Marketing guru Tiziana Rocca, who has close Hollywood ties and is a festivals specialist, has been appointed artistic director of Italy’s Taormina Film Festival in a move that brings her back at the helm of the storied Sicilian event that has had its ups and downs over the years.
Rocca will heading Taormina once again eight years after she was forced to step down due to political infighting in 2017 following a solid five year stint. At that time Rocca lost a legal battle to stay on board as the fest’s chief after she claimed that her company Agnus Dei had been unfairly left out of the pitching competition for a new mandate to run the event.
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In the eight year interim since Rocca was ousted Taormina has seen several upheavals and struggled to find its footing amid a succession of different artistic directors, including former Venice chief Marco Mueller who was hired to take the reins late in the game last year.
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“It is with great emotion and a sense of deep gratitude that I return to the role of artistic director of this festival which has always had a special place in my heart,” Rocca said in a statement.
“After an eight year absence, I feel strongly motivated and stimulated to contribute – with renewed energy and timeless passion – to the growth and evolution of this event which has been celebrating the magic of cinema for 71 years,” Rocca added. “Taormina, with its history, its exceptional beauty and its vibrant culture, is the ideal stage for creating and telling unique stories,” she went on to note.
Held since the mid-1950s in the Sicilian resort known to U.S. audiences as the location of “The White Lotus” Season 2, the summer fest boasts an 8,000-seat open-air ancient Greek amphitheater in the shadow of Sicily’s active Mt. Etna volcano. Guests have included Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Steven Spielberg, Federico Fellini, Pedro Almodovar and Tom Cruise.
The 71st edition of the Taormina Film Festival will run June 10-14
