If the screen is a window through which we glimpse distant worlds, Biografilm is an immense glass wall. Each pane reveals a story that sheds light on the present from a different perspective: today we will meet master toymaker Roberto Papetti and his world of creativity and sustainability, follow the legacy of acclaimed saxophonist Steve Grossman, delve into the shadows of a scandal that marked the history of Prague’s renowned children’s choir, and discover the story of a generation of writers who revolutionized Italian literature. A journey through memory, art, music, identity, and resilience, celebrating stories that deserve to be told.
Following last night’s opening screening of Broken English by Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth at the Biografilm Hera Theatre Pop Up Cinema Arlecchino, today we gather at Sympò for the first appointment of the IWONDERFULL TALKS & THE ITALIAN REVIEW series: Broken English: Marianne Faithfull e l’arte di sopravvivere al mito. Marianne Faithfull was far more than a muse or the companion of some of rock culture’s most celebrated figures. She was an artist who spent more than sixty years constantly reinventing herself, surviving addiction, suicide attempts, serious health issues, and even a prolonged coma during the pandemic. An opportunity to reflect on the relationship between fame and identity, on female resilience, and on the strength of someone who transformed her wounds into art.
The day continues with a rich programme of screenings. Among the Special Events, La vita segreta dei giocattoli (5:30 PM, Biografilm Hera Theatre Pop Up Cinema Arlecchino) stands out as a heartwarming story following Roberto Papetti, one of Italy’s last great master toymakers, as he travels across the country meeting children. A film about imagination, craftsmanship, peace education, and environmental awareness, told through the magic of handmade toys.
At 8:00 PM, also at the Arlecchino, comes Love for Steve. A Film About Steve Grossman, an intimate portrait of the brilliant New York saxophonist who shared the stage with Miles Davis and found a second home in Bologna. Through archival footage and testimonies from friends and fellow musicians, the film captures both the talent and vulnerability of a key figure in contemporary jazz.
At 9:00 PM at Cinema Modernissimo, audiences can discover Broken Voices, a powerful story inspired by real events and set in Prague in the 1990s. Through the eyes of a young choir singer, the film explores the fragile boundary between ambition, innocence, and abuse of power, giving voice to a chapter that deeply affected the world of choral music.
Among the day’s most anticipated titles is Cannibali, dedicated to the literary movement that shook the Italian cultural landscape in the 1990s. A journey through pulp fiction, provocation, and linguistic revolution, the film tells the story of a generation of writers whose influence continues to shape the cultural imagination today. The screening at the Cloister of the Santa Cristina della Fondazza Complex will be preceded by a wine tasting offered by FIVI – Federazione Italiana Vignaioli Indipendenti.
The programme is rounded out by two films from the Biografilm Italia section: Tough Love – Amore severo, a moving reflection on family relationships and the legacy of patriarchy in post-war Italy, and Tin Hinan, la dernière nomade, a journey across the Algerian Sahara in search of Tuareg roots and the last remaining nomadic communities. Also screening today are Hungry, a post-apocalyptic vision that questions humanity’s future; Ceci n’est pas un film français, a sharp and witty reflection on representation and stereotypes in contemporary cinema; Le Chantier, which chronicles the restoration of Paris’s historic Pathé Palace by Renzo Piano; and Between Brothers, an emotional exploration of family secrets, memory, and reconciliation.
A day that crosses generations, languages, and geographies, once again confirming Biografilm’s unique ability to tell the world through its most surprising stories.
