Five Day Festival Runs September 27 – October 1
SUGAR LAND, TX (9-12-17) – Picture scenic hillsides bathed in golden sun, vines bursting with grapes, a rich history gilded with romance and world renowned art, and you are living and breathing Italy! You may partake of all that Italy has to offer at Umbria in Sugar Land, a multi-day Italian Film Festival which will be held in Sugar Land, Texas September 27 through October 1 and will feature private and public screenings of seven award-winning, sub-titled films from the 2016 international film festival in Spello, Italy.
Hosted by the City of Sugar Land and the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Festival del Cinema Citta di Spello ed i Borghi Umbri, the region of Umbria and the city of Spello, the five day festival will mark the first collaborative partnership between Sugar Land and its new transatlantic partner, Spello. The event will highlight the many cultural offerings of the Umbrian region of Italy including its food, wine, and art, in addition to the spotlight on its culture of cinema.
Umbria in Sugar Land will officially begin on Wednesday, September 27 with an Opening Ceremony and Proclamation from city officials and visiting dignitaries representing Spello and the Umbrian region of Italy at the historic Sugar Land Auditorium and the presentation of the inaugural 2017 Umbria in Sugar Land Cinematic Awards. Milan native Max Leonida, acclaimed Los Angeles based film director, writer and producer, will present a series of awards to four films which have been juried by experts in the film industry in the categories of Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Photography.
Festival events will include private and public film screenings, pre-screening Aperitivos (receptions) featuring Italian wines, beers and regional culinary fare, an art exhibit showcasing photography, painting and hand-crafted jewelry from artists in the Umbrian region of Italy, and an educational seminar entitled “Framing Italian Cinema” featuring experts in the film industry from all over the world.
The idea to host the festival was birthed in 2016 when Sugar Land resident and Italian native Tiziana Triolo approached the city and offered to bring components of the festival to the area in order to provide a cultural film experience for the Sugar Land community. A contingent of county and city officials met with their Italian counterparts and the decision was made to host the festival and utilize it as a catalyst in creating a mutually beneficial, ongoing, cultural, economic and educational collaborative partnership between the regions of Fort Bend County and Umbria and the cities of Sugar Land and Spello.
Lindsay Davis, Cultural Arts Manager for the City of Sugar Land summed it up this way, “Bringing the film festival to Sugar Land is a wonderful opportunity to highlight the important role that cultural arts plays in our community. We are fortunate to have city leaders very committed to further expanding the city’s cultural footprint through additional exhibits, festivals and seminars in order to provide a rich, ongoing cultural experience for our residents and attract visitors from across the state.”
A full schedule of film screenings, events and ticketing information for Umbria in Sugar Land may be found at www.umbriainsugarland.com.
About Visit Sugar Land Convention & Visitor Services
With a vibrant mix of history, performing arts, sports, shopping, dining and accommodations both luxurious and affordable, Sugar Land is a destination more cosmopolitan than cities many times its size. Every day, every weekend, there is always a new event to enjoy, a new green space to discover and a new experience to remember. Just a few minutes away from the largest city in the Lone Star State, Sugar Land’s culture, amenities and attractions are uniquely its own. Plan your visit to Sugar Land, and experience Texas a little differently from what you might expect. To learn more, visit www.VisitSugarLandTX.com.
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