Ferrara, Italy, June 6, 2023 _ As the Ferrara Film Festival begins to reveal its upcoming lineup for this year's audiences, festival director Maximilian Law has announced that celebrated actor Giancarlo Giannini will officially open the festival on September 16th. The festival has rightfully earned its place among the largest film festivals in Italy. Giannini, who more than anyone else represents Italian cinema worldwide and has recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, will be presented with the Golden Dragon Lifetime Achievement Award. Danny Glover, Jim Sheridan, Bille August, and Nastassja Kinski are but a few of the iconic household names who have received the prestigious award in previous years.

 

Alongside his acting career, Giannini has also established himself as a formidable director, dubber, writer, screenwriter, and musician. During his prolific career, he has portrayed a myriad of characters in over 130 films directed by some of the greatest Italian and international directors, including Luchino Visconti, Dino Risi, Mario Monicelli, Ettore Scola, Francis Ford Coppola, and Ridley Scott, to name just a few. His impressive list of accolades includes an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in 1977 for his performance in Lina Wertmüller's "Pasqualino Settebellezze," as well as the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival, six David di Donatello Awards, six Nastri d'Argento Awards, and five Golden Globes.

 

"As an Italian actor, I am proud to have received the coveted and prestigious Star on the Walk of Fame after so many years of being nominated for an Oscar. I would also like to express my gratitude to the Institutions and the city of Ferrara for awarding me the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ferrara Film Festival. I will personally collect this award next September”, Giannini stated upon accepting the invitation from the festival's director, Maximilian Law.

 

With 40 events spread across 8 days and an expected audience of around 20,000 visitors, this year's edition is shaping up to be special. It will feature numerous national and international premieres, an exceptional red-carpet experience, and a new prestigious venue, the Teatro Nuovo in Ferrara, which is the city's most important theater and will serve as the nerve center of the festival. The vibrant Piazza Trento e Trieste, the main hub of the event, will also host the lively Cine-village.

 

The festival has assumed an important role in the national film festival landscape and, year after year, has become a testament to the city of Ferrara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This role has been officially recognized globally, as the Municipal Administration has strengthened its collaboration by sending invitations to artists and institutions alongside the festival organizers.

 

Starting this year, a strategic new partnership has formed with Studios International, one of Europe's most significant film studios and the first privately managed studio in Italy. This partnership adds further prestige to the highly anticipated upcoming edition. More details about the festival will be unveiled in the coming weeks.