The complex and difficult situation we are living in during these months brings about inevitable reflections, and the need to reformulate our festival.
We strongly believe in the opportunity to carry out the event, and we want to do this for many reasons: we want to give a sign of hope and encouragement to the directors, producers, actors who have worked so hard in the realization of their works.
We want to give a sign to the public that has followed us for 12 years with passion and with a marked sensitivity on the subjects dear to us: human rights and the environment.
We want to give a sign to the territory that has hosted us since the first edition, and to which we feel strongly connected: San Vito Lo Capo, a small center that bases its economy almost entirely on tourism, and that is facing a season heavily compromised by the pandemic.
We want to give a sign to the staff, the institutions, and to ourselves, that culture can and should be one of the main tools for rebuilding the economy of this country, but also for new and sincere social cohesion, and we want to be there and contribute to its success.
We want to reflect on the need to respect nature, to respect living beings.
The world today faces an extraordinary challenge due to a virus that has had a devastating impact across the planet by destroying the economy and sociability among human beings. The upheaval of the global economy will leave millions of women and men and thousands of businesses with an uncertain future. There will be many efforts to rebuild this economy, and we must ensure that these efforts will focus on supporting a green, inclusive, and resilient reconstruction, with a newfound sociality that accounts for the needs of the public. Culture must be central in this change, and must contribute to address challenges in public health, climate change, and biodiversity.
The administration of San Vito Lo Capo has recently conveyed their firm will to continue to support SiciliAmbiente Film Festival, considering it an important event despite the challenges they are facing. We will postpone the festival by a few weeks (soon, along with the Municipality of San Vito, we will decide new dates and locations); we will follow all institutional procedures to guarantee maximum safety for the public and staff, and we will try to show the films also to those who would have wanted to come to the festival, but will not be able to. In short, we will change many things, find new ideas, and we will be ready to convey enthusiasm, trust and hope for a better world.
Antonio Bellia
Artistic director
SiciliAmbiente Film Festival