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FilmSpray Festival 2010 at LdM

FilmSpray is an annual festival that brings together the best new films and filmmakers in independent Italian cinema. The festival gives voice to independent films and showcases Italian movies that have not yet received adequate distribution or viewing through traditional channels. The FilmSpray Project, created by Lorenzo de' Medici: The Italian International Institute, under the direction of LdM President Fabrizio Guarducci, is linked to the peace movement Empowerment. This philosophy seeks to develop alternative paths for a parallel and autonomous economy from within the marginalized sectors of society.

FilmSpray creates a distribution channel, parallel to the conventional ones, to showcase quality Italian films that have so far been excluded from the international film market. The public will vote on the 6 Italian films and (new this year) the 3 Italian-American produced films participating, with one overall winner being rewarded in each of the two divisions, and in the categories of Best Director, Best Actor, Best Photography. True to the festival's philosophy, the winning film is the result of votes by both the general public and a panel of cinema experts. The winner will be promoted by the Italian Broadcasting Corporation RAI TRADE with worldwide distribution and the top two movies will be sent, by Lorenzo de' Medici, to targeted Italian film schools for screening.

Now in its second edition, FilmSpray is gaining ever wider recognition. The diversified range of sponsors includes Florence City Hall, The Regione of Tuscany, Istituto Luce / Cinecittà and Rai Italian Television.

A key feature of the festival is the Filmmaker's Conference, an open forum for professionals to work on distribution issues. Other events included an experimental section, a book presentation, and a national premiere.

The competing FilmSpray films were: Little Kings, L'uomo del Grano, L'uomo fiammifero, Mar Nero, Onde, La velocità della luce, Butterfly Zone, True Love, La vela strappata. These films were shown at LdM Florence and LdM Tuscania sites, non-conventional venues in Italy, and also in the U.S., at the Cinema departments of Marist College, Staten Island University, and Texas Christian University.

The year's Rai Trade Best Film prize was awarded to Onde (Waves) by the director Francesco Fei. Winners in the acting category were Francesco Salvi and Anita Caprioli (for Butterfly Zone). One of the award presenters was the popular Italian actor/director Leonardo Pieraccioni.