La Ricerca wins the Grand Prize at the 42nd edition of “Le FIFA” – Festival International du Film sur l’Art, in Montreal, Canada (March 14 – 24, 2024). The documentary featuring Luigi Lineri has won the main prize at the world’s largest festival dedicated to art films.
Here are the motivations of the jury, composed of Mireia Gubern Badia (director of CaixaForum), Layane Chawaf (director of the Cinema division at the Arab World Institute), Silvia De Felice (head of the Art project for Rai Cultura), Edward Humprey (CEO of Marquee TV), Bruno Dequen (editor-in-chief of 24 images): “At once modest and surprisingly wide-ranging, this film opens as a portrait of a man with a strange passion of a man with a strange passion. Step by step, the anecdotal subtly gives way to a profound on the world, the history of humanity and the very notion of art. For his ability to explore all the facets, both aesthetic and philosophical, of an obsession obsession that is transformed — or not — into an artistic project.”
I thank the jury and the festival organization for this important recognition. I share the joy and credit for this achievement with all the people who contributed to the making of this work, starting with Luigi Lineri and his family. La Ricerca speaks about the origins of humanity, the birth of art, and the complex relationship between humans and the ecosystem: I believe that reflecting on these themes can help us see humanity as one big family, capable of incredible feats, in this beautiful and sometimes cruel collective adventure that is life. The best thing we can do is support each other, recognizing each other’s struggles, abandoning hatred and divisions. This is one of the messages of peace and hope present in the film, and especially in these dark times of enormous uncertainty for the future, I believe it is important to share this worldview.