Bagogo - It's All Comedy!

Dear friends,

The second edition of the Bagogo Film Festival, celebrating short comedy films from around the globe, has come to a close.

In our inaugural 2023 edition, comedy films often explored the theme of addiction as a response to existential emptiness (gambling, alcoholism, and social media addiction).

The 2024 edition introduced two new overarching themes: contamination and censorship.

It’s hard to pinpoint why, but romantic comedy has made a comeback this year. However, it’s not the pure genre we once knew. It's been "contaminated" by other elements. Our Western cynicism no longer believes in pre-Tinder romantic comedies. To be accepted, these films must either be set in the past (like Maura Delpero's "Vermiglio") or in a different place, like another continent (Celine Song's "Past Lives"). Alternatively, they must embrace absurdity (Claude Lelouch's "Finalement"). When set in the West, they often become "dramedies," a genre popular in America that's now gaining traction in Italy (e.g., films by Paola Cortellesi).

The term "censorship" applies to two of the short films. The first, "Legittima omertà," was created by students at a Calabrian high school. The school's principal banned its screening and distribution, deeming it incompatible with his beliefs. Bagogo honored the film with a special award for courage and truth.

The second censored film is "Happy BirthGay," which won the Rom-Com award. Some objected to its screening because it was made by a young director from Tel Aviv, arguing that it was unworthy of an award, let alone being shown. Those interested can watch it in the collection of finalist videos on the Bagogo Film Festival website: https://www.bagogo.it/video.html

The co-winners of the 2024 Bagogo Film Festival are:

"Per un pelo" by Carlo Piscicelli – Italy
"Chainsaw monkey" – USA

Who's afraid of a little laughter? The Bagogo Film Festival will always be a beacon of freedom and dialogue, a small island of yin in the vast ocean of dramatic yang (and hypocritical goodness).
"We were born to hate, and we’re succeeding." (Anonymous)

MARCO POSANI

I'd like to thank (in addition to the audience) everyone who contributed to the evening: first and foremost, the beloved Giovanni Storti, winner of the Bagogo career award. Antonio Cornacchione (the 2023 winner) presented the coveted statuette.

Thank you to Takeide Sano, who shared insights into Japanese humor, and to Linda Iris and Diego Piemontese for hosting the event. And finally, thanks to my collaborators Massimo Caporale, Cristiano Pizzi, and Federico Bonomi.

A special thank you to Laetitia Martinoni (director of the finalist short film H2O Mon Amour), who traveled from France to attend the awards ceremony.

ABOUT US:

Marco Posani (Festival Director) is a well-known creator of television formats for Rai and the Mediaset Group, known for successful programs such as Che Tempo Che Fa and Zelig. He has worked as a writer at the Sanremo Festival and launched artists such as Tony Renis, Andrea Bocelli, and Maneskin. He began his career in the 1980s with Drive In and went on to produce successful programs such as "Zelig," "Scherzi a parte" and "Quelli che il calcio." He is a writer for Teo Teocoli and has delved into comedy writing with Steve Kapan. Posani is the artistic director of the Bagogo Film Festival and has made significant contributions to Italian television with his creativity and talent in the field of television formats and comedy.

In collaboration with Massimo Caporale , co-founder of MiMo Milano Mobile Film Festival, Cristiano Pizzi and Federico Bonomi.

REQUIREMENTS:

Videos must have a beginning, middle and an end. Short films should have a duration of a few minutes.

Videos should have a compelling narrative.

22nd September 2024 is the deadline for submitting videos.