What is the story behind AmiCorti International Film Festival?
“AmiCorti was born in 2019 from a simple yet profound dream: to offer a space of freedom and beauty to independent cinema, to forgotten stories, and to filmmakers who have something to say—even when they don’t have the means to say it. The festival started in Peveragno, a small town in the Cuneo Alps, and in just a few years it has grown to become an international point of reference, welcoming filmmakers, activists, jurors, and students from all over the world. Our name combines two words: 'Friendship' and 'Shorts'—because we believe that cinema can truly build bridges, connections, and communities.”
What are the new features of the 2025 edition?
“The 2025 edition marks a new chapter with our move to Roccaraso—a symbolic and logistical choice that allows us to welcome a wider audience in a more evocative and accessible location. The new features include:

• Masterclasses with Paul Haggis, Evgeny Afineevsky, and other great names;

• The opening of new sections, such as Cinema Education, Agenda 2030 – Global Social Issues, and the Vittorio Bersezio Award for Film Criticism;

• The encounter between cinema and local territory, with events, panels, and workshops designed to engage schools, institutions, and local communities;

• The expansion of the international jury and lifetime achievement awards celebrating artists committed to social causes.”

Why is it important to support independent cinema?
“Because independent cinema is freedom. It’s the voice of those who don’t have major studios behind them but have something urgent to say. It’s an act of creative resistance against homogenization, a means to explore the unseen, to denounce injustice, to preserve memory. Supporting independent cinema means supporting cultural diversity, critical thinking, and freedom of expression.”
What particular stories will emerge during the festival?
“Real, fragile, rebellious stories. Stories about migration, the environment, human rights, gender identity, and social justice. From villages in Iran to American suburbs, from the mountains of India to the outskirts of Italy, the festival will give space to those who speak with courage, poetry, and truth. Some films are made by ten-year-old children, others by masters of international cinema. They all have one thing in common: the urgency to say something that matters.”
How much effort goes into organizing a festival like this?
“A lot. And often invisible. Behind every screening, every guest, every round of applause, there’s daily teamwork, vision, and persistence. There’s the search for funding, logistics, translations, international contacts, and dreams that seem too big but slowly, with patience, come true. But that effort turns into energy when you meet the eyes of the audience, when a young person discovers cinema for the first time, when a filmmaker finally finds their voice.”
What does cinema mean to you?
“Cinema is everything that allows us to feel, to think, to change. It is both a mirror and a window: it reflects us and opens us up. It is a form of resistance and hope. It’s the place where reality meets imagination and together they create beauty, reflection, and memory. For me, cinema is home. It’s the language I choose to communicate with the world.”