This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Fiorano Modenese festival. Muciaccia, winner of the 2024 David di Donatello award Sergio Ballo, singer-songwriter Marco Manca and Maria Virelli from the Italian Space Agency
Fifty events spread across six municipalities, with the heart of the action at the Astoria Theatre in Fiorano Modenese: the Ennesimo Film Festival is back, the event dedicated to short films, which this year celebrates an important milestone, blowing out ten candles. And it does so in style, with the renewal of a prestigious partnership – with the Italian Space Agency, a unique collaboration on the national scene – and an Academy that is more vibrant than ever, involving over 7,000 students from 400 classes in three regions of Italy and over 150 screenings scheduled over seven days.
The curtain will rise on the Ennesimo Film Festival on Sunday 27th April and fall a week later, on Sunday 4th May, with an expected attendance of around ten thousand spectators. As per tradition, admission to all events will be free of charge. It all begins on Sunday 27 April in Fiorano Modenese at the Teatro Astoria: Giovanni Muciaccia, a well-known face on children’s television, will hold a workshop show starting at 5 pm to stimulate creativity and reawaken the childlike trait that each person has within them. At 9 p.m., the first screening and the awarding of the first prize will take place: at the Astoria Theatre, the selection “Family Affairs” will open the seven days of short films; the audience will be asked to give their opinion right from the start, voting for the films that have impressed them the most and awarding the Città di Fiorano prize.
The following day, Monday 28 April, sees the return of the historic “Fuorifuoco” evening, a meeting with local sports clubs. Once again, there will be a screening of short films and the awarding of the prize of the same name. On Tuesday 29 April, the festival expands to neighbouring areas. In Modena, at the Madonna Pellegrina Schools, ‘L’Academy si Mostra’ will be inaugurated at 6 p.m., an exhibition of creative products made by students who participated in projects proposed by Ennesimo Academy educators during the school year. Half an hour later, in Finale Emilia, the exhibition will also take shape at the IC Castelfranchi, where students will be rewarded for their commitment and imagination. In Fiorano, on the other hand, the afternoon will come alive at 6.30 pm with “Document-Art”: here too, there will be space for the Academy students’ creations. In the evening, at 9 p.m., the big screen returns to the spotlight with the screening of “Magma. Mattarella, il delitto perfetto” (Magma. Mattarella, the perfect crime), Giorgia Furlan’s film that delves into the dark corners of Italian history. This will be followed by a meeting with the director.
On 30 April, the Festival arrives in Maranello, at the Ferrari auditorium, and Formigine, at Spira Mirabilis, where students will present their work through the presentation of projects created during the image education course offered by Ennesimo Academy: the event will take place at 6 pm. In the evening, however, we return to the Astoria Theatre in Fiorano for a special event: the Caesar Design Film Award, with a talk by architect Mario Cucinella, a student of Renzo Piano, followed by the screening of the films in competition, in an event that combines cinema, design and professional training. Training accreditation is available for members of the Order of Architects. The first of May opens with non-competitive screenings at the BLA in Fiorano Modenese: “Worldwide” at 9 a.m., “Agenda 2030” at 3 p.m., A(h)I – on Artificial Intelligence in short films – at 4 p.m. and “Present Tense” at 5 p.m. offer insights into the world and our times. Further presentations by the Academy’s students are scheduled for 11 a.m. at the BLA, and from 4 p.m. the historic centre will be transformed into a giant game with “La Pellicola Perduta – Fiorano Escape City”, an urban escape room that will involve citizens and visitors in a cinematic treasure hunt. The day ends with music: at 7 p.m., in Piazza Menotti, a concert by London artist Pure Joy promises international vibes and an authentic festival atmosphere.
On Friday 2 May, again at the Astoria Theatre, the action gets underway with a talk with Sergio Ballo, winner of last year’s David di Donatello award for Best Costume Design for Marco Bellocchio’s film Rapito, followed by the screening of short films and the presentation of the Ennesimo Film Festival audience award for best audiovisual production. And, as per tradition, the Ennesimo Dopofestival will be lighting up the Caffè del Teatro until late in the evening. 3 May is a day for everyone, from the youngest to the oldest: VR headsets will arrive at the BLA and Piazza Ciro Menotti respectively, catapulting participants into the “Virtual Odyssey” of augmented reality, and the Gonfialone, an inflatable space where short films for children will be screened. both events will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Younger children will also be at the centre of the Ludoteca Barone Rosso workshops, while film buffs can take part in various screenings: “Città dei Motori” (10 a.m.) and “Visioni Sarde” (3 p.m.), with the latter becoming an award this year. There will also be a focus on practical skills, with workshops on “I mestieri del cinema” (The professions of cinema) with singer-songwriter Marco Manca, from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 5 pm at the Teatrino del Crociale. At the Caffè del Teatro, the Academy’s students will meet face to face with the protagonists of the Ennesima Selezione Giovani. And in the evening, more cinema and festivities: a talk with Marco Manca starting at 8.30 pm, followed by the screening of the official selection at the Teatro Astoria and a new appointment with the Ennesimo Dopofestival. The closing of the Festival on 4 May is a real collective celebration. More workshops (3.30-6.30 p.m.), Gonfialone in Piazza Menotti, virtual reality and screenings at the BLA, with the morning dedicated to “Worldwide” at 10 a.m. and the afternoon, at 3 p.m., to “Dalla Via Emilia al West”. The highlight is at 5 p.m.: at the Maria Virelli Library and Play Centre Archive, Mission Manager of the Italian Space Agency’s COSMO-SkyMed Satellite System, will reflect on the narratives of scientific images.
In the evening, at 8:30 p.m., in Piazza Ciro Menotti, the excitement becomes visible thanks to the Video Mapping of the ten-year history of the Ennesimo Film Festival. Following this, at 9 p.m., the award ceremony at the Astoria Theatre will conclude a more unique and refined edition than ever before.
«Ennesimo Film Festival celebrates its tenth anniversary with the desire to continue surprising, provoking reflection, stimulating imagination and dialogue. In this era of uncertainty, cinema remains one of the most powerful tools for creating connections and expanding the boundaries of knowledge, teaching us that nothing should be considered beyond our reach. Once again this year, the public and students from schools of all levels will play a leading role in masterclasses, meetings and popular juries. This is an important milestone that we want to share with those who have made it possible. Thanks to the Municipality of Fiorano Modenese, the Emilia-Romagna Region and all the sponsors who continue to believe in our project: Ceramiche Caesar, Gruppo HERA, BPER Banca, Fondazione IRIS Ceramica Group, Autorama and Comix. The project is supported by Fondazione di Modena, whom we sincerely thank, as part of the “Mi metto all’opera” call for proposals», says Federica Ferro, president of Tilt, the association that organises the Ennesimo Film Festival.
Ten years have passed since the beginning of this wonderful community adventure, which has gone from being one of the many cultural festivals proposed and attempted with good intentions in the area to the Ennesimo (in name but not in fact) Film Festival, EFF for friends. Today, as then, we believe that this initiative has the energy, resilience and talent to innovate itself, driven by the evocative power of short films and rooted in the good vibes of the province that welcomed it. EFF is not only an occasion for film enthusiasts, but an opportunity for the whole community. The active participation of schools, citizens and artists demonstrates how culture can be a tool for growth and activation of the entire community. Federico, Mirco, Morena and Federica truly deserve special thanks for having created and nurtured EFF like a child, thanks to the contribution of many young people, the university, sponsors and the municipality of Fiorano Modenese, which has always believed in the initiative, raising its quality while maintaining its proximity, in a winning combination that will always see us by their side,’ commented the mayor of Fiorano, Marco Biagini, and the Councillor for Culture, Marilisia Ruini.
“In these times saturated with images, educating the eye becomes an act of profound cultural interest. Learning paths and moments of discussion on this aspect of creativity allow new generations to interpret the complexity of the world from different points of view: in this sense, the Festival, now in its tenth edition, is not just an event linked to cinema, but a workshop of experiences capable of engaging and supporting active participation. It is a reality that does not end with the closing credits, but continues to generate ideas for the community,” adds Matteo Tiezzi, president of the Modena Foundation.
‘We are delighted to support the Ennesimo Film Festival again this year,’ says Davide Bigarelli, Head of Area Management Emilia at the Hera Group, “because we share its spirit and objectives. Cinema speaks to young people and is an ideal vehicle for stimulating reflection on current and important issues, such as the environment. The Hera Group is involved on a daily basis in environmental education activities aimed at schools and, more generally, at young people. This will therefore be another important opportunity to meet the younger generation and promote good practices, both through the screening of our emotional video on the water cycle and by involving the public in our green initiatives,” comments Davide Bigarelli, Head of Area Management Emilia at the Hera Group.