Every year of this period, Firenze looks to the East with the Spring of Oriental Cinema. Through one of the most poetic and truthful media, a world will open to those countries that often only know each other through clichés and clichés, not only through screenings, but also with events in which artists, directors and actors from Eastern countries will participate of the world. It is therefore an appointment for all cinephiles, but also for all the curious: the films deal with current issues on thorny and uncomfortable issues. From women's living conditions to current school systems, the titles will cover a wide variety of topics, sometimes with lightness and irony.
The focus of the appointments will be the historian Odeon cinema in via degli Anselmi, but various places and spaces in the city will be involved in this third edition, which also opens to the web: several films will also be available in streaming. The calendar is full and started with the Florence Korea Film Fest, which ended on March 30th.
From the 9 14 April, is the time of Middle East Now film, which brings the contemporary Middle East and North Africa to Florence, at the center of the interest of today's press. The program includes about 40 screening of feature films and animated films, documentaries and shorts, addressing "hot topics", beyond any form of prejudice. Numerous countries from that area will participate: Morocco, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine. Related to the festival, there are also photographic reportage exhibitions on Persia, concerts by African and Middle Eastern bands and workshops for documentary enthusiasts.
The afternoon shows will cost € 4, while the evening ones go up to € 6. The subscription to the entire festival costs € 30 and is convenient for those who want to see different shows. Reductions for under 30 and over 65.
Cooking enthusiasts will not be disappointed either. In fact, on Thursday 10 April, A table with Egypt is scheduled: Falafelism - all crazy for falafel, organized by the oriental restaurant in Florence, Valle dei Cedri and dinner will be combined with a ticket for the cinema for only € 15.
On Friday 11 April, however, during the Morocco Night, there will be the opportunity to taste the typical tea of ​​North Africa. Monday 14th is instead the turn of At the table with Iran: Persia mon amour, at the same price as the Egyptian culinary event.
It will then be up to Wa! Japan Film Festival, from 8 to 11 May, which has as its first objective that of cultural exchange between Italy and Japan. The subtitle “Emotions. Sushi. Godzilli. Stories of contemporary Japan ”is already a whole program. In addition to 15 feature films that aim to outline a picture of the very varied Japanese cinema (from drama to animation), 18 short films will be presented, with particular attention to the independent scene. Most of the titles are unpublished in our country and will be presented by directors and actors. There are still no news on events related to the review.
Will close the review, from 26 to 29 May, Dragon Film Festival, with contemporary Chinese cinema. Four days of programming for ten film previews that come directly from the Hong Kong International Film Festival and the Shanghai International Film Festival. The detailed program is not yet defined.
