Italian filmmakers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani have been named the first recipients of the “2012 Ischia Legend Award” which will be presented during the 10th Annual Ischia Global Film & Music Fest to be held from July 8th to 15th on isle which is located off the coast of Naples,. The announcement was made today by recently appointed Festival chairpersons Paula Wagner and Rick Nicita and Festival founder and producer Pascal Vicedomini. The festival is presented under the auspices of the Ischia International Arts Academy with the support of International sponsors and Italian public institutions.
“The Taviani brothers are two pillars of international cinema,” said Vicedomini in commenting on the announcement. “After decades of success, they are recognized by many international filmmakers for their capability to shape the European contemporary identity, and they represent the legendary first-class Italian artistic tradition worldwide.”

Paula Wagner and Rick Nicita

Pascal Vicedomini added that the Taviani brothers most recent film, “Caesar Must Die,” a documentary about inmates in an Italian prison staging Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” won the Golden Bear award for the best movie at the 2012 Berlin Film Festival. The film features prisoners from the Roman maximum security prison Rebibbia, many of them serving time for Mafia-related crimes, is produced by Grazia Volpi and distributed by helmer Nanni Moretti.
“As it has been the case for all past editions, many international stars will land on the island for our festival,” noted Marina Cicogna, one of the founders of the Ischia’s event. “Nevertheless, the presentation of the Ischia Legend Award to Paolo and Vittorio Taviani will be one of the ‘highest’ moments of our Festival whose main goal is to draw attention to, and recognize Italian excellence in the arts on a global basis”.
“We will be extremely honored to welcome the Taviani brothers at the Villa Colombaia once owned by Luchino Visconti,” added Enrico Lucherini, master of ceremonies of Ischia Global Fest. “Together with the friends of the Ischia Academy we are organizing a very special welcome for these two legends of international culture, who today more than ever are two jewels in the crown of the Italian arts.”

Joining Vicedomini, Wagner and Nicita in overseeing this year’s Ischia Global Film & Music Fest are President Trudie Styler, Honorary President Tony Renis, and an Executive Board comprised of producers Mark Canton, Marina Cicogna and Aurelio De Laurentiis, multi Oscar-winning production designers Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schiavo, Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis and Italian movie icons Franco Nero, Lina Wertmuller and Enrico Lucherini.
Members of the Festival Board will include Italy’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Heritage for the Campania Region, the Director General of the Cinema Department of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage.