2nd Hope
International Film Festival (HIFF) opens in Rome’s Casa Del Cinema, Sept 27,
2022
Opening Film is
the Italian UPSIDE DOWN with the attendance of its star and director.
30 Short Films
and 8 Long Films are featured in the festival’s international selection
September 22, 2022
For immediate release
The 2nd edition of
Hope International Film Festival will inaugurate on September 27, 2022 in
Rome’s renowned Casa Del Cinema (Villa Borghese) with the attendance of
international artists and media.
Hope International
Film Festival (HIFF) was founded in 2021 by Fadi El-Lawand, a Lebanese-born
artist who has been living in Europe for twenty years.
The theme of the
festival is humanistic, showing international films on people with special needs
and also on women, children, diaspora, war and environment.
The first edition
was inaugurated in Stockholm during the period of September 10-13, 2021.
The 2nd edition
will take place between September 27, and October 5, 2022.
This year, the
festival decided to expand its message to become (Cinema Without Borders):
After the opening
night, the festival’s guests and jury members will take the Mediterranean
Cruise “Costa Firenze” from Rome’s Civitavechia Harbor to visit five different
European cities: Genoa, Marseille, Barcelona, Cagliari and Palermo where the
rest of the selected films will be screened to local audience, media and
artists in each of these cities.
Opening Ceremony Casa Del
Cinema (Villa Borghese):
On September 27,
2022, at 3 PM, HIFF’s 2nd edition will inaugurate with the screening of the
Italian film Upside Down by Luca Tornatore. Based on a true story, the film
stars Gabriele Di Bello who play a character close to his himself, that of
Paolo, is a nineteen-year-old young man with Down syndrome who would like to
overcome his condition by becoming a boxer.
The jury of the
long film competition include: Egyptian filmmaker Hany Lachine (President),
Lebanese star Carmen Lebbos and Italian film critic Nicola Falcinella. Eight
long films are included in the selection, including the opening film.
The jury of the
short film competition include: Egyptian star Elham Shahin (President), French
distributor Bruno Chatelin and Kuwaiti star Mohammad al-Mansour. Thirty short
films are included in the selection, coming from countries like Italy, Egypt,
Burkina Faso, Kosovo, France and the US.
Before the
screening of the opening film, several acts will be featured. The festival will
receive the Italian musical band The Ladri di Carrozzelle (Wheelchair Thieves)
who are unique perhaps in the whole world because all instruments and vocals
are performed by musicians confined to wheelchairs or affected by psychic
disabilities.
The opening
ceremony will also feature the tributes of several international artists,
including veteran Egyptian star Yehia El-Fakharany, Egyptian novelist Dr.
Lamees Gaber, UAE film critic Massoud Amr-Allah, Egyptian star Layla Olwy,
Egyptian filmmaker Hani Lachine, Egyptian star Ahmed Bedeir.
From Lebanon, two
stars will also be given a tribute: Carmen Lebbos and Saad Hamdan.
Also, the festival
will receive two Egyptians who overcame their disabilities and become
successful media broadcasters: Mrs. Demiana Wasfy and Mrs. Azza Adly.
Additionally, the young Egyptian Mohanad Adly will be given a tribute for his
excelling in music despite his eyesight challenge. The three of them will
receive an award having the name of the late Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu
Akleh.
The opening
ceremony will be co-presented by Egyptian broadcaster Rasha Soliman (Arabic
Language) and America singer Marielle Mulligan (English Language). The latter
will also perform a song specially created for HIFF.
The festival will
continue its screening in five European cities:
Genoa (Sept 28),
Marseille (Sept 30), Barcelona (Oct 1) and Sardinia (Oct 2)
On Oct 3, the
festival’s guests and juries will visit AIAS Palermo to give its heads a
tribute for their efforts in supporting people with special needs across their
centers in Palermo.
The closing
ceremony of the festival will take place Oct 4 on Costa Firenze.
For more info:
Please contact:
Sherif M. Awad (HIFF’s artistic director)
