After a day full of emotion and rich exchanges, the closing ceremony of the Cinéalma festival took place on Sunday, October 23, in the Juliette Gréco hall in Carros.
As was the case throughout the festival, the audience was present, and the hall was full.
The day’s programming perfectly illustrated the diversity of the screenings and events. In the morning, a French animated film, The Rabbi’s Cat by Joann Sfar, was shown, followed by a meal prepared by the Muslim Cultural Association. In the afternoon, the Israeli film Footnote by Joseph Cedar provided an opportunity for spectators to share nuanced perspectives, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the film. Then there were reunions with beloved Italian cinema through La prima Cosa Bella by Paolo Virzi, featuring the great Stefania Sandrelli, which took us back to the world of Dino Risi cinema… An emotional film that moved the audience and brought out the handkerchiefs. The Mosque, presented by Moroccan cinema critic Cherqui Ameur, immersed us in the heart of southern Morocco in a poetic and humorous fable.
The delighted and fulfilled audience expressed throughout the day their pleasure in being able to watch different films and share emotions and impressions with others.
The Closing Ceremony, presented by Charles Scibetta, the festival delegate, was a moment for Claude Renaudo, Carros’ Deputy for Culture, to express her satisfaction.
Cathy Fafin, president of the Cinéactions association responsible for organizing the festival with the City of Carros in partnership with the FTM, thanked all the volunteers who actively participated and greatly contributed to its success.
She announced a preliminary assessment of the festival with more than 6,000 spectators (a thousand more than last year), a program that, according to everyone, was very rich and diverse, with exciting and prestigious guests, including Carlos Saura, better organization, and press recognition with significant media coverage, as well as increasingly close relations with other international festivals, notably with the presence of Annie Jamal, the secretary-general of the Carthage festival.
In short, a very positive result that makes Cinéalma one of the most prominent and eagerly awaited cinematic events on the French Riviera.
The Word from the President of Cinéactions, Catherine (Cathy) Fafin:
“Constantly growing since its creation, the Cinéalma festival is now part of the cinematic landscape of the Côte d’Azur. It allows an ever-increasing audience (more than 6,000 spectators at this edition) to see films that might never be released in theatres or in the region, to meet directors or actors for friendly exchanges during debates or over a cup of mint tea; this audience, unanimously praised by attending professionals, is seen as a quality audience, with relevant comments and a lot of analytical finesse.
Thanks to the support of the Carros municipality and an enthusiastic and effective team of volunteers, without whom this festival would not exist in its current form, we were able to offer 26 films, including 9 premieres, 7 exclusives, and from 9 countries.
Cinéalma meets the organizers’ wishes to provoke meetings through cinema around the Mediterranean, with all the diversity of peoples sharing common cultural points.”
“The Mediterranean separates us, but the cinema brings us closer.”
See you next year!
