Gallio Film Festival
The FAU Italian Program contributes to the success of the Gallio Film Festival "Opere Prime" - that since 1997 has been showcasing debut works by Italian filmmakers. During the last week of July, a Jury composed of prestigious members of the Italian film industry and young artists meet the audience in engaging conversations. Many directors invited to the Festival have since become famous, such as Emanuele Crialese ( 2006 Academy Award Best Foreign Film nominee for Nuovomondo) or Alice Rohrwacher ( 2014 Grand Prix of the Jury at Cannes Film Festival for Le meraviglie ).
FAU Italian program has a long standing relationship with the Festival. Dr. Ilaria Serra is the academic expert in residence at the Festival and the official presenter. During the Festival, her volunteer work includes moderating the cultural meetings between audience and filmmakers, conducting interviews with the filmmakers and actors, and coordinating the final prize presentation. After the festival, she organizes an artist’s invitation to South Florida for the Michele D. Serra New Italian Cinema Series .
In 2024 the Festival dedicated the Prize of the Young Jury to Michele D. Serra. In the same year, Chapman University's Ferrucci Institute joined FAU in supporting the Festival, with the participation of Dr. Federico Pacchioni.
Watch a short video of the 25th festival edition and taste the special atmosphere.
Students and friends are welcome to join us in Asiago or sponsor an artist invitation. For information, write to ilariaserra@fau.edu .
The beautiful Asiago plateau is the festival's location and place for excursions among World War I battlefields and Asiago cheese farms. Photo by Donata Carelli.
Austin Sanniota Edwards (MA in Italian at FAU), Ilaria Serra, Sergio Samburgaro (the soul of the festival) and Emanuele Pettener in front of the quaint Cineghel theater in Gallio.
Actress and filmmaker hold the prizes, carved stone slabs of the Asiago plateau, surrounded by Jury members.
Actor Roberto Citran holds the Prize of the Yorng Jury and that for Best Actor for his role in the Marco Santarelli's movie Samad (July 2024).
Discussions and interviews with the artists.
The audience of the small but crowded cinema.
An article on L'Altopiano. La Voce dei 7 Comuni, August 6 2022, on the relationship between Gallio and FAU.