SELECTED SHORTS
SHORT FilmS
The authors of Italian short films are true masters in the art of condensing complex stories into a few minutes. With a rich cinematic heritage and a unique artistic sensibility, they manage to capture the essence of Italian life, culture and emotions in a powerful and immediate way. Through the creative use of cinematography, narrative and direction, Italian short film authors often transform universal themes into visually and emotionally engaging experiences, making each short a work of art that deserves to be seen and appreciated.
THE LADY OF THE SEA
A film by Roberto Leone | Italy 2024 | 21 min.
On July 28, 1480, the Ottoman army under the command of General Ahmet Pasha violently invades Otranto with 20,000 men. Eight hundred men are massacred for refusing to convert to Islam, while the women and children, taking refuge in the cathedral, are enslaved and taken to Vlora. With them, the wooden statue of the Madonna delle Grazie, protector of the city, was stolen. A year later, Anna, a slave detained in Vlora by the Turkish officer Selin Osman, against the wishes of her master, returns the statue to the people of Otranto by placing it on a small boat, relying on the strength of faith. Today the statue resides in the niche of the Holy Martyrs in the cathedral of Otranto, a silent witness to that tragic event and a symbol of hope and resistance.
Roberto Leone
Roberto Leone, Galatina (LE) 1976, owner of Airfilm s.r.l. he is a camera operator in the world of cinema. He worked on national and international sets, his strong curiosity, driven by the love of his own land: Salento, helped him create two photographic books and numerous exhibitions in Italy and Asia. Lover of history, and in particular of the story of the Turks in Otranto in 1480, Roberto decides to write and direct a film on a particular anecdote that occurred in that period: The story of the statue of the Madonna delle Grazie of Otranto.
ARTISTIC CAST
REGIA: ROBERTO LEONE SCENEGGIATURA: LUANA RONDINELLI, FRANCESCO TERESI FOTOGRAFIA: DAVIDE SONDELLI MONTAGGIO:GIULIANA SARLI MUSICHE: FRANCESCO MANCARELLA CAST: IPPOLITO CHIARELLO, ANTONIO PAGANO, DONATO BARBARO, ILARIA BARLETTA, LAURA BOCCADAMO, ENRICA SPARASCIO
Roberto Leone | Italy
FRARIA
A film by Alberto Diana | Italy 2023 | 18 min.
Angelo, a shy 15-year-old boy living in a small town in the mountains of Sardinia in the post-war period, struggles with his self-confidence. Teased about his older brother, Agostino’s disability, he longs to emulate the self-confidence of his charismatic friend, Bastiano. While life in the village seems to flow peacefully, the arrival of the Black Shirts shakes the peace with their arrogance. During a party in the square, illuminated by a majestic bonfire, Angelo will find himself forced to make a choice that will change everything, finally deciding which side to take.
Alberto Diana
Alberto Diana (Iglesias, 1989) attended the Master in Documental de Creación at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, after graduating in Literature at the University of Cagliari. His documentary shorts have been presented in numerous Italian and international festivals. His feature documentary Red Mud was presented at the 37th edition of the Turin Film Festival. He is developing the screenplay for his first fiction feature film Intra Montes. Frarìa is his first fiction short film.
ARTISTIC CAST
REGIA &SCENEGGIATURA: ALBERTO DIANA FOTOGRAFIA: FRANCESCO PIRAS MONTAGGIO:DAVIDE ORRU SCENOGRAFIA: LUCA NOCE CAST: LEONARDO SCHIRÒ, PIETRO BURRAI, DAVIDE GRILLO, DANIELA VITELLARO, ANDREA MELIS
Alberto Diana | Italy
THIRD PARTIES
A film by Antonio Palumbo | Italy 2023 | 13 min
Massimo works as a courier for a company in the logistics sector. Work absorbs and consumes him. The shifts and the conditions of the vehicle with which he is forced to work take away the time to live his family life peacefully and lead him to neglect his physical and mental health. In the midst of physical and existential burn out, the meeting with his brother will be revealing for a decision that will change his life.
Antonio Palumbo
Antonio Palumbo, born in Bari in 1973, began his artistic career in 1997 at the Kismet Theater in Bari. In 2001 he made his film debut with “My Name is Tanino” by Paolo Virzì. In 2004 he wrote and directed the theater show “Bossolo”, awarded at the Premio Fondi La Pastora. Since 2010 he has worked as a director, making his debut with the short film “cuss”. He has directed video clips and commercials, including “New Dawn” and “Premiata Cremeria Italia, Apulian Style”. In 2015 he made the docufilm “Varichina – The true story of the fake life of Lorenzo De Santis”, awarded and nominated for the 2017 Nastri d’Argento. In 2021 his film “Nicola – Mussels, kebab and Coca Cola” was released, followed in 2022 from the short film “The old man and the wall”, winner at the Rai Festival and presented at the Venice Film Festival. He is also a directing teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bari.
ARTISTIC CAST
REGIA: ANTONIO PALUMBO SCENEGGIATURA: FABIO FANELLE & ANTONIO PALUMBO FOTOGRAFIA: DARIO DIMELLA MONTAGGIO:ANTONIO PALUMBO & ALESSANDRO SMALDINO MUSICHE: SERGIO BELLOTTI, YUKI KANESAKA CAST:PIETRO NAGLIERI, AUGUSTO MASIELLO, TOTÒ ONNIS, MAURIZIO DELLA VILLA, DANIELA LOCURATOLO
Antonio Palumbo | Italy
THUNDERLOVE
A film by Gabriele Scollo | Italy 2023 | 12 min.
The roar of a broken heart and the vulnerability of a faltering love resonates in each of us. “Love at first sight” is not just a dialogue between two people, but a profound reflection of our most intimate human experiences. We ask ourselves if we have truly preserved and valued the love we had. This short film pushes us to reflect on our priorities and the authentic meaning of coexistence. It is a call to all of us, as human beings, to recognize and protect what is truly important, first of all from ourselves, to build our ideal world, the only one we truly possess.
Gabriele Scollo
Gabriele Scollo was born in Fiesole on 02/29/1988. From a very young age he discovered an unconditional love for theater and acting, participating in many theater workshops from adolescence. Having enrolled at the Ncp Lab acting school in Florence, at the age of 19 he entered the “Nuova Compagnia di Prosa città di Firenze” where he remained for over 20 years. Acting teacher and theater director since 2014, he approached cinema in 2020, taking part as an actor in the short films “Lei” and “Con Occhi Verso il Destino”. In 2023 he signed his first short film “Colpo di Fulmine” as director, thanks to the Florentine production of Sota Produzioni.
ARTISTIC CAST
REGIA: GABRIELE SCOLLO SCENEGGIATURA: FIAMMA MELLONI FOTOGRAFIA: ALESSANDRO CHIODO MONTAGGIO:GIACOMO BECHERUCCI MUSICHE: JOHNNY DELL’ORTO, SAMUELE STRUFALDICAST: FIAMMA MELLONI, GABRIELE SCOLLO
Gabriele Scollo | Italy