cohn Spain, Argentina The Count of Monte Cristo Le Comte de Monte Cristo Bille August Italy, France La Máquina Gabriel Ripstein MexicoMiss Fallaci Luca Ribuoli, Giacomo Martelli, Alessandra Gonnella Italy Life of Carlo Vita da Carlo Carlo Verdone, Valerio Vestoso Italy
Grand public
English title Original title Director(s) Production country y(ies) The House of Gazes La casa degli sguardi Luca Zingaretti ItalyConclave Edward Berger United Kingdom, United States Eternal Visionary Eterno visionario Michele Placido Italy, Belgium Here Now Fino alla fine Gabriele Muccino ItalyHey Joe Claudio Giovannesi Italy Libre Mélanie Laurent FranceLonglegs Oz Perkins United States Bare Hands Mani nude Mauro Mancini ItalyThe Thieving Magpie La pie voleuse Robert Guédiguian France
In co-production with Alice nella città
The autonomous parallel section unfolding within Rome Film Fest dedicated to younger generations.
English title Original title Director(s) Production country y(ies) The Boy with Pink Pants Il ragazzo dai pantaloni rosa Margherita Ferri Italy The Children's Train Cristina ComenciniItalyThe Dead Don't Hurt Viggo Mortensen United States Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness Tre giorni sulle ali della follia Johnny Depp United Kingdom, Hungary, ItalyThe Return Uberto Pasolini France, Greece, Italy, United KingdomSaturday Night Jason Reitman United States Story of a Night Paolo Costella Italy Superheroes Stefano Chiantini Italy, FranceU.S. Palmese Manetti Bros. Italy La Vallée des fous Xavier Beauvois FranceWe Live in Time John Crowley United Kingdom
Special screenings
In co-production with Alice nella città
The autonomous parallel section unfolding within Rome Film Fest dedicated to younger generations.
English title Original title Director(s) Production country y(ies) 100 of These Years 100 di questi anni Michela Andreozzi, Massimiliano Bruno Claudia Gerini, Edoardo Leo, Francesca Mazzoleni, Rocco Papaleo, Sydney Sibilia Italy Ago Giangiacomo De Stefano Italy Antidote James Jones United Kingdom Everyone's House Manetti Bros. Italy – short film Bad Masters Roberto Orazi Italy – documentary As if there were no tomorrow Riccardo Cremona, Matteo Keffer Italy – documentary Shattered Things Shine Marta Basso, Sara Cecconi, Carlotta Cosmai, Alice Malingri, Lilian Sassanelli Italy – documentary Blanket Wearer Damyoreul ibeun saram Park Jeong-mi South Korea – documentary Dike – Life as a Magistrate Caterina Crescini Italy – documentary Heroic! 100 years of passion and sports stories Giuseppe Marco Albano Italy – documentary Sharp Corner Jason Buxton Canada, Ireland State of SilenceSantiago MazaMexico – documentary Ferrari: Fury and the Monster Steve Hoover United States – documentary The Island of Care Alex Grazioli Italy – documentary Liliana Ruggero Gabbai Italy – documentary Ukrainian Lyrics Francesca Mannocchi Italy – documentary
Best of 2024