Friday June 19th
Festival Opening
Location: Aragonese Castle, Otranto
The presentation of the Festival, its exhibitions, and its events. Featuring Francesco Bruni (Mayor of Otranto), Cristina De Benedetto (Councillor for Tourism), Raffaele Vertaldi (Artistic Director), Andrea Sparro (Fuori Fase APS), along with several artists from this third edition: Max Cavallari, Angelo Leonardo, Giulia Mangione, Luca Marianaccio, and Antilla Fürst (WeWorld).
OpeningMediterraneo burrascoso – Talk
Location: Castello Aragonese di Otranto
From the search and rescue missions of the vessel Humanity 1 in the Mediterranean, to the humanitarian intervention and stories of daily resistance and vital normalcy in the Gaza Strip. A dialogue on the visual impact and the value of photojournalism and visual arts in crisis contexts. During the talk, the multimedia video “Acquaintance - Search and Rescue in the Mediterranean Sea” (7 min.) by Max Cavallari will be screened. Featuring Max Cavallari (Acquaintance) and Antilla Fürst (WeWorld), moderated by journalist Lara Gigante.
TalkEveryday in Gaza – Screening
Location: Aragonese Castle, Otranto
The short film Everyday in Gaza, produced by WeWorld, directed by Omar Rammal with footage by Soleiman Hejji, filmed between April and May 2025. The short film is the winner of the Nastro d’Argento and the 2026 David di Donatello awards. WeWorld has been working in Palestine for over thirty years through humanitarian aid and development projects, and has continued its operations in the Gaza Strip during the nearly 1000 days of the ongoing war on Gaza.
Special ScreeningSaturday June 20th
Guided Tour of the Exhibitions
Location: Otranto
Artistic Director Raffaele Vertaldi will lead the public through the exhibitions selected for the third edition of FASE, joined by the artists and festival organizers. A journey to discover Bridges over troubled waters, exploring the research, meanings, and artistic and cultural values behind each work. A walk from the Castle moat to the waterfront, open to the public. Featuring Raffaele Vertaldi (FASE Artistic Director) and the attending artists.
TourTalk Oltre il visibile: territori, comunità, ignoto
Location: Palazzo de Mori
A two-part journey suspended between reality and the unknown. The talk first explores the connections, identity, and active participation of youth in the outskirts of Milan with Angelo Leonardo and Arianna Biguzzi. It then moves toward the exploration of other worlds and dimensions, examining the need for protection within American survivalist communities and the investigation of extraterrestrial phenomena in Italy with Giulia Mangione and Luca Marianaccio. The event will be accompanied by an aperitif offered by Cursano. Featuring Angelo Leonardo (Le monde ou rien), Arianna Biguzzi (WeWorld), Giulia Mangione (The Fall), and Luca Marianaccio (LORO), moderated by journalist Alessandra Lupo.
TalkSunday June 21st
Workshop con Salento Death Valley
Location: Otranto
Cosa trasforma una semplice fotografia in un’immagine che resta impressa? Non è una questione di attrezzatura all’ultimo grido, ma di sguardo, visione e identità. Un’esperienza immersiva con Gabriele Albergo, in arte Salento Death Valley. Un workshop pensato per approfondire la visione dell’artista esplorando il contrasto, la luce e la narrazione visiva del territorio, alternando teoria, pratica sul campo e confronto collettivo. Iscriviti qui>.
WorkshopTalk “Radici sospese e tracce di futuro”
Location: Community Library Le Fabbriche
The authors of Loro non tornarono più a terra share the field research that led to the creation of their project, developed in Tunisia with the support of WeWorld. They will engage in a dialogue about the metaphorical "sleep" of a suspended generation, which transforms into social redemption, industriousness, and deep resilience. Featuring Matteo Montenero and Nicolò Nastasia (Loro non tornarono più a terra), moderated by Marina Piconese (President of the Otranto Club for UNESCO).
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