Brief Bio:
Enrico is an Italian-American filmmaker. His first documentary, "Standing Army", aired on 15 television networks and was released in Japanese and Italian movie theaters. His documentary on Romani people, “Container 158” (2013), was presented at the Rome Film Festival. In 2018, he directed "SOYALISM", which premiered at IDFA and was sponsored by the Pulitzer Center; the documentary won 13 awards worldwide. During the pandemic, he directed the art film, “Rigoletto 2020”. In 2022, he released "Novorossiya", centered around the war in Donbass and Ukraine, which premiered at CPH2022 in March. He also served as the director of photography for the documentary, "Kill Me If You Can", which was nominated for a David di Donatello Award.
ORIGINAL TITLE: NANYANG
INTERNATIONAL TITLE: NANYANG
GENRE: Documentary
SYNOPSIS:
Born in 1950s Beijing, Nanyang Li, daughter of Communist Party figure Li Rui, has witnessed key moments in China’s history, including her father’s purge for criticizing Mao Zedong. Initially a table tennis prodigy, Nanyang later became a scientist at CERN and Berkeley. Now residing in California, she is involved in a legal battle to release her father’s extensive diaries, which span from 1946 to 2003 and offer an unparalleled insider’s view of China’s power corridors. Nanyang Li is a complex and inspiring figure—courageous, resilient, and determined. She embodies the contradictions of the repressive regime she left behind, while advocating for democracy and freedom. This documentary uses innovative animation to tell her story, highlighting the tension between societal realities and personal truth, and reflecting on themes of freedom and ideological conflict.
This is the remarkable story of a woman whose life mirrors China’s tumultuous history over the past 60 years. As the daughter of Mao's personal secretary and the custodian of her father's diaries, Nanyang is at the center of a legal battle in the United States, where interpretations of China’s recent history, particularly the image of Mao, are being contested.
Brief Bio:
Born in Milan in 1993, Carolina graduated in Economics and Management for Arts, Culture, and Communication at Bocconi University and in Film Producing at Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. Concurrently, she earned an MSc in Media and Entertainment Management at Bocconi University as a non-attending student. After a few experiences as a freelance worker on film sets, she joined the independent production company Indigo Film in 2018, where she currently works as a co-executive producer. Among the projects she has worked on are "The Braid" by Laetitia Colombani, "Another End" by Piero Messina, "Sicilian Letters" by Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza, and the upcoming features "Fuori" by Mario Martone and "Primavera" by Damiano Michieletto.
ORIGINAL TITLE: THE ECHO CHAMBER
INTERNATIONAL TITLE: THE ECHO CHAMBER
GENRE: DRAMA
SYNOPSIS:
The Echo Chamber is a poignant love story set in a single house, exploring the relationship between Leo, a successful music producer struggling with back pain and addiction, and Layla, a passionate and enigmatic physiotherapist. The narrative unfolds across three timelines—the past, present, and future—taking viewers on a tormented yet luminous journey through creativity and desire.
At the heart of the story is the production of the final album by a legendary rock icon, now in her 70s, a striking and controversial woman confronting time, lust, and emptiness as she sings her truths.
Brief Bio:
Michele is one of the founders of INDYCA, where he works as a director, producer, and creative producer on numerous projects. As INDYCA’s creative producer, he has worked on the feature film, "Samia" (2024), an Italian/German/Belgian co-production that won the Jury Prize at Tribeca International Film Festival and the Audience Award at Munich International Film Festival. His other works include the short film, "True Love Waits" (2024), the creative documentaries "On the Blue Path" (2022), "Cuban Dancer" (2021), an Italian/Chilean/Canadian co-production that won Best Film at Miami Film Festival and the Audience Award at San Francisco International Film Festival, "We Are the Thousand" (2021), which won the Audience Award at SXSW and Best Documentary at JIMFF Korea, and "Butterfly" (2019), which won the Golden Globe for Best Italian Documentary.
ORIGINAL TITLE: LP
INTERNATIONAL TITLE: LP
GENRE: Animated documentary
SYNOPSIS:
In 1966 Rome, a fortune-teller foretold a young man’s destiny: he would "take Evita's place in the heart of the Argentineans." That young man was Luca Prodan. Today, his name is emblazoned on the walls of Buenos Aires, his face immortalized in graffiti, and his image graces National Post Office stamps. Born into a privileged family, Luca fled Italy to escape military service and his authoritarian father. He arrived in England during the rise of punk, where he worked with Richard Branson at Virgin, hosted The Police in his apartment, and discovered heroin. After surviving an overdose, Luca relocated to the Argentinean Sierra to detox. There, he founded the punk band Sumo, a group that revolutionized Argentine rock with its unique blend of poetry, irony, and defiance against the oppressive military regime. Luca Prodan’s legacy is one of rebellion and transformation, forever changing the course of Argentine music.
Brief Bio:
Giovanni has a background in filmmaking and media studies. After earning his degree in visual communication and gaining filmmaking experience, he took over as head of Kino Produzioni in 2012. Since then, Kino has been working to develop a new generation of emerging talents and frequently co-produces with international companies. Giovanni is the Head of Studies for the international workshop Green Film Lab and is a member of ACE, EAVE, Berlinale Talents, Eurodoc, and TFL Alumni.
ORIGINAL TITLE: IDDA
INTERNATIONAL TITLE: IDDA’S BREATH
GENRE: Drama
SYNOPSIS:
Adele, 32, is in Catania working on a reportage about St. Agatha when her old friend Sofia unexpectedly reappears. On a whim, they decide to fulfill a childhood dream: climbing to the top of Mount Etna. However, something seems off about Sofia, leading to a bitter confrontation that reopens old wounds and reveals new secrets. The two part ways, and soon after, the volcano begins to tremble.
Adele regrets not having returned to Sofia to reach the crater together and listen to its magical breath. By completing the journey alone, she discovers the strength to forgive herself.
Brief Bio:
Alessandro has been involved in cinema since the mid-1990s as a screenwriter and director. In 2004, after gaining various experiences in Italy and abroad as a production assistant and project development manager, he founded the production company La Sarraz Pictures, based in Turin and Rome. The company's objective is to discover and develop new talents and maintain a strong openness to international co-productions. Over 20 years of activity, La Sarraz Pictures has produced more than 40 works, including feature films, creative documentaries and animations. These productions span a diverse range of international co-productions across Europe, North America (Canada), Latin America and Oceania.
ORIGINAL TITLE: OLTRE IL TEMPO
INTERNATIONAL TITLE: BEYOND TIME
GENRE: Ficton Sport Drama, Biopic
SYNOPSIS:
1993: Marco Olmo is a mine worker in the Alps of northern Italy. While the cement plant provides him with stability, it comes at the cost of his freedom. At 45, he discovers a new passion: running. He begins training steadily in the mountains and finally starts to feel alive.
Olmo extends his distances and ventures into a new sport, Ultra Trail running, where his unique talent for endurance and suffering emerges. His first victories come in the desert and then in the Alps. However, his passion for running soon turns into an obsession, straining his personal relationships. As age becomes his most formidable adversary, Olmo starts to lose and eventually faces the painful decision to retire.
Surprisingly, fate offers him one last chance: the opportunity to compete in the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, a race featuring the strongest athletes on the planet. At 57, Olmo must decide whether to risk everything for one final challenge. “Beyond Time” will be an inspiring biopic about the true story of a courageous man who radically changes his life, becoming the Ultra Trail world champion twice at the ages of 57 and 58, competing against younger athletes.
Brief Bio:
Federico has over 25 years of experience as a filmmaker, producer, and documentary film editor. For more than 10 years, he has collaborated with FAO and WFP as a video producer. From 2000 to 2011, he served as the director and producer at Suttuvess Productions and as a producer at Nacne Productions, both well-known independent production companies based in Rome. He has produced, edited, and directed over 40 social, historical, and geopolitical documentaries, some of which have gained wide international circulation. Notable works include, "Gaza Hospital", "The War to Come", "The Remnants", "The Well", "Jeans and Martò", "2 Girls", "The Threat", "Nimble Fingers", "I'm In Love With Pippa Bacca", "Togliatti(grad)" and "Blank Lands". Many of these films have been awarded at major international festivals.
ORIGINAL TITLE: La Guerra delle onde
INTERNATIONAL TITLE: Radio War
GENRE: Documentary
SYNOPSIS:
In the 1920s, a time of significant economic and technological advancement in Europe, radio emerged as a revolutionary communications tool. It quickly demonstrated its potential for disseminating information but also revealed its limitations and dangers. By the early 1930s, as Fascist ideology spread and Europe’s balance of power shifted, radio became a powerful weapon of mass propaganda. Both European and Middle Eastern imperialist powers employed radio for aggressive influence strategies.
In 1932, the establishment of Radio Bari by Italy marked the beginning of an unprecedented international propaganda war. For nearly a decade, Italian, French, German, and British radio stations competed to win the support of Arab and European listeners, shaping major geopolitical events. This radio conflict contributed to the escalation of tensions leading up to the Second World War.
Amid espionage, diplomacy, politics, and revolts, France, England, Germany, and Italy fought to dominate the ideological landscape. Through reconstructions and archival materials from Italian, English, French, German, and American sources, and by exploring the careers of key figures behind these radio stations, this two-part documentary reveals the story of this major radio conflict that significantly altered the course of history.
