Inclusive and genderless creations signed by young designers and obtained from traditional saris in the fashion show born from the collaboration between the I was a Sari brand and Oxfam Italia and the Accademia Italiana; Indian nights immortalized in photographs by Calcutta artist Arko Datto, contributor for TIME, National Geographic and New Yorker; the family system and relationships today in “Godavari”, a choral work set on the banks of the river of the same name signed by the director Nikhil Mahajan, who will meet the audience together with the actor Jitendra Joshi.
These will be some of the special events – for a 360° ‘India experience’ – which on Tuesday 6 December in Florence will inaugurate the 22nd River River to River Florence Indian Film Festival, the only festival in Italy to tell the face of contemporary India , directed by Selvaggia Velo, scheduled from 6 to 11 December at the La Compagnia cinema (via Cavour 50/R) and online on the Più Compagnia platform in collaboration with MYmovies (www.mymovies.it/ondemand/river-to-river) .
In “Godavari”, in the city of Nashik, one of the oldest in India, a family tries to cope with two deaths: one they are aware of and the other they are not prepared for. It deals with the relationships between parents and children, husbands and wives, and the concept of tradition in the Indian family system, on the edge of the combination of old and new, life and death, religion and spirituality. The screening will be preceded at 20.30 by the inauguration ceremony with speeches, among others, by the Videsi Mayor of Florence Alessia Bettini, a representative of the Tuscany Region, the Indian ambassador Neena Malhotra and the director of the Selvaggia Velo festival. The River to Rifer Florence Film Festival takes place under the patronage of the Embassy of India, under the aegis of the Fondazione Sistema Toscana, and is realized with the contribution of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities – Cinema and Audiovisual Directorate, Region Tuscany, the Municipality of Florence and the CR Firenze Foundation.
The first day will open at 18.30 at the fsmgallery in Florence (via San Zanobi 19/r) with the vernissage of the exhibition, in Italian premiere, “Mannequin”, a photographic journey into the Indian night signed by Arko Datto. With works exhibited worldwide and endorsements from prestigious bodies including the Pulitzer Center and the National Geographic Society, Arko Datto is one of the most innovative voices from contemporary India. For the one-man show created in collaboration with fsm – Fondazione Studio Marangoni, the artist signs a roundup of colorful images stolen from urban darkness. The work, started in 2014, a few months before Hindu extremists took control of the country, is “A fond memory of the night that was, to anticipate the darkness that awaits us”, quoting the artist. The exhibition will be open until 31 January 2023 from Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 3.00pm (by appointment: bookings segreteria@studiomarangoni.it).
From traditional women’s clothing to seasonless, genderless, inclusive garments, but also accessories, jewels and furnishing elements: I was a Sari, an ethical and sustainable brand of accessories and ready-to-wear clothing that employs more than 200 women in disadvantaged situations, meet the creativity of the students of the Accademia Italiana, an advanced training school of the AD Education group. Thus was born an educational project whose results will be the focus of a double event, at 6 pm the presentation in the headquarters of the Italian Academy in Piazza Pitti 15, at 8.30 pm the stage stage of the La Compagnia cinema (via Cavour 50/R), during the early evening. The project involved about 60 students enrolled in the last year of the three-year course in Fashion Design in the Florence and Rome offices of the Accademia Italiana, with the coordination of teachers Cecilia Rinaldi and Ilenia Alesse. From the first phase of sketching, 6 groups were selected, each of which produced three looks for a total of 18 outfits, ready to be shown at the Company, among which a winner will be awarded. The saris are transformed into fine garments, jewellery, footwear and ornamental fabrics handcrafted by women artisans from the slums of India. The watchwords are circular economy, with the recovery of fabrics from the chaotic and colorful markets of the city, female empowerment, providing women in disadvantaged situations with professional training and the tranquility of economic emancipation, design and originality, with unique products designed by volunteer fashion designers from all over the world, among which the collaboration with Gucci stands out.
The 22nd River to River Florence Indian Film Festival will continue until 11 December with 34 screenings proposed, including feature films, docs, shorts, series and artists’ films in Italian and European premieres. Relationships, identity, love, battles and transitions are the themes that connect the selected works. The whole program on www.rivertoriver.it
The festival relies on the support of the sponsors Salvatore Ferragamo, Galleria di Lux and Saaz Restobar, the technical partners Hotel Roma, fsm – Fondazione Studio Marangoni, Accademia Italiana, I was a Sari, Oxfam, Amblè, Libreria Brac, Cescot Firenze, Kochi- Muziris Biennale, Pocket Films, La città dei Lettori and the media sponsors Firenze Spettacolo and RDF.
These will be some of the special events – for a 360° ‘India experience’ – which on Tuesday 6 December in Florence will inaugurate the 22nd River River to River Florence Indian Film Festival, the only festival in Italy to tell the face of contemporary India , directed by Selvaggia Velo, scheduled from 6 to 11 December at the La Compagnia cinema (via Cavour 50/R) and online on the Più Compagnia platform in collaboration with MYmovies (www.mymovies.it/ondemand/river-to-river) .
In “Godavari”, in the city of Nashik, one of the oldest in India, a family tries to cope with two deaths: one they are aware of and the other they are not prepared for. It deals with the relationships between parents and children, husbands and wives, and the concept of tradition in the Indian family system, on the edge of the combination of old and new, life and death, religion and spirituality. The screening will be preceded at 20.30 by the inauguration ceremony with speeches, among others, by the Videsi Mayor of Florence Alessia Bettini, a representative of the Tuscany Region, the Indian ambassador Neena Malhotra and the director of the Selvaggia Velo festival. The River to Rifer Florence Film Festival takes place under the patronage of the Embassy of India, under the aegis of the Fondazione Sistema Toscana, and is realized with the contribution of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities – Cinema and Audiovisual Directorate, Region Tuscany, the Municipality of Florence and the CR Firenze Foundation.
The first day will open at 18.30 at the fsmgallery in Florence (via San Zanobi 19/r) with the vernissage of the exhibition, in Italian premiere, “Mannequin”, a photographic journey into the Indian night signed by Arko Datto. With works exhibited worldwide and endorsements from prestigious bodies including the Pulitzer Center and the National Geographic Society, Arko Datto is one of the most innovative voices from contemporary India. For the one-man show created in collaboration with fsm – Fondazione Studio Marangoni, the artist signs a roundup of colorful images stolen from urban darkness. The work, started in 2014, a few months before Hindu extremists took control of the country, is “A fond memory of the night that was, to anticipate the darkness that awaits us”, quoting the artist. The exhibition will be open until 31 January 2023 from Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 3.00pm (by appointment: bookings segreteria@studiomarangoni.it).
From traditional women’s clothing to seasonless, genderless, inclusive garments, but also accessories, jewels and furnishing elements: I was a Sari, an ethical and sustainable brand of accessories and ready-to-wear clothing that employs more than 200 women in disadvantaged situations, meet the creativity of the students of the Accademia Italiana, an advanced training school of the AD Education group. Thus was born an educational project whose results will be the focus of a double event, at 6 pm the presentation in the headquarters of the Italian Academy in Piazza Pitti 15, at 8.30 pm the stage stage of the La Compagnia cinema (via Cavour 50/R), during the early evening. The project involved about 60 students enrolled in the last year of the three-year course in Fashion Design in the Florence and Rome offices of the Accademia Italiana, with the coordination of teachers Cecilia Rinaldi and Ilenia Alesse. From the first phase of sketching, 6 groups were selected, each of which produced three looks for a total of 18 outfits, ready to be shown at the Company, among which a winner will be awarded. The saris are transformed into fine garments, jewellery, footwear and ornamental fabrics handcrafted by women artisans from the slums of India. The watchwords are circular economy, with the recovery of fabrics from the chaotic and colorful markets of the city, female empowerment, providing women in disadvantaged situations with professional training and the tranquility of economic emancipation, design and originality, with unique products designed by volunteer fashion designers from all over the world, among which the collaboration with Gucci stands out.
The 22nd River to River Florence Indian Film Festival will continue until 11 December with 34 screenings proposed, including feature films, docs, shorts, series and artists’ films in Italian and European premieres. Relationships, identity, love, battles and transitions are the themes that connect the selected works. The whole program on www.rivertoriver.it
The festival relies on the support of the sponsors Salvatore Ferragamo, Galleria di Lux and Saaz Restobar, the technical partners Hotel Roma, fsm – Fondazione Studio Marangoni, Accademia Italiana, I was a Sari, Oxfam, Amblè, Libreria Brac, Cescot Firenze, Kochi- Muziris Biennale, Pocket Films, La città dei Lettori and the media sponsors Firenze Spettacolo and RDF.
INFO
www.rivertoriver.it
Facebook /rivertoriverfiff
Twitter & Instagram @river2riverfiff
Youtube /RiverToRiverFIFFestival
#R2RFIFF hashtag
INPUTS
Screenings at the Cinema La Compagnia (Via Cavour 50 r, Florence)
single afternoon €4 / full afternoon €6 (includes afternoon screenings of the chosen day) / full evening €6 / reduced evening €5 (students of DAMS, Pro. Ge. AS, Fondazione Studio Marangoni, Accademia Italiana, Salvatore Ferragamo Museum ticket holders ) / day 10 €
full Festival subscription €40
tickets at the cinema box office or on cinemalacompagnia.ticka.it
Online screenings (www.cinemalacompagnia.it)
tickets at www.mymovies.it/ondemand/river-to-river
virtual room subscription Più Compagnia in collaboration with MYmovies €7.90 / MYmovies One subscription €12.90
The 22nd River to River Florence Indian Film Festival kicks off, experience India at 360°