30/08/2006

All is calm on the Lido after the storm, i.e., the controversial statements by the Artistic Director Marco Müller – “The Rome Film Festival picks up Cannes’ and Venice’s crumbs” (see news).

The president of the Biennale, Davide Croff, ran to the rescue, dousing the flames of controversy by calling Müller’s comments "a headbutt á la Zidane". That is to say, a ineffective impropriety, even though in an article published in daily paper Il Messaggero, Müller said he was provoked: "They started it by announcing Nicole Kidman’s presence at the Rome Film Festival right on the eve of Venice".

Croff was thus positive and optimistic at the traditional opening press conference, next to a more subdued Müller of few words. Croff was at the helm and quickly reminded all of the success of last year’s edition, given the numerous films presented and then nominated for Oscars.

For Croff, the Venice Festival is not in decline, nor are there problems regarding its improvement. Rather, the main question is the age-old issue of insufficient structures, and once again the idea of a film market was discussed. “We are prudent when we speak of this adventure. The festival will decide upon and prepare for the market – that is how festivals grow and maintain [their status], otherwise they shut their doors”. In other words, the spectre of a film market in Rome, after MIFED closed, looms large.

Stressing the strong support for the festival from national and international producers and distributors, Müller cited a recent comment from jury member and US director Cameron Crowe: “Venice is a kind of electrical plant that distills energy in the winter and spring seasons”.

With regard to the recent controversy with the Rome Film Festival, he sent the ball back to Croff’s court: “We’re used to living with competition that we ourselves have nurtured with our festival’s model”. In the meantime, the Biennale president is banking on the commitment of Minister of Culture Francesco Rutelli and the government to back the construction of a new Palazzo del cinema, along with an upgrading of the area. An undertaking that, Croff hopes, will be accompanied by contributions from both public and private institutions, not only in Venice but throughout the entire northeast.

Croff is also banking on Minister Rutelli and Rome’s mayor, Walter Veltroni, to take a better look at the festival calendar: “We must attune the dates, because right now the two events are too close together,” said Rutelli. “We have to define a national calendar, keeping in mind Turin Film Festival as well, which is also important and should not be squeezed out”.

In other words, the order of the day is to establish harmony between the two events.