JCU Delegation Participates in Locarno Film Festival Artist Residency
On August 7, 2024, a delegation of students and alumni from John Cabot University traveled to Locarno, Switzerland to participate in the Locarno Film Festival, one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals, renowned for showcasing auteur cinema.
Organized by the JCU Department of Communication and Media Studies, with the support of Student Engagement, the JCU delegation – Aurora Caruso, Sofia Faid, Leonardo Margiotta, Lorenzo Polverari, Marouso Pappas, Alessandro Turchioe – joined this year’s BaseCamp. This youth-driven artistic residency, spanning 10 days, served as a vibrant meeting point for emerging artists from 31 countries, each bringing diverse creative backgrounds.
The success of this year’s BaseCamp was largely driven by the dynamic dialogue between emerging artists and industry professionals, facilitated through masterclasses, events, performances, and screenings held throughout the Locarno Film Festival.
In addition, the John Cabot University delegation took part in the Cinema and Audiovisual Futures Conference initiative, organized by Kevin B. Lee, Professor for the Future of Cinema and the Audiovisual Arts at Università della Svizzera Italiana, and his team of PhD and Postdoc researchers Libertad Gills, Evelyn Kreutzer and Silvia Cipelletti. For three days, the JCU delegation, along with scholars, filmmakers, and artists, engaged in a videographics workshop that questioned the future of cinema.
JCU Communication and Media Studies Professor Donatella Della Ratta, a board member of the Cinema Futures Initiative led by Università della Svizzera Italiana and the Locarno Film Festival, participated in a panel discussing the influence of film essays on academia and film festivals. Together with alumnus Alessandro Turchioe, she presented the first episode of their collaborative project, “Call Me When You Get There,” a video essay series exploring the impact of new technologies, particularly AI, on our culture and society.
Participating in the Locarno Film Festival gave the JCU delegation the opportunity to discover the professional world of European cinema and improve their critical spirit toward the future of cinema. According to alumnus Alessandro Turchioe: ‘‘It was an incredible opportunity for me to take part in the Locarno BaseCamp with the JCU Delegation. Not only were we surrounded by people working in cinema, but also doctors, scientists, and engineers, who all greatly contributed to our group’s rich and diverse perspectives. As an experienced filmmaker, I’d never have thought that a 10-day residency could profoundly change my perception of film as an even richer medium.’’
(Aurora Caruso)
