The Taormina Film Festival is a self-sustaining and continually growing heritage, which year after year seems to respond to the objectives of those who are committed to making it a wide-ranging inclusive event. A concept reiterated several times in the inauguration press conference of the 72nd edition at the Palacongressi, which was attended, in addition to the director Tiziana Rocca and the godmother Anna Valle, the regional councilor for Tourism Elvira Amata, the extraordinary commissioner of the Taormina Arte Foundation Bernardo Campo, the president of the jury Jane Campion and the jurors Holly Hunter, Miyako Bellizzi, Francine Maisler, Akinola Davies Jr. and Sue Kroll, who will work on the nine works from the main competition.
«My goal was the internationalization of Sicily – begins Amata – and certainly the cinema segment helped me achieve it, contributing to increasing the flow of foreign tourists and the presence of foreign productions». But there is still work to be done, despite the important goals achieved, such as the return of the official competition, the Youth Campus, the new section dedicated to Sicilian short films; all signs of commitment to an event that still has so much to offer. Starting with the restoration of ancient glories and traditions, such as the return of the Messina and Taormina Film Festival, once in the historic Messina headquarters of the Irrera a Mare. A challenge for which the extraordinary commissioner of the Campo Foundation also spoke, who reiterated the importance of returning the start of the festival to the first location in Messina. A challenge promptly taken up by director Tiziana Rocca, convinced to go beyond the goals achieved and raise the bar year after year. «The real challenge was to put the competition back in Taormina – said Rocca – but this year we have strengthened this objective and the jury has already begun its work». Anna Valle also talks about memories on the edge of nostalgia. For her, born in Rome but Sicilian by adoption, the festival represents a homecoming: «Excited to feel at home, among the Sicilians» she said.
Oscar-winning director Jane Campion, president of the jury, declares herself proud to be in Taormina, part of the community of cinema lovers: «I love festivals that help films», she underlined. Also on the jury is the actress Holly Hunter, winner of the Oscar for «Piano Lessons» by Campion herself, who she will see again, 33 years later, at the Palacongressi, tomorrow: «It will be very fun to see him with Jane and my children. They are 20 years old and ready. I think cinema is for young people and for those who are young at heart. And it doesn’t matter how old you are; I always feel young when I enter a theater and watch a film. And it’s a privilege to be able to watch a film in a jury, with the possibility of making a choice: it assimilates in a different way.” While the Anglo-Nigerian director Akinola Davies jr., Camera d’Or Award at Cannes 2025, replies: «It is also important to have young directors and I hope to be here one day to talk about your films».
Among the protagonists of the opening evening at the Teatro Antico was also the comedian Uccio De Santis, who entertained the audience and collected the Taormina Film Festival Best Comedy Award. Face and mind of the cult Telenorba program «Mudù», today De Santis continues his sketches successfully on social media: «With social media we tried to Italianize the format while maintaining our Apulian character and shooting it in other locations, including Sicily. They are short films in all respects made with the utmost commitment, adequate means and a lot of professionalism, in which I recognize myself more as an actor than as a stand-up comedian.”
