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The initiative was carried out with funding from the Directorate-General for Cinema and Audiovisual of the Ministry of Culture
The 14th edition of the Giffoni Macedonia Youth Film Festival has come to an end, the international project launched in 2013 from an intuition by Claudio Gubitosi and which, over time, has become one of the most significant examples of cultural cooperation dedicated to the younger generations in South-Eastern Europe. For six days, more than 400 young people from eight countries animated the spaces of the Youth Cultural Center and the Cinematheque of North Macedonia, experiencing an event based on cinema, intercultural exchange, creativity and active participation.
Organized by Planet-M in collaboration with Giffoni Experience – under the supervision of project manager Marco Cesaro – the festival has established itself as one of the most important events dedicated to young audiences in South-Eastern Europe. The initiative was carried out with the support of the Film Agency of North Macedonia, the Directorate-General for Cinema and Audiovisual of the Ministry of Culture, the Embassy of Italy in Skopje, the Italian Cultural Institute in Belgrade and the other institutional partners who, year after year, have contributed to the growth of the event.
Guided by the theme of this edition, “The Impossible Things”, girls and boys took part in screenings, debates, workshops, creative laboratories and moments of encounter that transformed the festival into a place of growth, listening and sharing. A journey that continues to confirm the strength of the Giffoni model and its ability to build authentic relationships between different cultures, languages and generations. There was also great participation in the educational and workshop activities, with programmes dedicated to innovation, sustainability and contemporary languages. Among the most appreciated initiatives was EKO LAB, which involved young people in creative recycling activities and experimentation through the use of innovative technologies.
Making the bond between Italy and North Macedonia even stronger was the presence of the Italian delegation composed of Chiara Barra, Alessia Cucci, Ileana D’Acunto, Maria Francesca D’Alessandro, Christian D’Arcangelo, Caterina Di Domenico, Ginevra Farina, Nicola Giorgio, Maia Gressani, Vittoria Mammone, Aniello Marrandino and Sara Milione, accompanied by Erica De Lisio and Damiano La Salvia. The young Giffoners shared the experience with their international peers, helping to strengthen that network of human and cultural relationships that represents the heart of the project.
The closing ceremony saw the awarding of the prizes decided by the young people’s juries. The award for Best Feature Film went to SKATEBOARDING IS NOT FOR GIRLS by Dina Duma, while THE MOLE by Marco Santoro received the award for Best Short Film. Among the other winners were CINEMA RIALTO by Antony Petrou as Best Animated Short Film and ROSANERO by Andrea Porporati as Best Junior Feature Film, also confirming the strong appreciation for the Italian cinema included in the programme.
“This year too, Giffoni Macedonia has demonstrated how cinema can be an extraordinary tool for encounter, growth and dialogue among young people,” declares Jacopo Gubitosi, General Director of Giffoni. “For six days we saw girls and boys from different countries engage with one another, share ideas, build friendships and imagine the future together. This is the deepest meaning of our international commitment: to create concrete opportunities so that the new generations can recognize themselves in the values of participation, mutual respect and culture. I thank the institutional partners, the Planet-M team, the host families, the volunteers and all the young protagonists of this edition. After fourteen years, Giffoni Macedonia continues to represent a success story built through talent, enthusiasm and the ability of young people to break down every border.”
As further confirmation of the increasingly strong bond between Giffoni and North Macedonia, during the closing ceremony the three young people who will represent the country at the 57th edition of the Giffoni Film Festival were also announced. The ones who will experience Giffoni in Italy are Leko Bardaroski, Sara Dragnic and Kalina Ivanovska. Their participation will further strengthen the cultural dialogue between the two countries and the international network of young people who gather in Giffoni every year to share ideas, emotions and visions.
