SALINA - The tiny island of Salina, off the north coast of Sicily, is preparing to host the tenth anniversary edition of the independent film festival, Marefestival, from July 1 to 4.

  This special edition will feature guest appearances from the director and television presenter Pif, and actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta, who was on the island in 1994 to shoot Il Postino with the late Massimo Troisi, after whom the festival’s Premio Troisi is named. 

  The town of Malfa will be lit up by four days and three nights of film screenings, debates, conferences, book presentations, awards as well as music and comedy performances.

  Pif (born Pierfrancesco Diliberto), best known for his award-winning film The Mafia Kills Only in Summer (La mafia uccide solo d’estate), is collecting the Troisi award in recognition of his brilliant career and work, including his most recent book, Io posso: Due donne sole contro la mafia, written with Marco Lillo.

  As every year, the festival will give space to emerging Italian talents, with the Premio Troisi Emergenti going to the director and documentary maker Alessandro Genitori for his film Il Nostro Meglio, dedicated to the indispensable work of doctors and nurses throughout the pandemic.

  In particular this year, the festival will pay tribute to the editions of the past, remembering all the big names that have set foot on the Malfa stage, including the directors Pupi Avati, Giovanni Veronesi and Roberto Andò, the actors, Matt Dillon, Sergio Castellitto, Miriam Leone and Serena Autieri, and the musicians Roby Facchinetti and Gigliola Cinquetti.

  The festival will also this year feature Paolo Ruffini, Claudio Gioè and Barbara De Rossi.

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