Awards Will Be Presented During the Annual Festival Which Runs from December 26th to January 2nd
The Board of the Institute Capri nel Mondo (Capri in the World Institute) today announced that Tom Hooper’s "The Danish Girl" – a movie about a man who in the 1920’s underwent the first sex reassignment surgery – will receive the Capri, Hollywood – The International Film Festival’s prestigious 2015 Humanitarian Award and that Paolo Sorrentino’s “Youth”, whose impressive cast includes Jane Fonda, has been named European Film of the Year. These two honors will be presented on the Blue Island of Capri during the 20th edition of Capri, Hollywood - The International Film Festival (December 26 – January 2).
Festival founder and producer Pascal Vicedomini said: “Both Tom Hooper and the Italian maestro Paolo Sorrentino have the uncanny ability to bring highly sensitive subject matter to the screen in a way that impacts audiences on a global basis. I am truly pleased that we are able to honor their most recent work at this year’s festival.”
" Our board voted unanimously for ‘The Danish Girl’ as it incorporates such universal values as respect for human rights and solidarity towards every human being,” noted honorary board member Marina Cicogna. “Tom Hooper’s acknowledged sensitivity as a filmmaker is highlighted by the extraordinary performances of British actor Eddie Redmayne (Oscar® recipient for ‘The Theory of Everything’), Sweden’s Alicia Vikander (‘Revelation of the Year’ at the 2015 Ischia Global Fest) and Belgian artist Matthias Schoenaerts. These three excellent performing artists display their talents in a special movie which will certainly dominate the forthcoming Hollywood Awards season."
The special screening of Hooper’s movie (which premiered at the 2015 the Venice Film Festival and due out in the United States on November 27 and in Italy on February 4, 2016) will be accompanied by a debate on “Young People Against Homophobia” at the annual Capri Symposium. The forum -which traditionally focuses on the most topical subjects of our global society - this year will involve a large number of artists and communication experts as well as representatives of associations struggling against discrimination. This year’s subject illustrates the deep changes which affect our contemporary society and which are shown in many recent film productions from all over the world.
Set against the city of Copenhagen in the early ‘20s, “The Danish Girl” features Eddie Redmayne as the husband of artist Gerda Wegener. The protagonist is a man who becomes aware of his homosexuality and who after a long and deep crisis will bravely undergo the first surgical operation for sex reassignment, to make his dream of becoming a woman come true. The two main players are joined by the great Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts, who plays a friend involved in a complex love triangle with the couple.
"Among the most recent European films we selected, “Youth” - due out in US theatres on December 4” - stars an impressive cast which includes my friends Michael Cane and Jane Fonda”, added Cicogna. “I also think that Sorrentino’s new masterpiece deserves particular attention overseas, especially by the high profile Golden Globes® and the Academy Awards®."
The 20th edition of Capri, Hollywood - The International Film Festival – presided over by Oscar winner Danish film director Bille August - will be dedicated to the French film star Brigitte Bardot. Organized by the Institute Capri nel Mondo, the 2015 edition of the festival, whose Honorary President is the Italian icon Lina Wertmuller and Honorary Chairperson is American producer Mark Canton, is supported by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities (D.G Cinema), the Campania Region (Department of Tourism and Cultural Heritage), ICE, the City of Capri and the Township of Anacapri.