Last sunday night the seventh edition of Magma – mostra di cinema breve came to an end with the awarding of the winners of the short film International Competition.
“For the ability to recount a painful and troublesome family context, however full of dignity and love, in a silent respect, without the help of music, voice-over or dialogues”: this is the reason given by the jury of Magma 2008, presided over by the Dutch short film director Gerrit van Dijk, for awarding the Lorenzo Vecchio Prize to Three of us, by the Indian director Umesh Kulkarni. The documentary represents the life of a poor Indian family that has to cope everyday with the son’s handicap.

The jury also awarded four special mentions, one for each section of the competition. Diente por ojo, by the Spanish Eivind Holmboe, was awarded as best narrative short film. “Despite presenting a complex narrative structure worth of a feature film – the jury said – by showing skill in direction and brilliant performances, this short film entwines seven stories through a mutual theme: each character is guilty, but everyone expiates a sin they haven’t committed.”

Zietek by Bartosz Blaschke (Poland) was awarded the mention as best documentary, telling the story of a sculptor “who makes his wooden creatures and lovingly looks after them in his own house, as a modern Pygmalion”, the members of the jury explained.

Thanks to “a graphic that perfectly complements both the subject and the accompaniment of a sweet and cruel voice” For a better world by the german Barbara Hlali won the experimental section: “it sarcastically tells us that we are trying our best for a better world, but actually it is better for ourselves only”, the jury commented.

La memoria dei cani by Simone Massi (Italy) was awarded the special mention as best animated short film: “a superb black and white film, a poem sculpted into animation”

8th september 2008
h 20.30 – Sala Conferenze S. Paolo
(Free entrance)
Presentation of Lorenzo Vecchio’s books
Il regalo più bello e Quando Lorenzo visse a Barcellona, two new publications from Lorenzo Vecchio’s writings.

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9th & 10th september 2008
h 18.00 – ITIS Ferraris, via Trapani Acireale
(Free entrance)
Giro Giro Corto – mostra di cinema piccolo

II edition of the short film festival dedicated to works made for and by teenagers.

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11th – 12th – 13th – 14th september 2008
h 20.30 – Multisala Margherita, Via Cavour 26 Acireale
(Single Ticket 3 € – Subscription 9 €)
Magma – mostra di cinema breve
For the seventh edition of Magma – mostra di cinema breve 36 short films in competition coming, from 16 countries, and 9 out of competition

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12th – 13th – 14th september 2008
I move so I am: the art of Gerrit Van Dijk
h 20.30 – Multisala Margherita, Via Cavour 26 Acireale
(included in Magma’s ticket)
A special retrospective dedicated to the awarded dutch short film director Gerrit Van Dijk, President of the Jury 2008.

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12th – 13th – 14th september 2008
Ponti: international guests
h 18 – Bambuddha, Via Marzulli 175 Acireale
(Free Entrance and Dinner)
A video-dinner to introduce three short films production and distribution experiences in Europe and the Mediterranean.

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11th – 12th – 13th – 14th september 2008
Dopofestival
h 24 – Bambuddha, Via Marzulli 175 Acireale
(Free Entrance)
Night of music and video lounge. Final Party withThe Unashamed Singers and Dj-set .waves (Bandini+Mancini).

The seventh edition of Magma – mostra di cinema breve presents the best of the 680 short films submitted to the selection phase from 64 countries of the world.
36 short films coming from Spain, France, Germany, Argentina, Finland, Italy, Belgium, Brazil, India, Czech Republic, Romania, Poland, Estonia, Switzerland, Sweden and South Africa will compete for the Lorenzo Vecchio Prize.

The International Competition will take place within the Short Film Week (8th -14th September 2008), this being a larger event compared to previous years so as to let the audience enjoy the various offerings of the festival.
The Week will open with the presentation of Il regalo più bello. Scritti di cinema and Quando Lorenzo visse a Barcellona. Quaderni e e-mail della borsa Erasmus, the two new publications drawn from Lorenzo Vecchio’s writings, and will continue with Giro Giro Corto – mostra di cinema piccolo, a festival focused on short films for teenagers and made by teenagers.
In addiction to the international competition, Magma will offer: I move so I am: the art of Gerrit Van Dijk a retrospective devoted to the multi-award winning Dutch short film director Gerrit van Dijk (president of the jury 2008); the Bridges section, an overview of three short film producers and distributors in Europe and the Mediterranean; besides that, debates, concerts and video-parties.

In contrast to larger Italian festivals, Magma has always focused exclusively on the short film, considering it as a separate art form, as a format allowing the experimentation of new styles and the creation of new trends, the presentation of works from both first-time amateurs and established directors.
The festival offers a chance of visibility for high-value works that are often precluded from the main distribution channels. Its aim is to build a bridge between the audience and the endless forms of expression of the short format, ranging from documentaries to animation, from narratives to the experimental.

Magma is carried out with the support of Regione Siciliana, Provincia Regionale di Catania and Comune di Acireale