TFA Cinema Festival, will take place at The Capitol in Melbourne’s CBD, considered one of the most iconic cinemas in the world. Opening in 1924 in full art deco style, The Capitol Theatre has been acclaimed by famous Italian film director, Federico Fellini.
TFA Cinema presents a selection of new Italian films to be shown for the first time in Australia on the themes related to the Anthropocene, asking the question – what are the tools we need to deal with the future and present? The films feature a panorama of innovative, informative and experimental films created by not only filmmakers and directors, but also artists, researchers and scientists developing and exploring the themes of Tools For After. The Cinema program features Fiction (October 1), Science (October 8 and Art (October 15).
TFA Fiction, scheduled for October 1, presents a series of short films from a new generation of Italian filmmakers, the result of collaborations with Italian film schools, in particular the New Academy of Fine Arts in Milan (NABA) and the Foggia Academy of Fine Arts. Stories deal with issues of plastic waste in new ways in 68.415 (2022) by Antonella Sabatino and Stefano Blasi, or the extinction of the human race in Seacabo (2019) by Antar Corrado, to the science fictions vision of Edoardo Smerilli in Mise en abyme (2018). TFA Science, scheduled for October 8, is dedicated to documentary films exploring climate change, space and viewers on an Arctic sailing trip to witness the effects of climate change. Melt (2021) is produced by the European Space Agency (ESA) and explores the wonders of space. Zio Riz (2022), directed by Raffaella Mariniello, captures a river journey in northern Italy, while Uncertain Gardens (2022) by Emilio Tremolada showcases the uniqueness of Italian gardens. Lastly, Spazio Celeste Spazio Terrestre (2022), are part of the Visioni Italian Ecoway series produced by the Italian Cultural Institute of Melbourne, and feature interviews with talented young Italian scientists.
TFA Art, scheduled for October 15, features a collection of themed documentaries. Cambio (2020), created by a well-known Italian design and art studio Formafantasma, delves into issues related to the changes of the Anthropocene. Meanwhile, Reopening Colosseum (2020) offers visitors to experience life inside one of Rome’s most important symbols during the pandemic. Forest (2022) by Mali Weil showcases intense moments in forest environments while Nell’insonnia di Vedere Nei Sensi Alla Luce is a black and white poetic work. Risacca del ‘900 (2022) is a short art cartoon, while Ram offers a glimpse into everyday life in a city in northern Italy.
Tools For After is an important initiative aimed at generating a wider understanding of our current climate crisis, which depends on our ability to bridge the cultural gaps between countries, generations, and disciplines. The festival will also offer concrete solutions to prevent and face the scenarios that human impact on the climate crisis is preparing us for. The winning project in the Festival of Italian Creativity competition of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tools For After promises to be an exciting and engaging festival, bringing together experts, enthusiasts, and young minds to explore innovative solutions for a more sustainable future.
Festival co-presenters include City of Yarra (architecture design exhibition), RMIT Faculty of Art (cinema) and Co.As.It, the Italian Assistance Association (Literature).
Interviews available with Maurizio Corrado, festival curator (through translator) and Angelo Gioè, IIC Melbourne director.
