The Salento Cinema Film Society, the Italian Cultural Institute and the Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) and the Hong Kong Arts Centre, are pleased to present the 8th Annual edition of the Hong Kong Salento International Film Festival and the 2nd edition of the Salento Week, to be held in Hong Kong from May 26 through May 30, 2019.
The Salento Week will be held at the Hong Kong Arts Centre, in Wan Chai, a multi-arts centre that fosters artistic exchanges locally and internationally, bringing the most forward creations to Hong Kong and showcasing homegrown talents abroad. In addition to film screenings, the event will include a Pizzica concert, at the Shouson Theatre, by one of the best Salento folk music bands, “Officina Zoè”; powerful ethno-trance-therapeutic music!
“The event, unique in its kind” – states SIFF director Gigi Campanile – “aims at promoting experiences of intercultural exchange between Salento and Hong Kong to increase awareness about less internationally known parts of Italy which will be presented through different aspects
The eighth annual edition of the Hong Kong Salento International Film Festival, is part of “Fare Cinema”, a project wanted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the support of the diplomatic consular network and the Italian Cultural Institutes to promote abroad quality Italian film productions. HKSIFF highlights world-class independent films with an Italian and international focus.
HKSIFF Opens in May for Its 8th Edition
From Sunday May 26 through Thursday May 30, the celebration of international independent cinema from all over the world continues in Hong Kong. Since 2004, SIFF has been screening the world’s best indie films to large international audiences: a unique opportunity to watch the real independent cinema. Many of the festival’s “Official Selection” films become part of SIFF WORLD, which takes the films on tour every year through about 14 cities such as Hong Kong, Yerevan, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Santiago de Chile, London, Oslo and many more. The Salento International Film Festival will bring to Hong Kong a selection of the Best of the Fest 2018 Edition, to be screened at the Hong Kong Arts Centre – Louis Koo Cinema, one of the six best arthouse cinemas in Hong Kong. This movie spot has attracted its fair share of film lovers by showing alternatives to the latest hits. Making great use of its in-house cinema, viewers can enjoy a robust selection of films like classics, shorts, documentaries, foreign films and indies.
This year, we are thrilled to present 6 feature films from Italy, Brazil, USA, Iran and China. The 2019 selection includes the new film “Agadah”, from Italian director Alberto Rondalli, inspired by the famous Jan Potocki’s Manuscript found in Zaragoza (1805), one of the great classics of European literature. An Italian film between fantasy and adventure with a great and sumptuous weaving of images. A hieratic Count sits in his elegant mansion finishing his writings – Alphonse, a young Waloon officer, rides through the Murgia to reach his regiment in Naples but soon finds himself mysteriously detained at an inn in a strange and varied company of thieves, bandits, cabalists, noblemen, coquettes and gypsies, whose stories he records over a ten-day period.
Ulisse Lendaro, an Italian film director, presents his first feature directorial debut “Imperfect Age”. A film which goes straight to the heart of emotions. The imperfect age, adolescence, with all its excesses and, indeed, its innumerable imperfections. Camilla is a seventeen-year-old girl who has the dream of becoming a dancer, despite her mother’s concerns. One day, at a dance lesson, she meets Sara, an aspiring dancer like her, and her life will never be the same again.
“Domino Effect”, directed by Fabio Massa, tells the story of Lorenzo, a thirty-year-old who finally realizes his dream of going to Africa to teach. Right in the best moment of his experience, bad news about his health unleash a domino effect on his life and on those of the people close to him!
“Cowboy’s Heart”, by Brazilian director Gui Pereira, tells the story of Lucca, a young musician passionate about country music. However, he manages to be successful only with a more commercial type of music. At the height of his fame, Lucca argues with his agent during a recording session and decides to return to his home town to connect with his roots and get back in touch with his true inspiration.
The Iranian film director Morteza-Ali Abbas-Mirzaei presents his first feature directorial debut “Isolation”, winner of the Best Film award at the 15th annual Salento International Film Festival 2018. The film tells the story of a detainee who takes permission from the warden for a 72-hour leave after six years of imprisonment. He is out in order to bury his wife and to attend her burial ceremony, but his mind is busy with something else.
Kate Bohan is a Chinese-American writer and director. After writing and directing “Kayla’s World”, an award-winning short film based on her daughter’s life, she decided to turn the story into a feature length drama. It took her two years to write a screenplay and finally turn it into her first feature film “Kayla”, a touching movie that tells a story of life and death, losing and gaining. Seven-year-old girl Kayla is forced to find balance between Chinese and Western culture. Kayla has a happy family – her mother comes from China, her father from the United States. After losing her father unexpectedly, her life changes forever. Her dreams and hopes are mercilessly taken away. She now has to grow up quickly to take care of her sick mother, and Kayla learns how to deal with poor and gruelling situations while missing her father deeply. But she still inspires the people around her with love and singing and always finds courage, even when she feels lost.
Experience Traditional Southern Italian Music by Officina Zoè
Since the early 90s, Officina Zoè has become one of the most well-known Italian musical groups for “pizzica tarantata”, an ancient rhythm from the Salento Area. Their exciting and touching music is regarded therapeutic and hilarious with a compelling hypnotic expression. With their dance and obsessive movement, “Pizzica” was used in the past as a trance vehicle or even as a therapeutic source, one of the strongest elements in the musical rebirth of the whole of Southern Italy. Thanks to Officina Zoè, the Pizzica dance has become popular in all the European capitals, as well as in the United States, Tokyo, Rome, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Bruxelles, Cairo, Split, Cyprus, Milan, Seoul, Geneva, Ljubljana, Prague, Lisbon, London, Lorrach. The group will be performed at the Shouson Threatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre on May 26.
Cinzia Marzo: Voice, flutes and percussion
Lamberto Probo: Percussion and voice
Donatello Pisanello: diatonic accordeon, guitar and Mandola
Giorgio Doveri: Violin and Mandola
Luigi Panico: Guitar and Harmonica
Silvia Gallone: Percussion and voice
Laura De Ronzo: Pizzica Dancer:
The Salento Week is supported by the Consulate General of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute in Hong Kong. Special thanks go to the Consul General of Italy Mr. Clemente Contestabile, the Italian Cultural Institute in Hong Kong, Ms. Emily Wong of Hong Kong Arts Centre and her team, as well as Mr. Bede Cheng.
The 2nd Salento Week
Hong Kong Arts Centre – May 26 to 30, 2019
Address: 2 Harbour Rd, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
The 8th Hong Kong Salento International Film Festival
Date: May 28- 30, 2019
Venue: Louis Koo Cinema at the Hong Kong Arts Centre (2 Harbour Rd, Wan Chai, Hong Kong)
Ticketing: https://ticket.urbtix.hk/internet/en_US/eventDetail/38383
AGADAH
directed by Alberto Rondalli | Italy 2018 | 126’ | H.K. Premiere | Language: Italian, Spanish with English Subtitles
May 1734, Alfonso of van Worden, a young officer of the Walloon at the service of King Charles, received the order to reach his regiment in Naples in the shortest possible time. Lopez, his faithful servant, having tried to dissuade him from crossing the plateau of the Murgie, because the place is infested with ghosts and disquieting demons, sets off on a journey with him. In a fantastic plot, between dream and reality, which recalls the Decamerone and the Thousand and One Nights, Alfonso will live an initiatory journey, during ten long days, between hallucinations and magic in mysterious caves, infamous inns, scabrous loves and diabolical apparitions.
IMPERFECT AGE
directed by Ulisse Lendaro | Italy 2017 | 96’ | H.K. Premiere | Language: Italian with English Subtitles
A film that goes straight to the heart of emotions. The imperfect age, adolescence, with all its excesses and, indeed, its innumerable imperfections. Camilla is a seventeen-year-old girl with the dream of becoming a dancer, despite her mother’s concerns. One day, at dance lesson, she meets Sara, an aspiring dancer like her, and her life will never be the same.
DOMINO EFFECT
directed by Fabio Massa | Italy 2017 | 80’ | H.K. Premiere | Language: Italian English Subtitles
The film tells the story of Lorenzo, a thirty year old that finally realizes his dream of going to Africa to teach. Right in the best moment of his experience, bad news about his health unleash a domino effect on his life and those of people close to him!
COWBOY’S HEART
directed by Guy Pereira | Brazil 2018 | 120’ | H.K. Premiere | Language: Portuguese with English Subtitles
Lucca is a struggling country singer who is forced by his manager Lolanda to record cheesy pop-country song. Upon a disagreement during a studio recording section, Lucca returns to his hometown in order to find inspiration for his music.
ISOLATION
directed Morteza-Ali Abbas-Mirzaei |Iran 2017 | 93’ | H.K. Premiere | Language: Persian with English subtitles
Zohreh is stalked on the way home. She finds this out in the middle of the way and runs away. This leads to her death in a car accident. Her husband, Parviz, has the head jailer’s green light to go on bail for 72 hours to bury and say farewell to Zohreh. However, he has other concerns…..
KAYLA
directed Kate Bohan |China/USA 2018 | 122’ | H.K. Premiere | Language: English, Chinese with English & Mandarin Subtitles
Seven-year-old Kayla’s father dies unexpectedly on a mission in the U.S which changes Kayla’s life completely. She takes on the responsibility of her broken family. She inspires the people around her with love and singing. And in the end, she manages to carve out a happy life.
Ticketing Information
Ticket available at URBTIX (https://ticket.urbtix.hk/internet/en_US/eventDetail/38383)
Ticket Price: HK$50
All screenings are Free Seating
Concert
Officina Zoè
Date: May 26, 2019
Time: 8 p.m.
Venue: Shouson Theatre at the Hong Kong Arts Centre (2 Harbour Rd, Wan Chai, Hong Kong)
Concert Information: https://tinyurl.com/y6lehcay
Registration: https://tinyurl.com/yyym8epa
FREE Admission. Limited seats. Seats are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis
Schedule
May 26
Ore 20:00 | Shouson Theater | HK Arts Centre
Officina Zoè – Pizzica Concert
May 28
18:30 – 20:36 | Louis Koo Cinema | HK Arts Centre
AGADAH by Alberto Rondalli – Italy 2018 | 126’
21:00 – 22:33 | Louis Koo Cinema | HK Arts Centre
ISOLATION by Morteza-Ali Abbas-Mirzaei – Iran 2018 | 93’
May 29
18:30 – 20:30 | Louis Koo Cinema | HK Arts Centre
COWBOY’S HEART by Gui Pereira – Brazil 2018 | 120’
21:00 – 22:36 | Louis Koo Cinema | HK Arts Centre
IMPERFECT AGE by Ulisse Lendaro – Italy 2017 | 96’
May 29
18:30 – 19:55 | Louis Koo Cinema | HK Arts Centre
DOMINO EFFECT by Fabio Massa – Italy 2017 | 80’
20:20 – 22:32 | Louis Koo Cinema | HK Arts Centre
KAYLA by Kate Bohan – China/Usa 2019 | 122’
May 30
18:30 – 19:55 | Louis Koo Cinema | HK Arts Centre
DOMINO EFFECT by Fabio Massa – Italy 2017 | 80’
20:20 – 22:32 | Louis Koo Cinema | HK Arts Centre
KAYLA by Kate Bohan – China/Usa 2019 | 122’