WTI Magazine #25    2014 Apr, 11
Author : Montisi Italian Film Festival      Translation by:

The Montisi Italian Film Festival 2014 invites film lovers or just Italophiles to immerse themselves in Italian culture – village style. Montisi is a Tuscan hill town that is friendly and loves cinema. This year's festival offers 16 films from classics to just-released new works – all shown in the cinema of a medieval Tuscan hill town.

Montisi is a small village southeast of Siena in Tuscany, about 45 minutes' drive through the hills. It has always been a lively place and had one of the original cinemas in central Italy. In the early Golden Age of Italian film, when there were programs for creating movies and traveling 'picture shows' that brought films to even tiny villages, Montisi was active in supporting regular showings.

In the 1950's the village cinema was built and remains in operation to this day, a centerpoint of the village life. For many years after WWII the only cinemas between Florence and Rome were in Siena, Arezzo and Montisi.

Montisi is also locally famous for its festivals, particularly the Giostra di Simone in early August and the Festival of the New Oil in early November. Both of these festivals are a week long. The jousting festival features meals cooked by the villagers (members of the 4 contrade) and served in 4 large endless tables in the street, a medieval parade, street music, and of course the actual jousting. The olive oil festival celebrates the new oil, honey, cheeses, artisan crafts and of course, street dining. When the idea of hosting a film festival was raised there was immediate enthusiasm.

Montisi has a 100 seat cinema with theater seating new Dolby surround sound. The co-director of the Film Festival is a technology and cinema projection expert, and lives in the village.

We invite Italian film buffs from Italy, US and throughout Europe to come to Montisi and enjoy seeing classic and new films, in a small cinema in the middle of a medieval village. This year, 16 films will be shown. The Festival will blend the enjoyment of cinema with the enjoyment of the wine, food, culture and countryside of Tuscany. This year we are also offering "Cinema Intensivo" – a two day, non-stop showing of 14 of the festival films. For true film buffs Saturday the 10th and Sunday the 11th will combine hard to find classics with some of the newest releases.

In 2014 opening day, May 3 films are going to be shown at 3 pm and 5:30 to allow guests to enjoy wine and dinner in the village's 5 restaurants. Sunday a children's film will be show, with snack at 10 am. The rest of the festival will feature films at 6 pm and at 9, with a special surprise late night film on Thursday. The Festival is designed to allow travelers to this area of Tuscany to weave in day trips throughout the region and still relax and enjoy evening cinema. Siena is a 45 minute drive, Florence 1 ½ hours and Rome 2 1/2 hours. The art, architecture and history of Tuscany and this area of Tuscany is rich and interesting. The website has a complete listing of sights of interest and museums.

The Film Festival is conceived to celebrate the cinema that is so loved in Italy and to invite like-minded guests to fall in love with Montisi.

Montisi has bed and breakfast, hotel and guest lodging for 110 people within the village. Another 150 guests can be accommodated within a 4 km radius, in the other small villages of Castelmuzio, Trequanda, Petroio and San Giovanni d'Asso. Accommodations range from "Italian simple" guest apartments to a 4 star boutique hotel and everything in between. There are 17 family owned and operated restaurants within these villages. Licensed guides are available and tours can be planned of wineries, abbeys and the major hill towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino (famous for vino nobile and brunello).

The website, www.montisifilmfestival.org will contain links to all the area accommodations so interested guests will have at their fingertips all that is needed to plan a trip, easily.