The Program of the 39th International Critics’ Week

Today, July 22, 2024, the much-anticipated program for the 39th International Critics’ Week (SIC) has been revealed. The event will take place from August 28 to September 7, 2024, as part of the 81st Venice International Film Festival. This independent section, dedicated to debut films, serves as a crucial platform for new voices in global cinema.

An Introduction to the 39th International Critics’ Week

Beatrice Fiorentino, General Delegate of the SIC, emphasized how contemporary cinema mirrors our indeterminate present. “In what world do we live? In what time do we live? An indecipherable world, full of uncertainties, where it becomes difficult to orient ourselves and distinguish truth from falsehood,” Fiorentino stated, “The cinema of the present seems to follow this disorientation, the feeling of being in a moment of suspension, of waiting. The films that make up the program of the 39th International Critics’ Week… confirm the disorientation that unites us across every latitude of the planet.” 

The Official Selection

This year’s selection, curated by Beatrice Fiorentino along with the selection committee members Enrico Azzano, Chiara Borroni, Ilaria Feole, and Federico Pedroni, includes seven films in competition and two special events. The films in the competition are:

• “Anywhere Anytime” by Milad Tangshir (Italy)
• “Don’t Cry, Butterfly” by Dương Diệu Linh (Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia)
• “Homegrown” by Michael Premo (USA)
• “No Sleep Till” by Alexandra Simpson (USA, Switzerland)
• “Paul & Paulette Take a Bath” by Jethro Massey (UK)
• “Peacock” by Bernhard Wenger (Austria, Germany)
• “Perfumed with Mint” by Muhammed Hamdy (Egypt, France, Tunisia)

Special Events

The SIC will open with “Planet B” by Aude Léa Rapin (France, Belgium) and close with “Little Jaffna” by Lawrence Valin (France), two out-of-competition works that promise to be highlights of the festival.

SIC@SIC Short Films

The SIC@SIC section, dedicated to Italian short films, features seven short films in competition and three special events:

• “At Least I Will Be 8 294 400 Pixel” by Marco Talarico (Italy)
• “Billi il cowboy” by Fede Gianni (Italy)
• “Nero argento” by Francesco Manzato (Italy)
• “Phantom” by Gabriele Manzoni (Italy)
• “Playing God” by Matteo Burani (Italy, France)
• “Sans Dieu” by Alessandro Rocca (Italy)
• “Things That My Best Friend Lost” by Marta Innocenti (Italy)

Awards and Recognitions

The films in competition vie for several prestigious awards:

• Gran Premio IWONDERFULL (€10,000)
• Audience Award The Film Club (€3,000)
• Luciano Sovena Award (€5,000)
• Circolo del Cinema di Verona Award for the most innovative film
• Mario Serandrei – Hotel Saturnia Award for Best Technical Contribution

Additionally, all debut feature films presented in competition at the SIC are eligible for the Leone del Futuro – Venice Award for a Debut Film “Luigi De Laurentiis”, which offers a prize of $100,000.

The Official Image of the 39th SIC

The official image of the 39th International Critics’ Week was created by Emiliano Mammucari, creatively produced by Mauro Uzzeo, and designed by Fabrizio Verrocchi. This year, the image reflects the uncertainty and instability of the present, proposing a vision that unites different languages such as cinema, drawing, and photography, representing a world that must start again from uncertainty.

The 39th SIC promises to be an event full of food for thought, offering a profound look at our time through the evocative power of cinema. Don’t miss following the updates and news of this important cinematographic event on FRED Film Radio.