Presentation Will Take Place Friday July 19th On The Isle of Ischia At Visconti’s Historic Residence, Villa La Columbaia
The Board of the Ischia International Arts Academy in collaboration with the La Colombaia Foundation announced today that Australian film director, writer and producer Baz Luhrmann has been named recipient of the “Luchino Visconti Legend Award.” The special honor in the name of the legendary Italian filmmaker will be presented here at Visconti’s historic residence, Villa La Columbaia, on Friday, July 19th as part of the 2013 Ischia Global Film & Music Festival.
Past recipients of the “Visconti Legend Award" are: Tom Hooper, Paul Haggis, Stephen Frears, Sir Alan Parker, Terry Gilliam, Jim Sheridan, Joel Schumacher and Andrei Konchalowski.
Luhrmann, who is best known for The Red Curtain Trilogy, which includes his films Strictly Ballroom (1992), Romeo + Juliet (1996) and Moulin Rouge (2001), most recent film, an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey McGuire, was released on May 10, 2013 and has grossed in excess of $300 million worldwide. In addition to being nominated for an Academy Award® and Golden Globe as Best Picture of the Year, Moulin Rouge was named one of the AFI's top ten films of 2001 and was chosen as the top film of the 2000s decade in a poll of 150,000 respondents in the United Kingdom. The film also gave birth to a successful soundtrack album, selling more than seven million copies, led by the Grammy-winning number one hit single “Lady Marmalade.”
“Baz Luhrmann once again proved himself as one of today’s most creative risk takers, by combining his signature bright lights and colors with the intimacy of Fitzgerald’s classic novel,” said Festival founder and producer Pascal Vicedomini in commenting on the announcement. “These creative traits are reflective of the influence that Luchino Visconti has had on the art of filmmaking, and for these reasons, we are extremely pleased to honor him with this award in Visconti’s name.”
The 11th annual Ischia Global Film & Music Festival takes place from July 13th throught the 21st ands is presented under the auspices of the Ischia International Arts Academy with the support of BNL-Group, BNL-BNP Paribas, 3 Italy in collaboration with Meridiana, NTV along with the sponsorship of the DG Cinema of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and the patronage of the Italian Representation of the European Union and the Department of Tourism - Region Campania.
Joining Vicedomini in overseeing this year’s Ischia Global Film & Music Fest are President Michele Placido, Honorary Presidents Trudie Styler and Tony Renis, and an Executive Board comprised of producers Mark Canton, Marina Cicogna, Rick Nicita, Paula Wagner, Aurelio De Laurentiis, multi Oscar-winning production designers Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schiavo, president of Cinecittà Studios Luigi Abete, Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis and Italian movie icons Franco Nero, Lina Wertmuller and Enrico Lucherini.