Co-Founders Letter

CRISTIANO DE FLORENTIIS

Artistic Director ICFF Co-Founder

MAURIZIO MAGNIFICO

Managing Director ICFF Co-Founder

ICFF'S 11TH EDITION

As a festival, we are proud to continue innovating ourselves and creating new experiences for our audience. After the darkest times of the pandemic, in which we incepted the Lavazza Drive-In Festival to safely reconnect people and communities, we are fi nally ecstatic to look forward to this new 2022 edition where everyone can meet and socialize again under the stars without the boundaries and restrictions of a vehicle.

ICFF, presented by Lavazza, is thrilled to present a three-week festival in the unique venue of The Distillery Historic District, one of Canada’s most iconic and famous landmarks. This incredible initiative is the result of the work and passion of our organization, The Distillery District and all our sponsors and partners who enable us to always aim bigger and higher. Thanks to them and to our Board, we are able to bring audiences a never-before-seen outdoor experience with theaters created ad hoc for the occasion, with all of the glamour of red carpet appearances, cocktails and prestigious stars in attendance. After spending the past two years physically distanced, coming together once again to share in the viewing of a fi lm in a unique cinema village, while surrounded by the people and cultures that make up our beautiful city, is how we learn and appreciate the cultural mosaic we call home.

Thanks to the steadfast support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation through the Italian Embassy, the Italian Consulate General in Toronto and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Toronto, ICFF is proud to present thrilling premieres in Toronto, at the renowned TIFF Bell Lightbox and at the Distillery District, and screenings in Vaughan, Hamilton, Halifax and Montreal, as well as a program online available Canada-wide. Supported by numerous Embassies, Consulates, and cultural organizations, the festival will screen a thoughtfully curated selection of 31 international features, and 67 new Italian fi lms, premieres and shorts.

ICFF will not fall short on special events dedicated to all aspects of made in Italy, Italian culture, art and traditions adding to the memorable experience of our festival. ICFF will celebrate the best of Italian manufacturing through a night dedicated to the life and legacy of automotive business tycoon, Sergio Marchionne. Through four different remarkable events, ICFF Architettura and Design will celebrate the architectural feats of Italian architects and designers and their infl uence today from Olivetti to Renzo Piano.

As the long awaited return to the cinema has come to an end, ICFF hopes to renew the connections among communities and return to the feeling of the night at the movies. We wish each and every attendee whether on a couch in the Distillery or on a couch in their homes an enjoyable and memorable festival experience. We truly cannot contain our excitement of welcoming you all back and we hope to see you soon.