The Ninth Edition of RIFF AWARDS will run from April 8th until April 16th 2010 

First Works and quality choices: the RIFF is back at  Nuovo Cinema Aquila

Rome, 25th March 2010. From April 8th until April 16th  the Ninth Edition of the Rome Independent Film Festival (RIFF) will be housing  new releases in independent cinema, as well as Italian and international previews.

During these days, at the Nuovo Cinema Aquila (in the quarter of Pigneto) there will be showing of  films coming from different parts of the world, belonging to the four categories of the festival: shorts, full-length films, documentaries and short cartoons; they are all independent first features and Italian previews.

Among the large number of international previews scheduled, there are films that achieved success last year, during several prestigious Festivals; The Opening Night Film, "Fish Tank", by Andrea Arnold, about problems of teen-agers, winner of  the Jury Prize  at last edition of Cannes Festival, and winner at BAFTA as best British film;  "Everyone Else" by Maren Ade,  Silver Bear winner  at last year  Berlin Film Festival; "La Verguenza" by David Planell, award-winning at Malaga Film Festival as Best Spanish Film and last edition Goya three-time nominee.

In the contest there are lots of italian films, "La strategia degli affetti" by Dodo Fiori, "Velma" by Piero Tomaselli, "Amore liquido" by Marco Luca Cattaneo and, the closing film "18 anni dopo", a road movie about the intricate relationship between two brothers. Edoardo Leo, which is the director and the actor of the film, is also the co-author of the screenplay.

Documentaries will have a great importance this year, with a new section housing 15 selected works: "Via Volonté numero 9" by Lorenzo Scurati, produced by Fandango, tells about the story of a squatted house on the northern outskirts of Rome; "Terra Reloaded" realized by Beppe Grillo, in cooperation with Greenpeace, about the eco-sustainability, it will show the interviews with the most authoritative experts on energy and economy;  "Tutti giù per aria", about the labour dispute of Alitalia workers, with contribution of Ascanio Celestini, Dario Fo, Marco Travaglio; Vinicio Capossela  will star in the  documentary-film "La faccia della terra".

As in the past editions, there will be The New Vision Prize, given to the best work for narrative, visual and technical choices .

It is Spain the country to which will be given an important space during this year RIFF; in cooperation with the Cervantes Institute of Rome and supported by Embassy of Spain, it will be presented "Cine Espanol en Ruta" with the showing of  four  full-length films, as an italian preview, and the participation of Diego Rodriguez Blazquez, (Association Cine-Ma), Ana Isabel Palacios (Associazione Cine Espanol En Ruta) and Antonio Amorós (Ministry of Culture).

Other  important  RIFF  events complete this edition:

• The Forum "I Nuovi Profili Della Produzione Cinematografica Europea Indipendente" (The New Profiles of European Independent Cinema Production) , for the second year running; created in cooperation with European Film Promotion, this edition will discuss the today conditions of independent cinema.; the participation will also be extended to distributors.
• Several Italian and foreign shorts (more than 80)will be selected and shown together with student and cartoon shorts section.
• Videoclips, winner of PIVI (Premio Italiano Videoclip Indipendente - Italian Prize Independent Videoclip) will be presented, in the MEI (Meeting Etichette Indipendenti), of Faenza.
• Prizes for best original screenplay and theme

It is the  Premio Current (independent international television network of information) the real innovation of this year; it will be given to the best  "International Inquiry", about current affairs.   As a prize, the work winner will be broadcast on the satellite channel Current-Sky 130.

RIFF records every year  an increasing success and is becoming more and more the most important engagement for independent cinema; it  takes place thanks to the support of Department of Cultural Policies and Communication of Comune di Roma, the contribution of Ministry For the Arts - DGC, and of the Department of Culture, Showing, Sport and Tourism of  Regione Lazio.