A journey among the students of the Experimental Cinematography Center in protest against the government

A permanent garrison that will last until 8 pm on Saturday 22 July, so to speak no to the amendment presented by the League and included in the Jubilee decree which resets the top management of the Foundation and places the film school under the control of the executive. This is the message launched by the students of the Experimental Center of Cinematography in Rome who met in assembly yesterday.

“The convening of this extraordinary meeting was absolutely due and necessary. Something unacceptable, sudden, sneaky is happening on the hottest days of the year. We find the direct interference of the government and ministries on the managerial posts of the Experimental Center absolutely inadmissible. What is happening is a direct and aggressive interpenetration of the political parties within the managerial systems of the Foundation” says Sarah Narducci, a student of the directing course, and representative of the student council of the CSC. According to rumors, the director Pupi Avati or the actor Giancarlo Giannini could be called to the top of the Experimental Centernames certainly not close to the world of left-wing cinema and labeled as sympathizers of the new Meloni government.

“Beyond the political positions that an artist may have is the contribution she brings to students, certainly what we have fear is that the choices are dictated by a government that has a certain direction. It’s certainly not up to us to judge whether Giannini or anyone else is a fascist or not” adds Enrico Licandro, a student of the Photography course, and representative of the CSC student committee. But can a director like Pupi Avati with a career of over 50 years, studded with prizes and artistic acknowledgments or an international actor like Giancarlo Giannini, be labeled fascists because they are considered in the Meloni “area”?

“No, I wouldn’t give it to Giancarlo Giannini or Pupi Avati as a fascist, they are probably names linked to that political party” says Sarah Narducci. “They are film professionals, I don’t know if they have what it takes to be president of an institution like this which I imagine involves skills that go beyond cinematic experience. I don’t care that they are right-wing and I don’t think they are fascists” comments a former student of the CSC present at the assembly.

“The speech is purely of principle: we are not waging this battle in defense of a current leadership but it is purely a matter of principle. We consider it absolutely ignoble that this amendment enters into a tense leg on this issue” Narducci is keen to underline. The students of the Experimental Center “will enter a permanent garrison so that the school is open to all and we are starting to make a review that is a symbol of our battle. We ask for the amendment to be withdrawn immediately and for political answers. If the situation degenerates, we will take our actions accordingly” concludes Sarah Narducci.