Chilean actor Alfredo Castro received the International Starlight Cinema Award in the context of the Venice Film Festival, becoming the first Latin American to receive this award. Granted by Italy’s circle of women journalists, the award is presented to figures of the film industry in Italy and around the world, and seeks to place value on cinematographic talent.
After participating in a brief ceremony, Castro dedicated his award to Pablo Larrain and to all those who work in the film industry. He also thanked CinemaChile for their efforts. “I’m very moved, it’s an award granted by the Venice Film Festival’s academy of female journalists. It has been a great honor, and I want to dedicate it to Pablo Larrain, who was my teacher, who taught me how this trade was done,” said Castro. He also used the opportunity to ask for the restitution of government financing funds that were taken away from the film industry, explaining that Chilean film “has been an incredible ambassador in our country and should continue to be.”
The award was created in 2014 with the objective of lending support to film talents from all over the world: actors and actresses, directors, producers, as well as film critics and journalist. The winners are chosen for being people who are capable of representing different cultures and diverse ways of conveying stories and characters.
Over the past few years, recipients of this award include personalities such as Paz Vega, Al Pacino, Andrea Pallaoro, Matteo Garrone, Lina Wertmuller, Malgorzata Szumowska, Claudio Santamaria Lou Castel, Milena Mancini, Donatella Finocchiaro, Giancarlo Giannini, Vinicio Marchioni, Alice Rohrwacher, Barbora Bobulova, Anita Caprioli, Isabella Ferrari, Anna Foglietta, Greta Scarano, and Susanna Nicchiarelli.
The award is backed by the Journalists and Film Critics’ Academy: Alessandra De Luca, Titta Fiore, Alessandra Magliaro, Cristiana Paternò, Marta Perego, Angela Prudenzi, and Barbara Righini. The Starlight Cinema Award, which has also been present at other Italian festivals since 2015, is produced by Starlight Movie Production with the involvement of Allstar and Swarovski and the support of Eilat Diamonds, Endero, Mygufo, and Skin Up. It is organized by Cristina Scognamillo and Giuseppe Zaccaria.
