Venice Film Festival highlights cultural resistance and refugee stories

At the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, Italian Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli emphasized the importance of cultural dialogue and freedom amidst global conflicts. Speaking at the inauguration of the Italian Pavilion, Giuli warned that while nations can recover from military defeats, a cultural defeat is irreparable.

Featured at the Venice Days is the film ‘Balcanica’, the debut work of director Nicola Sorcinelli. The film follows an Afghan orchestra conductor and his son fleeing along the Balkan route after music was banned in their home country. Actor Babak Karimi described the film as an act of resistance against the division caused by politics, noting that art seeks human connection.

Actress and associate producer Matilda De Angelis highlighted the urgency of the story, portraying a doctor who attempts to assist the refugees. De Angelis noted that the film explores the feeling of helplessness in the face of border tragedies and the importance of taking action to imagine different possibilities.