Cinemambulante

From 10 to 21 June 2025, La Guarimba hosted its eleventh edition of Kino Guarimba, a film training program for filmmakers from all around the world. Filmmakers arrived in Amantea, Calabria, to begin this journey of artistic collaboration and exchange. This year’s Kino was made possible through the partnership with CinemAmbulante, Caribe Atómico Film Festival (Venezuela), Khoros Film Festival (Gambia), Proimágenes Colombia and MyAirBridge.

On June 10th, 49 filmmakers arrived from 5 continents and 23 different countries to participate in a 12 day film residency to conceive, shoot and edit their short films.

Kino Guarimba offers professional training workshops, exposure to cultural events, and encourages collaboration between the filmmakers as well as the locals of Amantea.

The first days of the Kino are organised to facilitate connection amongst the participants and to familiarise them with the town of Amantea and its rich history and culture.

On the first day of Kino, the participants arrived all throughout the day and were given the new edition of the Kino Tote bag: Eat the Rich. In it, were typical Calabrian products from our sponsors including Amarelli liquorice, stuffed figs from Fichi Marano and artisanal pistachio cream from Bar Sicoli. Moleskine Foundation also supported the residency through gifting us notebooks for each participant to use during the residency. On each notebook, we placed a Kino Guarimba sticker.

After they were taken to one of the fifteen apartments we rented for the residents, they had the opportunity to explore the town and explore the beach during the day and at 20:30 the Meet & Greet Dinner began in Il Terrenito. Here all the participants had the chance to mingle and officially meet their fellow filmmakers. The dinner was kindly provided by Giancarlo Suriano, a caterer who sources his ingredients locally in Calabria. The dinner was paired with red wine made from the grapes of Nonna Saveria.

Day two of the Kino began with breakfast at Lido Azzurro, followed by a speed dating exercise among the participants. In the two rounds of the speed dating, the young professionals had one minute to talk to each other. This was an exercise in honing their pitching skills and a chance to explore ideas with one another. The day continued with lunch at Cantina Amarcord 1985 to taste traditional Calabrian cuisine and wines, and to facilitate conversation and connection with one another.

In the evening, director Giulio Vita took the participants on a tour of Amantea, through the historical city center and to the ancient ruins at the mountain top. This gave the participants the opportunity to scout locations for their films.

After this small hike in the Calabrian afternoon sun, the tour ended at Bar Sicoli for their famous pistachio gelato.

Day four began and ended with masterclasses taught by industry professionals and our residency tutors. All four masterclasses were attended by all 49 filmmakers. The first two were taught at Lido Azzurro, and the second two in the conference room of La Piccola Biblioteca di Amantea, opened in August 2024.

It began with ‘How to Organize a Kino Production” by residency tutor Oscar Peña González, Spanish cinematographer with onset experience in Spain Italy and Latin America. Here, Oscar explained how to best organise a small production team and tips on managing actors, locations and production plans.

This was followed by ‘Live Sound Recording’ by Estonian Foley artist Anna-Maria Jams. Not only did she share her expertise on sound recording, but as an Kino alumni she brought a unique perspective to her masterclass, having been in the same position as the participants just nine months before. Anna-Maria gave an overview on how to properly use the sound equipment, record ambient sounds and dialogue to create a successful soundscape for a film.

In the afternoon, director and editor Fortunato Valente gave a masterclass on “The Basics of Editing” to teach curious filmmakers more about editing. This gave new editors the confidence to practice this new skill and experiment further with the elements of post-production.

Anna-Maria gave a second masterclass on “Post Productions of Sound”. First she gave a brief overview of the sound equipment and tips on naming sound files to stay organised throughout production. Then she outlined how to edit dialogue, incorporate Atmos or background noise, music and Foley in the post-production of sound.

To break up the information density of the masterclasses, there was also a popular casting call where aspiring local actors, aged 2 to 71, had the opportunity to introduce themselves and present a skill in front of the directors. Some actors recited monologues while others showcased their musical talents. The importance of the popular casting is twofold: it opens the door to working on a film set and meeting international filmmakers, and for the filmmakers, it gives them another opportunity to deepen their connections with the people of Amantea and its culture.

The 13th of June was the last day of scheduled Kino activities before the residents began filming. Everyone met at La Piccola Biblioteca di Amantea for coffee provided by Guglielmo and cornettos from Bar Caruso before pitching their film ideas.

Each filmmaker gave a brief synopsis of their film, its genre, their role, the roles they still need filled and how many days of shooting would be required. Here 37 of the 49 filmmakers pitched their own ideas or ideas they collaborated on with others, with a total of 39 pitched ideas.

In the early evening, Amantea celebrated the festival of St Antonio da Padova with a mass and a procession through the whole of Amantea. The participants were invited to participate in the procession to get a taste of Italian religious traditions, as well as have the opportunity to record impactful video footage and record sound. The procession ended in the historic city center with an open air festival with small rides, food trucks and a main stage for music performances.

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Procesion_083_Kino June 2024_Sergio G Durre

THE FILMING PROCESS

From the 13th of June to the 20th, the young professionals began shooting their projects. Following the philosophy of the Kino method, we did not interfere with this process, encouraging them to form teams themselves for their projects, and letting collaborations arise organically and spontaneously.

Kino Guarimba provided basic sound recording equipment, lights, reflectors and tripods to be shared amongst all 49 participants. Oscar and Anna-Maria provided additional guidance to the filmmakers about the equipment they would need for each shoot and how to best use it for the scenes they had in mind.

The filmmakers shot their films all throughout Amantea. In the historic center, at the tower ruins, the beach and in their homes for indoor scenes.

THE FINAL SCREENING

After 12 days of collaboration, shooting their films, and editing, Kino Guarimba ended with a screening of all ___ films that were submitted. Prior to the screening, a masterclass on “Film Distribution” was taught by Giulio Vita and in collaboration with Caribe Atómico Film Festival in Venezuela. In addition, participant Lu Fraga from Uruguay gave a talk about the film residencies she helps organise throughout South America with Cinemarea.

The films were screened in Il Terrenito in Amantea on 21 June, where all the participants, actors and locals were invited to come watch.

The final screening was attended by ___ people.

THE PARTICIPANTS

Forty-nine participants came from all over the world, forming a diverse group of filmmakers. From five continents, all different ages and backgrounds, each participant brings a unique perspective to the whole group, united by their desire to share their knowledge, collaborate and create together.

In order to have a wider reach for our film festival, we carried out promotional work through multiple channels. We successfully requested for Kino Guarimba to be promoted in their newsletters to students. In addition, we were guests at UCLA in Los Angeles, Universidad de Antioquia and Universidad Catolica Luis Amigó in Medellin to meet with students and discuss the Kino. At festival markets such as Clermont-Ferrand, Winterthur and Encounters we organised appointments with representatives of film institutes around the world to discuss our project and our mission. Lastly, social media was an important tool for promoting Kino Guarimba in collaboration with our partners.

In the end we had 49 filmmakers from 23 different countries: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Finland, France, the Gambia, Germany, Guatemala, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, South Korea, Spain, the UK, Ukraine, Uruguay, the USA and Venezuela.

This year we hosted our first artist from the Gambia, thanks to the scholarship program we created in partnership with Khoros Film Festival. In addition, we hosted two Colombians made possible by our partnership with Proimágenes.

This year we had an overwhelming majority of women filmmakers, at 70% to 30% men.

The average age of the participants was 28 years, with a median of 25 years. The most represented age range was 18-24 years old with 19 people, 15 people between the ages of 25-30, 5 people at 30-35 and 7 people above 35 years old. In terms of age, this has been one of our most diverse groups so far.

During the selection process, we also consider the candidates profiles and roles. From young students, just beginning their career, to professional filmmakers, each person was chosen for the knowledge they could bring to the group. This Kino provides the opportunity for new filmmakers to make their first steps within the industry, and acts as a respite for those already working in the industry, allowing them to experience a community where they can immerse themselves in the creative process.

Filmmakers make up a significant percentage of the participants, but the residency’s training activities allowed everyone to experience different roles.

THE SCHOLARSHIPS

The Gambia’s Khoros Film Festival premiered the first edition of the film festival in 2023. The aim of Khoros is to empower the filmmakers of the Gambia, by creating cultural and artistic exposure with the film festival held every November and to provide acting, cinematography, production and screenwriting workshops for local filmmakers and storytellers. This year, Kino Guarimba is proud to announce its partnership with Khoros Film Festival through a full scholarship program that will be provided each year. Khoro’s technical coordinator, Sinou Gomez, is the first Gambian to attend Kino Guarimba, and it is also his first time in Italy. This collaboration is opening the doors to an exciting new chapter for our residency program to collaborate with Gambian artists and the opportunity for meaningful cultural exchange.

Proimágenes Colombia is the film fund of Colombia, a non-profit educational and cultural organisation aimed at promoting and preserving Colombia’s rich history of moving images. Kino Guarimba is one of many film residencies around the world where Porimágenes has partnered with to provide full reimbursement of residency and travel costs to Colombian filmmakers. This year we have two fantastic Colombian filmmakers attending the Kino, one of which has a film that was selected for La Guarimba International Film Festival this August.

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Kino Guarimba is a living project in which each edition we learn something new. It is a process of trial and error, and we aim to develop the program so that each edition is better than the last. We also aim to understand the impact of the project on the participants and the local community of Amantea.

For this reason we collect both qualitative and quantitative data through questionnaires, forms and observation. For the international artists, we look at the educational impact of the residency. For the people and community of Amantea, we look at the social, cultural and economic impacts.

THE EDUCATIONAL IMPACT ON THE PARTICIPANTS

This film residency follows the pedagogical methods as laid out by Non-Formal Education, Cooperative Learning and the Montessori School. These twelve days of conceiving, shooting and editing films are a compact and intensive learning journey. Therefore these teaching methods are used as they encourage collaboration, sharing resources and spaces, and it gives them freedom and agency over the creative process.

In the selection process, we aim to choose applicants with diverse artistic profiles, from directors, cinematographers, foley artists to editors. Each applicant has a different motivation for applying. Some want to try their hand at a new role, or practice a new skill, and Kino Guarimba provides the perfect opportunity for this creative experimentation. We choose applicants that are all in different points of their lives and their careers. Some are just beginning their studies or starting their career in film, some are seeking to reinvigorate their creative side, and others are looking for a respite from the demanding routine of a nine-to-five job. In Amantea, the participants have the chance to explore and reflect on their creative sides.

Before the filmmakers begin with their creative collaboration, we organise events for them to meet and socialise. From the meet and greet dinner, to their shared housing, this is key for making connections and establishing bonds with one another. Although some may have varying, and sometimes opposing, points of view we encourage the participants to open a dialogue and try to understand one another.

The focus of this film residency is on the process rather than the outcome. The goal is for the participants to take advantage of this opportunity to experiment, try out different roles and to allow their creativity to emerge. Making mistakes and learning from them is integral to this process, and we encourage the participants not to look at failure as a negative, but as an opportunity for learning and reflection.

THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY

THE ECONIMIC IMPACT ON THE TERRITORY

The budget for the ninth edition of the Kino Guarimba was €60,000, invested in the area with the purchase of locally produced gadgets, the organization of dinner and lunch for participants, the rental of apartments for 60 people and 12 nights, compensation for the Calabrian project collaborators from Reggio Calabria, Amantea and Vibo Valentia and, all meals for the team, materials used for the execution of the events, and general office expenses.

In addition to the direct induced impact, we estimated the indirect impact of the residency on the economic fabric of Amantea through a survey we sent to participants at the end of the residency. This impact is even more visible in the context of Amantea during the month of June, still far from the massive presence of tourists as in the months of August, but with beach facilities and tourism-related activities already in operation. During the days of the residency, we saw participants filling spaces such as Lido Azzurro, to work during the day and have lunch, or pubs such as Cantina Amarcord, to get together after they finished filming and drink together. The Latin American restaurant Caracas Bistrot, which had organized a dinner event with Venezuelan chef Sumito Estevez, filled 20 seats during the evening with only Kino participants.

The survey allowed us to estimate the average spending of each guest participant during the twelve-day stay, referring to the purchase of food, drinks, and other expenses such as souvenirs and props within Amantea businesses. The result was an average expenditure of €400 per participant over the twelve-day period, bringing a total impact of €20,000.

The project is capable of generating important multiplier effects for the area, that is, revenue generated beyond the event itself. These effects have proven to be able to strengthen the image of the area, attract sustainable tourism and new investment, becoming as an example of experiential storytelling of an authentic Calabria, different from the consumerist approach of traditional beach tourism, and capable of telling and rediscovering the traditions, history and culture of an area with so much to offer.