Orvieto Western Festival recap

By Stefano Amadio

A dedication to Sergio Leone opened the festival. Some of his closest friends and associates were in Orvieto to remember him in a round-table discussion filled with fun, pictures, interviews and documentaries.

Day one was the initial run for the first edition of the Western Festival at Orvieto, leading off were the Italian Westerns; guests present at the Palazzo del Popolo were Claudio Mancini, executive producer for Sergio Leone, Nino Baragli writer of some of Leone’s biggest successes, Giancarlo Santi, assistant director to Leone and director in turn of his own western. Stories, anecdotes and the awareness that the gender still lives on in the hearts of many moviegoers, though now in Italy their production has been extinct for years.

All were awarded the 2012 Tin Star, for their efforts in Western movies.

On day two documentaries were screened: the first is "Claudio Mancini Story" the legendary producer of "Once Upon a Time in America" ​​which recalls the most interesting moments of his career, pointing out that everything has changed and with it the cinema, as the world and people, are no longer the same.

The second film, "The Dreams in Sight" by Luca Morsella, is a biography of Sergio Leone, with interviews with family members and acquaintances, film footage and essential music by Ennio Morricone.

In the afternoon, the projection of some recent Italian productions, two shorts, "We Still Have Time" by Stefano Salvatori, "Sunset" by Roberto Urbani, and a teaser of "Undead Men" by Daniel Statella and "White Hell", a feature film of Stephen Jacurti, who was present for the screening.

The third and last day saw a screening of two films: "The Grand Duel" by Giancarlo Santi and, for the true fans, around midnight, "Stagecoach" by John Ford, the original version with subtitles, presented a rare opportunity to see the classic of the 1939 on the big screen still head and shoulders above the rest.