The 20th edition of the RIFF - Rome Independent Film Festival is kicking off today with the pre-opening screening of Silvia Brunelli’s first work The Miracle Child [+lire aussi :
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fiche film], which was presented at the latest Venice Film Festival. Unspooling 18 - 26 November, and directed by Fabrizio Ferrari, the agenda of this year’s traditional Roman rendez-vous with contemporary, independent cinema will showcase 95 works in competition, whether feature films, documentaries or shorts, hailing from Italy, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, the USA, Canada, Burkina Faso and the Lebanon, boasting 21 world premieres, 9 European premieres and 45 Italian premieres, alongside a jam-packed programme of associated events, meetings and masterclasses.

Corruption, the pandemic, sport, mental illness, slavery, racism, life after prison, the Carnation Revolution in Portugal, the history of central Rome… These are just a few of the topics tackled by the festival’s selected films (partly viewable in virtual cinemas, courtesy of MYmovies.it), with particular attention paid to the thriller genre. The feature films competition is composed of 8 titles, including Governance [+lire aussi :
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interview : Borja de la Vega
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interview : Grzegorz Jaroszuk
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There are 13 documentaries competing in the event overall. These include From My House in Da House by Giovanni La Gorga & Alessio Borgonuovo, which is an ironic exploration of the past thirty years as experienced by central Rome; Sue by Elisabetta Larosa, which tells the story of three women who escaped slavery and won back their dignity; A Declaration of Love by Marco Speroni, revolving around a man who was declared innocent and released from prison after spending 22 years on death row; Clown's Planet by Hector Carré, about activist clowns found in all kinds of places, from Palestinian refugee camps to Russian orphanages.

Stealing focus among the Special Events is the Focus on Poland, dedicated to Krzysztof Kieślowski 80 years on from his birth and 25 years after his passing, which also showcases works by more recent directors. There’s also the screening of Hava, Maryam, Ayesha [+lire aussi :
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This year’s closing film, presented out of competition, will be The Bachelorette Party [+lire aussi :
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