What makes a film good? According to film historian Laura Aimone, veteran of numerous world-class festivals, it\u2019s when the viewer not only loses their concept of time, but forgets entirely that they\u2019re at the cinema. The member of the Main Jury for Art Film Fest\u2019s International Competition of Feature Films says that such a film can also help you solve a problem you\u2019ve got on your mind.<\/p>\n
The films that appear in festival competitions are often described as \u201cnothing but doom and gloom\u201d. Is that the case for this year\u2019s Art Film Fest, too?<\/strong><\/p>\n None of the competition films the jury and I have seen so far have been upbeat. But every one has had a ray of hope. And then you don\u2019t leave the cinema depressed. The hope that these films offer can actually uplift you.<\/p>\n So far you\u2019ve seen half of the 11 films competing for the Blue Angel this year. Any favourites yet?<\/strong><\/p>\n So far we\u2019ve agreed on two films that stand out among the ones we\u2019ve seen. I can\u2019t, of course, name them.<\/p>\n How do you actually assess the films with your fellow jurors?<\/strong><\/p>\n We\u2019re together a lot and so we can talk about the films a lot, too. Right when we meet for breakfast, we\u2019re already talking about the films we\u2019ve seen. The competing titles are very diverse, so comparing them isn\u2019t easy, but Art Film Fest awards a number of prizes, and I\u2019m sure that in the end we\u2019ll find a film that truly deserves each one.<\/p>\n What is it about a good film that appeals to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n For me, it\u2019s the story that\u2019s important. Much more so than the way the film is shot.<\/p>\n Do you prefer to watch films that entertain, or those that focus on something specific?<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s good when filmmakers focus on a particular issue. When the viewer sees such a film and it connects with them, the story onscreen can illuminate something, help them to solve a problem they\u2019ve got on their mind, or draw their attention to something they\u2019d otherwise overlook.<\/p>\n How did you come to pursue a career in film?<\/strong><\/p>\n By chance, actually. I first got the opportunity to attend a seminar on film when I was studying literature. Then I received an offer to help prepare a film festival. I accepted it the very same day.<\/p>\n Do you get the feeling that, given the great history of Italian cinema, Italian audiences approach film differently from audiences elsewhere?<\/strong><\/p>\n I think we\u2019re aware of Italian cinema history, we carry it in ourselves, and we even judge films through the prism of that history. But today\u2019s Italy continues to produce interesting films that draw attention to themes around us.<\/p>\n Juraj Fellegi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What makes a film good? According to film historian Laura Aimone, veteran of numerous world-class festivals, it\u2019s when","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8675,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,24],"tags":[47],"class_list":["post-1998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-people","tag-aff-2015"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n