What follows is the text of the Press Release issued by Gruppo 25 Aprile regarding their initiative to bring back the tradition, sorely missed by the citizens of Venice, of open-air cinema in Campo San Polo. The initiative is the result of public/private cooperation between, Gruppo 25 Aprile, the Municipality of Venezia-Murano-Burano and film studio owners Clan Celentano.
Reviving this popular tradition was among the 20 proposals for the City which were presented last January at Ateneo Veneto.
August 29, Open-air Cinema in Campo San Polo
The open-air cinema of Campo San Polo that traditionally preceded the Film Festival, which was eliminated in the 2014 – 2015 commission session, will be revived for an evening thanks to the tenacity of the citizens, the Municipality of Venezia-Murano-Burano and of the “Clan Celentano”.
On July 19, with a vote that included all the political forces there represented, the Council of the Municipality unanimously approved a measure that encouraged and applauded any form of open air cinema aimed at the citizens of Venice.
On August 4, in line with what the Council had approved, President Andrea Martini filed a request for the use of public space for organizing a screening that would be free and open to all on August 29, the eve of the Film Festival.
On August 12, in response to a letter sent to Celentano by “Gruppo 25 Aprile” – which had included the revival of open air cinema among the 20 proposals for the City presented at Ateneo Veneto on January 20 as part of the public opinion campaign “My Future is Venice” – the councilor delegated by the Clan Celentano, Claudia Mori, communicated that:
“The Clan Celentano, as owners of all the rights relative to the film YUPPI DU, authorizes, free of charge, “Gruppo 25 Aprile” of Venice, to offer a public screening in Venice – Campo San Polo of the aforementioned film as part of your initiative “flashmob of civic awakening” on the coming August 29, with the guarantee that the showing will be upon a large screen, as in the style of “open air cinema”, with respect to the best technical standards and free entrance for the public”.
On August 16 the Municipality of Venice deposited the plans requested by the City offices on August 11, and is refining the plan that will allow the City Police Commission to rule on this request, which responds to a general wish on the part of the citizens and does not have any political “color”, and also with respect for the generous response of the Clan Celentano, whose studios have made available a copy of the film in HD (high definition) in an homage to Venetians and absolutely free of charge.
We emphasize that the setting up of this screening – unlike the collection underway at Marghera and from other open shows recently organized in Piazza Ferretto a Mestre – will not cost anything for the City or for the participants, but rather will be supported by those who made the request, and this allows us to hope that the City Administration will not put up unreasonable obstacles and not impose excessive restrictions on the screening of a file which features among the main characters our own Lino Toffolo.
With the understanding that we must receive the needed authorizations in time for us to execute the planning, the screening will be preceded by a presentation by Paolo Toffolo, the son of Lino.
Venezia, August 16, 2017,
Giovanni Andrea Martini, Presidente della Municipalità di Venezia Murano Burano,
Marco Gasparinetti e Dario Vianello, per il Gruppo 25 aprile
Update: on August 18, Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro’s response when asked about this request was “Why not? If they present all the necessary documents I don’t see why we would not authorize the screening of Celentano’s film – rather, if I can, I too will go so see it”.
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