The Marche region has not appeared on La Croisette since “The Son’s Room” by Nanni Moretti – Palme d’Or at the 54th Cannes Film Festival in 2001. This year it is present twice: there is the short “Così in terra”, directed by Pier Lorenzo Pisano which will be screened in the Cinéfondation section dedicated to works by film students from all over the world, and the feature length film “Samouni Road” by Stefano Savona, featuring the animations of the multi-a­ward winning animator from the Marche Simone Massi, in competition in the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs.

Funded by the Regione Marche through the Marche Landscape Cinefund project (devised by the Marche Film Commission – Fondazione Marche Cultura) which promotes the landscape of the Marche region through theatrical and audiovisual projects, “Così in terra”, the only short selected for Italy, was filmed entirely in the areas affected by the violent earthquake of 2016 (Acquasanta Terme and Roccafluvione, in the province of Ascoli Piceno).
It is the diploma essay of Pier Lorenzo Pisano featuring Roberto Citran and Angelarosa Orsini (a native of the area, making her screen debut), and is produced by the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia.

This brief film offers testimony of what is happening in the Marche: the natural and anthropic landscape – altered by a seismic event that disoriented the civil and social composition of the inhabitants and, even more, their “internal landscape” – shows itself to be an element of resistance and a resource for the future.

The second Made in Marche film is a completely different genre. “Samouni Road” by Stefano Savona and Simone Massi tells the tragic story of Amal, a little girl who survives the massacre of her family during the war in Gaza in 2009 and returns to live in her old neighborhood.

The film, produced by Picofilms, Dugong Films with Rai Cinema, Alter Ego Production, in co-production with ARTE France Cinéma, ARTE France Unité Société et Culture, has been funded by the Regione Marche with a contribution of € 75,000, thanks to European structural funds, and is supported by the Marche Film Commission – Fondazione Marche Cultura.

Over 20 animators from the Marche region collaborated with Simone Massi on the animations for the film. Many of these professionals trained at the Art School of Urbino creating a regular Marche region animation district.

The satisfaction of the Marche Film Commission – Fondazione Marche Cultura is understandable as it sees the ongoing work of valorization of the region recognized in the support provided to the two movies.