The complete Olmi Introduction
The programme
Introduction
After thirteen years spent supporting films that are indifferent to momentary fashion trends, and bravely cling to the transformation of reality and languages; after strongly stating that films belong to anyone, and must therefore be offered to the public in public spaces, such as a square, and that people, beyond watching them during screenings at the cinema, should get out and go back home still thinking about them; after thirteen years spent discussing the films we had just watched...after all, sooner or later Milano Film Festival had to cross paths with Ermanno Olmi.
It feels like when two friends meet after a long time, not knowing that they lived in the same city. "Hey, what are you doing here?", "see you around one of these nights".
That's it. Finally, Ermanno and Milano Film Festival go out together, for about ten days. Because Tutto Olmi is made up of the many sides of Olmi. It takes time, cinemas, silver screens, and many friends to make a nice get-together. To get to know each other, and discover how much we didn't know about each other.
Officially, Tutto Olmi will be a complete retrospective, featuring all films by Olmi, his TV programmes, the short films he made during his time at Edison, and the films he produced with "22 dicembre". Officially, Tutto Olmi will open dusty archives and screen restored films.
Officially, Tutto Olmi will be a meeting of friends, collaborators, and personalities from culture, who will speak before the screenings, telling us of the side of Olmi they know.
Officially, Tutto Olmi will be Morando Morandini and Goffredo Fofi interviewing Ermanno Olmi
But in reality - and it is very exciting to write the word "reality" while talking about Olmi - Tutto Olmi will be a group of friends who will get together, chat, watch films, and exchange views. All in all, it will be a party.
Religions never saved the world - that's what is said in Centochiodi (One Hundred Nails). Films didn't, either. But films are the memory of the world. Films can tell about today telling about yesterday, or tomorrow. And we can only be glad if Olmi has made many films always telling about the same thing: people. And we can only look forward for the night screening of Il posto (The Job) at Parco Sempione, with summer mosquitoes and the light from the bus reflecting on the screen.
by Vincenzo Rossini
