Venice Film Festival in big trouble

Actor Giancarlo Giannini rumoured to replace current head Moritz de Hadeln by Urbani

Critics worldwide are up in arms at the attempt by Italian politicians to destroy the Venice International Film Festival, the world's oldest and one of the few left at showcasing arthouse independent fare. Last week the Senate in Rome voted against the appointment of former banker Davide Croff to head the Venice Biennale, the fest's parent organization.
Croff's appointment earlier this month had been welcomed as a turning point in the crisis crippling the Lido.
Despite the vote, Croff is unlikely to back down, since under Italy's complicated procedures its vote is nonbinding. But it could further delay the Biennale in dealing with the pressing issue of who will head Venice's next edition.
"The only thing I can do is keep cool and wait," Moritz de Hadeln, the festivals artistic director whose contract expires in March told Variety. "I'm working as usual," he added, making it clear he is hoping to hold on to the job.
A Biennale spokeswoman said Culture Minister Giuliano Urbani, who picked Croff, had expressed confidence the appointment would clear the final hurdle in the Cabinet next week, despite the unfavourable Senate vote.
That vote was caused by infighting within Silvio Berlusconi's conservative coalition, which has become especially fierce.
Croff, 56, is a former managing director of state bank Banca Nazionale del Lavoro and also a one-time exec of automaker Fiat. A native Venetian, he is widely considered a solid replacement for Franco Bernabe, the outgoing Biennale topper, kicked out after a protracted power struggle with Urbani.
Both Croff and de Hadeln are attending the Berlin Intl. Film Festival this week.
Late year FIPRESCI (the International Federation of Film Critics), which includes thousands of film critics from 62 countries from around the world (including this writer), expressed its strongest disapproval of the developments which led to the dismissal, by Urbani, of Bernabe and of the directorial board of the Biennale of Venice, which were about to confirm de Hadeln as head of the Venice Film Festival for 2004.
In the written complaining, FIPRESCI expressed its disappointment that political reasons have intervened once again in the cultural and administrative autonomy of one of the most important and prestigious cultural bodies in the world.
The critics body also indicated its total support of Carlo Lizzani, Gillo Pontecorvo, Felice Laudadio and Alberto Barbera, past directors of the Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica of the Biennale di Venezia. They declared their availability to direct an alternative event to take place during the Mostra, on the model of the 1972-73 "Giornate del Cinema", in case director de Hadeln would not be confirmed in his position, or a new director would not possess the professional and cultural attributes required for such an important and prestigious festival.
The alternative event, which will be organized only if the situation makes it necessary, will take place at the exact same dates as the Mostra, with the support of the major national and international bodies representing filmmakers, film critics and all the categories involved in cinema throughout the world.
The only name circulating as a possible successor to de Hadeln is veteran actor Giancarlo Giannini who would operate with the help of an expert assistant.

Publication Date: 2004-02-08
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=3607