CULTURED FOCUS MAGAZINE TO PRESENT ANNUAL AWARDS AND DIVERSITY IN FILM SYMPOSIUM DURING 79th VENICE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

NEW YORK and VENICE, Italy, Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cultured Focus Magazine will hold its annual star-studded Cultured Focus Awards Ceremony and Diversity in Film Symposium at 2:30 pm at Hotel Danieli, Venice, Italy, on Monday, September 5, 2022.

The Italian actor Pino Calabrese will receive the Cultured Focus Lifetime Achievement Award to celebrate an illuminating career of 50 years in theater, film and television.  Mr. Calabrese began his artistic career in 1972, first working in theater with actors and directors such as Massimo Troisi, Gigi Proietti, Enrico Montesano, Pippo Delbono and many others, passing from cabaret to dramatic theater, from musicals to comedies, to theater productions with a social and political perspective.

In the cinema he made his debut in 1983 with Valerio Zecca, subsequently working with Italian and international directors such as Pappi Corsicato, Roberto Faenza, Daniele Vicari, Giuseppe Tornatore, Pupi Avati, Mario Martone, Paolo Sorrentino, Goran Paskaljević, Alicia Scherson, Bruno Saglia. On television he took part in productions such as "RIS - Crimes Imperfect," "Incantesimo," "A Doctor in the Family," "People of the Sea," "Police District" and "I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone."  For several years he has dedicated himself to civil theater, staging "The Shadow of Aldo Moro" and "Tortora, a Simple Story," and performances in the form of reading by Patrizio J. Macci.  For his performance in the 2018 film "Breaths" Pino Calabrese was awarded at the Sorrento Film Festival 2019. 

The Excellence in Film award will be presented to Oscar and Emmy-Nominated Director and Producer Evgeny Afineevsky known for his highly acclaimed documentary films such as "Winter on Fire," "Cries from Syria" and "Francesco," on the life and teachings of Pope Francis. Afineevsky's highly anticipated "Freedom on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom" will premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival. Afineevsky is a master at his craft telling untold stories of war, the fight for freedom and dignity through the personal stories of ordinary people.

Noted Italian actress and film director Daphne Di Cinto will receive the Cultured Focus Visionary in Film Award.  An Actors Studio Drama School alumnus, she has played the Duchess of Hastings in the Netflix series Bridgerton. Di Cinto is the screenwriter, director, and producer of the short film "IL MORO" (THE MOOR), which will be screened during the program.  Since its premiere, "IL MORO" has received great recognition and success. Named the winner of Best Italian Short Film at Fabrique du Cinéma Awards in late 2021, the short film went on to win Best Short Film at the 2022 Integrazione Film Festival in Bergamo, Italy, Italian Black Movie Awards 2022, Madrid Film Awards 2022 and Best Director of a Foreign Short Film at the Madrid International Film Festival 2022. "IL MORO" also screened as part of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival's "Short Film Corner." Di Cinto's deep understanding and connection to the historical material has seen her praised for her 'precise and conscious directorial style'.

The Cultured Focus Innovation in Film Award will be presented to new media artist Ainslee Alem Robson for her stunning contributions to emerging entertainment technologies. Robson previously won Special Jury Prize for Ferenj: A Graphic Memoir in VR from the New Images Festival in Paris. The film was also an official selection at the 2020 Kaohsiung, SXSW, and Tribeca Film Festivals. For Robson's latest project "KANDAKA", she received the honor of being selected as one of 16 immersive projects from around the world that will participate in the 9th edition of the Venice Gap-Financing Market organized as part of the Venice Production Bridge to take place during the 79th Venice International Film Festival.

The awards presentation will be held in conjunction with the Cultured Focus Symposium on Diversity in Film moderated by award-winning actress and writer Francesca Van Horne. Journalist Ekaterina Shevliakova will be the master of ceremonies.
Film producer Taylor Re Lynn is hosting the event.

Cultured Focus is an entertainment news magazine that provides the latest in arts and culture within the United States and globally. Since its creation in 2016, the magazine has interviewed the best talent from around the world, from A-list celebrities to business leaders and others making a positive impact.

Media contact:

Nikoleta Morales
Email: info@culturedfocusmagazine.com

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