Bullies and Heroes which is characterized by the phrase: Ubuntu I am because we are (Nelson Mandela), was born after 50 years of experiences, studies and research, both in the cinematographic and artistic fields and in the pedagogical and psychological ones. It is located on the border between health and culture with the certainty that "the soul needs beauty and that beauty is nourishment for the soul" and allows us to best express all the creative potential of the human being. It is therefore important, as argued by Peppino Impastato, who has always rejected the idea of becoming accustomed to "ugliness", to educate children to "beauty": "...It is for this reason that people should be educated to beauty: because in men and women, let habit and resignation no longer creep in but curiosity and amazement always remain alive." The Festival that subsequently became laid its foundations on these important foundations with the Competition: Places of the Soul and Geographical Places. Draw, Photograph, Film beauty in just a few minutes with your smartphone (for the little ones and with more sophisticated means for the older ones). Every year the term beauty has been declined in a different meaning (beauty of fragility, beauty of uniqueness, beauty of diversity, beauty of creativity...) The beauty of places has always been a bridge to access one's interiority and stimulate curiosity, amazement and wonder. The Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore has demonstrated how the basis of creativity, in children but also in adults, is precisely "emotional wonder", a fundamental emotion that must never be lost in order to always feel ready to explore previously unexplored paths, solutions never taken and original paths. In our society we risk having good technicians but an ever smaller number of creatives, which is why our aim, right from the start, has always been to use artistic tools, in particular cinema, to refine the most important and powerful ability of the human being: that of thinking in images or imagination, gathering stimuli from what surrounds us to grow, acquire awareness and learn about the audiovisual medium. Created with the active participation of children for children and with children, the Festival intends to enhance the potential and talent of children by offering them the opportunity to acquire both critical and creative skills with two different methods of participation. There are two sections: The first features feature films which are judged by a jury of young people from all over the world who, in this way, have the opportunity to become critics. The second of short films, video clips, videoboards, storyboards, screenplays, video art, theatre.dance, where the children have the opportunity to become directors, actors, screenwriters, to also experience all the professionalisms linked to the world of cinema. For the second section, the festival also offers spaces to young directors and international directors who deal with issues related to: family relationships, diversity, respect for the environment and others, relationships between peers, memories and identities of places with particular reference to the stories of territories. The festival does not limit itself to presenting and rewarding videos made by schools or directors, but organizes round tables with experts, workshops, conferences, in order to encourage children to have an interactive exchange of experiences and ideas with directors and actors and with even. The conferences dedicated to the ecology of the mind, ecology of the environment and ecology of and in cinema saw the participation of international universities with professors recognized in Italy and around the world. The Festival deserves special attention because it represents a unique multi-sensory experience that allows you to learn about habits, customs, foods, stories, peoples and tell them through artistic means, in particular the audiovisual medium. Alongside directors, actors, musicians, screenwriters and photographers, there are sports testimonials through which the concepts of respect, rigor and passion are strengthened. They have been our testimonials over the years: Daniele Masala Olympic Champion, Klaus Dibiasi Olympic Champion, Alessandro Peterlini National Azzurri Champion, Luciana Foianesi World Arm Wrestling Champion, native of Val di Chiana, Chiara Bazzoni Champion Gold Medal at the Mediterranean Games. Among the Paralympic athletes we have had great International Champions, Matteo Betti, Giada Canino, If you help me, I'll dance too. We also collaborate with ODV Associations and NGOs that support children in war and create The Day of Wonder. For the 2024 Competition we are collaborating with the Collodi Foundation so that all the themes of the Competition can be facilitated and understood in a more exhaustive and innovative way through the story of the most famous puppet in the world: Pinocchio. A classic that international directors have revisited with innovative languages and which also offers children, schools and young directors the possibility of tackling universal themes in an increasingly creative and innovative way. Jury presidents over the years have been: Mariano Rigillo Anna Teresa Rossini, Donatella Baglivo who for 2024 is joined by Pierfrancesco Bernacchi President of the Collodi Foundation. Our great collaborators are Maestro Vince Tempera and Maestro Giancarlo Amorelli, who support all of the film music.
A synergy has been created with the Municipality of Benevento starting from the Dante tradition which cites Sannio in the song dedicated to Manfredi. Tradition and innovation are always our cornerstones. Other cities and other regions have joined us: Caserta, the San Leucio Art School, Veneto, Tuscany, Campania, etc.
