Italian film festival Giffoni in Tbilisi

Tbilisi will host its first major Italian film festival, Giffoni - showing the world's best foreign films, from October 16th till 19th. The festival will take place at the National Youth and Children’s Palace.

Giffoni is an international children’s film festival, and the Georgian version was initiated by the Georgian National Film Center and the National Youth and Children’s Palace.

"Five-hundred children will attend. These are kids from Mestia, Pankisi, Croatia, Italy, Nikozi. Children will see eight films in two age categories,’’ said Nana Janelidze, the director of National Film Center.

Masterclasses will take place as well, in which the children will meet critically acclaimed Georgian directors.

The international Children’s Film Festival was founded in Giffoni 45 years ago. Every year the festival grows worldwide. The festival has brought together thousands of teenagers.

Giffoni Festival guests have been Meryl Streep, Meg Ryan, Jessica Alba and Winona Ryder in previous years .

The to be screened films were selected by the Giffoni central office.

"We have relied on our participant’s taste in selecting the best films as well as we took into account whether films would be acceptable for the Georgian audience. This is the first display and so many nuances are important," said Irma Janjgava, Giffoni's project manager.

Carpe Diem is this year’s slogan.

The winners will be revealed at the closing ceremony of the festival.

Ana Akhalaia