By Kirsten Grieshaber
BERLIN (AP) --The director of "Fire at Sea" – a documentary about the Italian island of Lampedusa, where thousands of asylum-seekers have been arriving from lawless Libya – says he wanted "to show the tragedy that's playing out in front of our eyes … We're all responsible."
Director Gianfranco Rosi spoke after the film was screened Saturday at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it is one of two documentaries in competition for the prestigious Golden Bear award.
The Italian director contrasts the native islanders' everyday life with the arrival of the many men, women and children making the dangerous trip from Africa across the Mediterranean Sea on decrepit smugglers' boats. Longing for freedom and prosperity, many of the migrants drown on the perilous passage to Europe, their dead bodies often pulled out of the water in Lampedusa.
Rosi brings the viewer closer to the emotional world of some of the island's inhabitants, who are exposed to a permanent state of emergency. He also shows the dead bodies of those who did not survive the journey to Europe.
"This may be one of the biggest tragedies after the Holocaust that we are currently witnessing," Rosi said.
One of the film's protagonists, Pietro Bartolo, told the audience that he's been dealing with arriving refugees since they first started coming in the 1990s.
"I've seen many dead children. I've seen many dead women, who had been raped … and that always leaves a hole in my stomach," Bartolo said. "It's horrible to remember this and often I'm haunted by nightmares."
He said he hoped that through the witness accounts in the documentary people with more power than him would do something to solve this "biggest contemporary problem of Europe."
A seven-member jury led by first-time festival jury chief Meryl Streep will announce the winners of the festival's Golden Bear and various Silver Bear awards on Feb. 20.
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakers’ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including “Death of Mr. Peanut.” He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose “First Kid. Second Kid” campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. He’s gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. He’s accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
“Mike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,” said Goldberg. “Mike’s got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. He’s got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what we’re about.”
“I’ve... Read More