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From September 24 to 29 in Skopje, more than 400 young people from 8 countries will take part in a unique experience of cinema, creativity, intercultural dialogue, and participation, with the support of the Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual of the Italian Ministry of Culture.
Everything is set for the 14th edition of the Giffoni Macedonia Youth Film Festival, the international project launched in 2013 that brought the Giffoni model to North Macedonia, transforming cinema into a tool for connection, growth, and dialogue among younger generations.
From September 24 to 29, Skopje will welcome more than 400 young participants from 8 countries, who will take part in a program that combines cinema, education, creativity, and cultural exchange. Throughout the festival, Giffoners will have the opportunity to engage with peers from different nationalities, share experiences, and participate in a journey that has been building bridges between cultures and communities for fourteen years.
As always, the heart of the festival will be its film program: more than 60 films selected from around the world will offer participants the opportunity to discover works that are often absent from traditional distribution circuits. Special attention will also be given to Italian cinema, with a significant presence of feature films, co-productions, and short films.
Alongside the screenings, the festival will offer eight creative workshops focused on contemporary languages, skills, and themes. Among the highlights of this edition is “EKO LAB,” a workshop that combines innovation and sustainability, engaging young people in creative recycling activities through the use of 3D printers to transform plastic materials into new objects.
One of the distinctive features of Giffoni Macedonia remains its international hosting program, which will allow participants from Italy, Denmark, Romania, Serbia, and Kosovo to stay with Macedonian host families. This experience goes beyond the festival itself, helping to build authentic and lasting relationships among young people from different cultural backgrounds.
“To the great joy of children and young people, the story of the Giffoni experience in Macedonia has now continued for fourteen years, since Director Claudio Gubitosi brought the festival to Skopje. Our young team is enthusiastic about the tremendous interest shown by participants eager to experience and share Giffoni together with more than 400 young people. Giffoners consistently show strong interest in the film program, which allows them to discover works they would otherwise have no opportunity to see in cinemas or on television. We are also particularly pleased with the hosting program, through which we will welcome young people from different European countries into Macedonian families, strengthening friendships and international relationships,” said Darko Basheski, Director of Giffoni Macedonia.
“For fourteen years, Giffoni Macedonia has represented one of the most significant expressions of our ability to build international relationships through young people and cinema. Bringing the Giffoni model to Skopje means creating a space where boys and girls from different countries can meet, exchange ideas, and recognize themselves in one another, overcoming geographical and cultural boundaries. The support of the Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual of the Ministry of Culture confirms the value of this experience and the importance of continuing to invest in the international dimension of culture and in youth participation. We are proud, once again this year, to accompany more than 400 young people in an experience centered on dialogue, creativity, and sharing,” stated Jacopo Gubitosi, General Director of Giffoni.
Organized by Planet-M in collaboration with Giffoni Experience, the festival continues to be one of the most important events dedicated to young audiences in Southeastern Europe. The initiative is supported by the Film Agency of North Macedonia, the Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual of the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Embassy of Italy in Skopje, the Italian Cultural Institute of Belgrade, and other institutional partners that contribute year after year to the growth of the project. The Project Manager of Giffoni Macedonia is Marco Cesaro, Head of the Special Projects Department.
As a testament to the strength of the international network built by Giffoni, a delegation of young Italians will also attend, including 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 participants will stay with local families, many of whom had previously hosted the same young people during their stay in Giffoni, further strengthening the bonds created through the festival.
Fourteen years after its launch, Giffoni Macedonia continues to represent a virtuous model of international cultural cooperation, placing young people at the center and creating, through cinema, new opportunities for dialogue and shared experiences.