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Pawlikowski to be awarded in Italy  for his movie about the Holocaust and  Mario Martone to receive a special prize

"Capri, Hollywood - The International Film Festival 2014" has selected “Ida” as Best Foreign Language Film. The Award will be collected by Polish filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski,  the most acclaimed  European director of the moment as well as a Golden Globe and an Oscar favorite. After collecting a number of continental awards and  winning big at The European Film Awards, “Ida” has also received the Lux Award in Strasbourg for Best European Co-production, which was presented directly by Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament. The subject of Holocaust is also explored by Roberto Faenza’s “Anita B.,” which has received an Educational Award. Based on Edith Bruck’s book “Quanta stella c'è nel cielo," this is the story of a young Auschwitz survivor who experiences a troubled love affair that will become her chance for rebellion and rebirth. The film will be distributed at the beginning of 2015.

Simultaneously,  Mario Martone’s “Il giovane favoloso” has been chosen by the Festival to be the Italian Film of the Year at Capri, Hollywood 2014. During the international festival - which is taking place from December 27 to January 2 -   this successful movie revolving around Italian poet Leopardi and whose revenues  exceed six million Euros (a true surprise for the national box offices at the eve of its global launch,) will also be celebrated with a costume exhibition organized by Ursula Patzak in the amazing Medieval setting of  Certosa di San Giacomo. Mario Martone will also be presented with the special award “Peppino Patroni Griffi Between Cinema and Theatre,” ten years after the passing of the great Neapolitan director and playwright. A film screening will be reserved to the international guests of the festival which this year will be presided over by Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur. Acknowledgments will go also to Palomar’s CEO Carlo degli Esposti who will be awarded as “Producer of the Year” and to  Ippolita Di Majo whose screenplay will receive the Capri Script Award .

''Capri aspires to top notch projects like “Ida,” "Il giovane favoloso" and to high quality European cinema, linked to our tradition, touching and refined,” explains Pascal Vicedomini, producer of the festival which traditionally paves the way to the Awards’ season,  often becoming a “lucky charm” to films running for the Oscars as it recently happened with “The Artist” and “The Great Beauty”. Vicedomini adds, “We are honored to have these movie’s directors with us: they are true prodigies whose love for art outdoes any financial interest as they recently showed when they dedicating their triumphs to young filmmakers and to their objectives. 

In addition, the Award to Faenza’s movie, which has been shown most often in Italian schools where it’s been highly appreciated, acknowledges one of our greatest authors with an international reputation and who has always been sensitive towards civil issues and the Holocaust.”

Black and white film “Ida” tells the story of an orphan young woman who in the 60’s, before taking her vows and becoming a nun, has a chance to meet her only relative, a single 50-year-old intellectual and disenchanted woman; together they set out to discover the truth about the girl’s parents’ death. Their encounter will reveal details about the young woman’s identity and her life outside the convent.

The festival -  which represents an opportunity for global stars and Italian film and music artists to come together and be awarded for their talent in the breathtaking scenery of Capri – includes a long list of prestigious guests, among whom this year we’ll find Italian-American film director David O Russell (“American Hustle”), budding talents Ryan Gage and Eline Powell, well established British actors Timothy Spall – Best Actor at Cannes and at the EFAs,  and Mike Leigh’s muse Brenda Blethyn , as well as beautiful Israeli actress Moren Atias. They’ll be flanked by Italian Mario Martone, Roberto Faenza, Gabriele Salvatores, Luca Zingaretti, Luisa Ranieri and many promising young artists including Ellar Coltrane, the Texas-born actor who was followed by filmmaker Linklater for 12 years to complete Oscar favorite "Boyhood.". And also: Marco D’Amore, Maria Pia Calzone and Salvatore Esposito, protagonists of Sky TV series “Gomorra,” inspired to Roberto Saviano’s best seller, and sold all over the world.

Music will be represented by the so-called “poet” of Italian songwriting Francesco De Gregori, also appreciated by Bob Dylan. This 19^th edition will be chaired by Indian film director Shekhar Kapur.  Capri in the World’s Honorary Members include Franco Nero, Mimmo Calopresti,  Fabio Testi – President of this year’s festival –  as well as Honorary Presidents Tony  Renis and Lina Wertmuller.

A number of European premieres will be shown at Anacapri’s Cinema Paradiso, which from December 26 to January 2 will offer numerous screenings in 2 theatres simultaneously, free of charge: “Cake”, boasting Jennifer Aniston’s Oscar worthy performance, “Beyond The Lights, ” with new Anglo-African cinema star Gugu Mbatha-Raw, “The Water Diviner” marking Russell Crowe’s debut to film direction. Italian premieres will start some big movies running for the Hollywoods’ Awards and will open with “The Imitation Game” (Weinstein & Co,) followed by “Into The Woods” (Disney,) “Mr Turner” (Focus,) “Big Eyes,” “Night at the Museum 3: Secret of the Tomb” (Fox,) “Before I Go To Sleep” (Millennium,) “Third Person” (Sony Classic.)

Other special screenings will show some Golden Globes nominees and Oscar favorites: “Birdman” (Fox Searchlight,) “The Theory of Everything” and “Boyhood” (Universal,) “Still Alice” (Sony Classic.) Screenings and symposiums on Civil Rights and Racism, Produzione/Tax Credit and New Media.

Capri, Hollywood 2014 is promoted by the Capri in the World Institute with the support of the Campania Region, the European Union and MIBACT (Dg Cinema).