The First Edition of Taormina Film Fest Los Angeles

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Taormina Film Fest di Los Angeles
Organized by TaorminaFilmFest and IIC (Italian Cultural Institute) under the auspices of the Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles and in collaboration with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Italian Trade Agency Los Angeles, Variety, and Gerardo Sacco.

Consolato Generale dItalia Los Angeles
Started in 1955, the Festival, one of the oldest and most recognized in Italy, today is held in the small town of Taormina, on the east coast of Sicily, with its stunning Ancient Theatre. This inaugural LA edition will feature film and documentary premieres with Italian and American filmmakers in attendance. Protagonists of the festival from Italy are Valeria Golino, Elio Sofia and Francesco Cannavà. Among other Hollywood celebrities Cecilia Peck as well as Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah, known for their Studio 189 project, will be in attendance.

The opening night will also include a special tribute to photographer Phil Stern (1919 ­ 2014), noted for his iconic portraits of Hollywood stars, as well as his war photography while serving in the U.S. Army in the North African and Italian campaigns during World War II.


IIC - TAO - Consulate General of Italy


FINAL PROGRAM
- Wed, January 20


4:00 pm - Welcoming Remarks: IIC Director Valeria Rumori and Peter and Ashley Stern (son and granddaughter of Phil Stern). Exhibition Opening: Phil Stern. Welcome Back Sicily Photographs by Carmelo Nicosia.
Screening: Phil Stern. Sicily 1943, the War and the Soul (Phil Stern. Sicilia 1943, la guerra e l'anima, documentary, 40', 2013) by Ezio Costanzo and Filippo Arlotta Winner at Sicily East Festival Cinema 2015, documentary section

4:50 pm - Ceremony: Joe Buscaino, Councilman to the 15th District presents proclamations from the City of Los Angeles to the family of Phil Stern, the photographer Carmelo Nicosia and the director Ezio Costanzo for the project Phil Stern. Welcome back to Sicily and to Tiziana Rocca, General Manager of TaorminaFilmFest for the first Los Angeles edition.

5:00 pm - Clip screening: Gerardo Sacco, Master Goldsmith for Cinema

5:05 pm - Screening: The Last Reel (L'ultimo metro di pellicola, documentary, 73', 2015) by Elio Sofia Winner at TFF2015, Sicilian Filmmaker, documentary section

6:00 pm - Red carpet

6:30 pm - TFF LA 1st edition Official Opening Ceremony and Awards Remarks by Valeria Rumori, IIC Director, Antonio Verde, Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles and Tiziana Rocca, TFF General Manager

7:00 pm - Welcome Cocktail


Taormina Film Fest

FINAL PROGRAM - Thur, January 21

4:00 pm - Screening: The Aeolian Carnival (Il Carnevale eoliano, documentary, 52', 2015) by Francesco Cannavà Winner at TFF2015, Sicilian Filmmaker, documentary section, 2nd place

5:00 pm - Screening: Brave Miss World (documentary, 88', 2015) by Cecilia Peck. Presented by Cecilia Peck, Elisa Bonora and Inbal Lessner. In support of the elimination of violence against women, in collaboration with WeWorld

6:00 pm - Red Carpet

6:30 pm - Welcome remarks by Valeria Rumori, IIC Director and Tiziana Rocca, TFF General Manager TFF LA Awards to Steven Gaydos, Variety Executive Director and Actress Valeria Golino
Q&A: Actress Valeria Golino, Lorenzo Soria, President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and Steven Gaydos, Variety

6:50 pm - Screening: Per amore vostro (110', 2015) by Giuseppe M. Gaudino starring Valeria Golino


PHIL STERN. WELCOME BACK TO SICILY
Photographs by CARMELO NICOSIA
PHIL STERN. WELCOME BACK TO SICILY

On the occasion of TaorminaFilmFest Los Angeles The Italian Cultural Institute (IIC) in Los Angeles presents (Opening: January 20, 2016 at 4:00 PM) PHIL STERN. WELCOME BACK TO SICILY. Photographs by CARMELO NICOSIA. Remarks by Peter and Ashley Stern. Organized by IIC in collaboration with Accademia di Belle Arti di Catania, Scuola di Fotografia and Museo Storico dello Sbarco in Sicilia, Le Nove Muse Editrice, Digital History Archives, Sheraton Catania, Credito Siciliano, Miartè Fine Art, Fon Gallery, and Phil Stern Archives, Los Angeles.

Italy in USA collection of photographs by Carmelo Nicosia portraying the emotional return to Sicily of celebrated photographer Phil Stern for a solo exhibit featuring his work as a WWII combat photographer, when he followed the US troops to document the liberation of the Italian island and the advance of the Allies. Best known for capturing Hollywood icons and jazz legends in unguarded moments, as well as for being the personal photographer of President Kennedy, Stern died last year in Los Angeles at the age of 95.




IIC Los Angeles


Press source: IIC (Italian Cultural Institute) Los Angeles