Rutelli: Enough controversy
Enough controversy between Venice and Rome, says Minister of Culture Francesco Rutelli, commenting on the friction between the two film festivals. Once they are both over, continues Minister Rutelli, the “undoubtedly very close” dates will have to be attuned. The objective is to valorise the festivals with a rational “calendar”, taking into account other national events, such as the Turin Film Festival. "Two films festivals are an asset, not a problem," concluded the Minister.
"Both festivals can only be good for Italian cinema, what we need is more serenity and trust. You will hear no controversy from me," insisted Mayor Walter Veltroni of Rome, reminding everyone that the capital’s festival, which will be held in October, received not even one Euro of public money, “precisely so as to not create problems for Venice".
Venice Film Festival Director Marco Muller had in recent days gone back to being polemical with the Rome’s Film Festival Veltroni wanted: "I’m not afraid of the Rome Film Festival because it has films that neither we nor the Cannes Festival wanted”.
The heads of the Rome Film Festival responded with irritation: "This is an incredible insult to cinema and the extraordinary directors who chose to come to Rome with their films".
Let’s hope that from now on they speak only about cinema.
(Translated from Italian)
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