The 44th edition of the Giffoni International Film Festival is under way in the small town of Giffoni Valle Piana, 40 kilometers from Salerno.
More than 3,500 children from around the world attend the festival, the largest children’s film festival in Europe, and possibly the world, to serve as jurors. They watch the films, learn about the filmmaking process, and award the best ones with prizes.
The red carpet of the Giffoni Children's Film Festival has hosted plenty of A-list celebrities. This year it’s Richard Gere’s turn, who is set to be making an appearance as a guest.
Other eagerly awaited guests include Alan Rickman, who plays Headmaster of Hogwarts Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series; Lea Michele, who plays Rachel Berry in the popular TV series Glee; Matt Bomer, star of White Collar; and Micaela Riera, who plays Catalina in Cata e i misteri della sfera, an Italian-dubbed version of the Spanish-language Argentinian series Senales del fin del mundo.
The "meet & greet" tickets, where the public meets the stars, sold out in less than eight minutes. Many of the guests were invited based on recommendations from the festival's numerous Twitter followers and Facebook fans.
The festival has developed a high reputation internationally and over the years, actors who have attended the festival include Robert De Niro, Oliver Stone, Meryl Streep, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Irons, John Travolta, Wim Wenders, Meg Ryan, Kathy Bates, Susan Sarandon, Edward Norton, Nicolas Cage, and many more.
In 1982, Francois Truffaut, upon visiting the small town in Campania, wrote in an open letter: "Of all the film festivals, Giffoni is the most necessary."
The festival continues until July 27.
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