Italy: Rome Film Fest rolls out red carpet for 2021 edition

Rome: The 16th edition of the Rome Film Fest kicked off on Thursday, offering cinema fans an action-packed programme of premieres, special screenings and public interviews with Hollywood stars.

The film festival runs until 24 October at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, recently renamed after Ennio Morricone, together with other prestigious venues including MAXXI, Casa del Cinema, Palazzo Merulana and the city’s opera house.

There are 23 films and documentaries in the Official Selection, from 23 countries, in a distinctly international competition.

A highlight of the 11-day festival will be the presentation of Lifetime Achievement Awards to cult movie directors Quentin Tarantino and Tim Burton who will both participate in ‘Close Encounters’ in front of live audiences.

The programme of public interviews also includes Alfonso Cuarón, Luca Guadagnino, Marco Bellocchio and Zadie Smith.

Johnny Depp will take part in a Close Encounter (sold-out) as part of the festival’s independently-run Alice nella Città sidebar which will screen the European premiere of Ghostbusters: Legacy alongside Ron and The Addams Family 2.

The festival opens with Michael Showalter’s The Eyes of Tammy Faye, starring Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield, with highlights including Mike Mills’ C’Mon C’Mon, with Joaquin Phoenix; Joe Wright’s Cyrano, with Peter Dinklage; and Promises by Amanda Sthers, with Pierfrancesco Favino.

Also to look forward to is the documentary Muhammad Ali and Oliver Stone’s series JFK Destiny Betrayed, while the festival closes with the world premiere of Eternals, the new Marvel cinecomic directed by Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao and starring Angelina Jolie.

The festival’s Special Screenings includes three much-anticipated series: A casa tutti bene – La serie by Gabriele Muccino, Vita da Carlo by Carlo Verdone, and Arnaldo Catinari, and Strappare lungo i bordi by Italian graphic novel writer Zerocalcare.

There were also several pre-opening films, including Io sono Babbo Natale by Edoardo Falcone, starring the late Roman legend Gigi Proietti.

Tickets can be purchased online via the Rome Film Fest website or directly at the ticket office of the Auditorium Parco della Musica.

The festival, whose artistic director is once again Antonio Monda, will be held in compliance with Italy’s covid-19 protocols. Guests must have the Green Pass, wear a mask and respect distancing measures.