Lecce’s Surprising Film Festival

It’s been nine years since the first time the Lecce Film Festival decided to establish its aim of promoting films in an international way. Before that, only Italian films were screened at the event. The aim of the festival is pretty interesting and rewarding. The competition compares the most interesting international productions of every genre and duration and represents one of the rare opportunities for independent directors to showcase their films to the Salento public. It’s also a unique opportunity for Lecce to get to know another idea of cinema.

After doing volunteer work for one week in Lecce, I decided to stay in the city for a couple more days. Fortunately, while searching for the best spots in Lecce, I found the billboard for the 17th Lecce Film Festival, which was held from September 5th, 2023, for four days. The location was convenient for me as it is located in Piazzetta Falconieri, right in the center of Lecce. Without thinking twice, I dressed up and headed straight to the location on foot. Guided by Google Maps, I strolled through Lecce’s city center for the first time and was amazed by the incredible architecture around me. I arrived, paid the entrance fee (5 euros), and sat in the back row as the first film, “Fuori dal Finestrino,” was screened.

The film was 15 minutes long, telling a story about a woman who is lost due to a sudden car breakdown and an unexpected stop. Her meeting with a stranger leads the young woman to discover a different reality and question the meaning of life. The film tries too hard to be poetic without being sharp enough in its dialogues. The only thing the film excelled at was portraying the incredible views of Italian architecture. My first impression of the film festival was not very agreeable after witnessing how cringe-worthy the film was. It almost made me question the credibility of the festival’s curators.

The credits rolled, and finally, my suffering ended. The festival committee stepped up and gave a speech in Italian. I accepted all the consequences of not learning the language from the very beginning and stepped out to get a macchiato while the speech was still ongoing. The festival venue was quite cozy, with a small building that felt intimate in a way. My macchiato was ready, and while taking a sip, I overheard a conversation between two strangers who I assumed were from the UK based on their accent. They were discussing the upcoming film on the schedule for the day, “An Irish Goodbye.” Both of them were excited about it, as “Banshees from Inisherin” had left a super impressive impression on them. Not only them, but I am also personally a big fan of the film and was amazed by how well the storytelling was done. All of us were excited to see what Irish cinema could do next. After a few sips of the nicest Italian macchiato, I was smiling and amazed by how this tiny venue could bring people from all over the world together and be a great spot to share ideas, knowledge, and diversities through the art of film.

The staff asked me to enter the screening room as “An Irish Goodbye” was about to start. This time, I sat in the front row to show my excitement for this Academy Award-winning film. The film tells the story of two estranged brothers, played by James Martin and Seamus O’Hara, who come together after their mother’s death to fulfill her bucket list. James Martin stole the show with an unbelievable performance. Everyone was laughing, and everyone had a really good time, thanks to this simple, hilarious, heartwarming short drama.

As an “underground” film festival, I would say they succeeded in providing filmmakers from around the world with the opportunity to showcase their work, celebrate their creativity, and bring new voices and ideas to audiences. The people of the Salento region are lucky to have this incredible annual art event. I found my trust in Italian cinema after watching a Cannes-selected film called “Il Barbiere Complottista.” The film was brilliantly made, succeeding in bringing contemporary issues to an audience that was mostly elderly.

The ending perfectly aligned with the film’s direction and wrapped it up beautifully, without any unnecessary exaggerations. For a moment, I forgot about the brilliance of Paolo Sorrentino, the only Italian filmmaker I adore. As I am writing this article, I found out that “Il Barbiere Complottista” was made by a 27-year-old man. He is definitely very young to have already received exposure at the Cannes Film Festival, which is good for him. Italian young artists need to be appreciated more. They need more exposure, stages, and attention so that they can improve as artists and create great artworks in the future. Italians should be grateful for the existence of their local festival, and hopefully, in the future, young talents will fill all the empty seats inside the tiny, intimate Lecce Film Festival screening room.