MTFF ORGANIZATION

MASSIMO TROISI FILM FESTIVAL

INTERNATIONAL FILM

AND THEATRE AWARD

RULES

Massimo Troisi Film Festival

Organizational Structure

Honorary President

Annamaria Troisi, Massimo Troisi’s elder sister, Annamaria shared with him an exceptionally close bond, built on deep affection, complicity and an almost maternal sense of care. She remained a discreet and constant presence throughout his life, preserving over the years the most intimate and authentic memory of him. Her presence embodies the importance of preserving and celebrating the cultural and artistic legacy of one of the most significant figures in Italian cinema.

Founder e Artistic Director

Stefano Veneruso, Italian director, screenwriter and producer working across film, theatre and multimedia, with an international career that has also been deeply committed to preserving and promoting the artistic legacy of his uncle, Massimo Troisi. His family has been active in the film industry for more than 40 years, earning international recognition including five Academy Award nominations, an Oscar and a BAFTA Award.

Stefano Veneruso is known for directing and producing All the Invisible Children, an anthology film created alongside internationally renowned directors including Ridley Scott, Spike Lee, Emir Kusturica and John Woo. Selected for the Venice International Film Festival, the film was distributed in more than 120 countries and is regarded as one of the most significant anthology films in international cinema.

Throughout his career, Veneruso has combined filmmaking with documentaries and cultural projects. His most recent works include Gli anni del padre, starring Massimo Bonetti, and Da domani mi alzo tardi, starring John Lynch and Gabriella Pession. Inspired by the life of Massimo Troisi, the latter was presented at prestigious institutional venues and selected for the Giffoni Film Festival. He also directed the documentary Il Postino – Uno sguardo dentro, dedicated to the iconic film Il Postino (The Postman).

In 2023, he published the book Massimo Troisi – Il mio verbo preferito è evitare, published by Rizzoli and winner of the Premio Charlot for Book of the Year. Veneruso also created the multimedia exhibition I volti di Massimo Troisi as part of the Procida Italian Capital of Culture programme and has brought several theatrical productions to the stage, including Troisi Poeta Massimo, Annunciazione Annunciazione! and Caravaggio – L’esilio di un uomo alla ricerca di Dio.

In the documentary field, he has directed works including Noi di Settembre, featuring Franco Califano and selected for the Rome Film Festival, and Cosa ne penso della Svizzera, featuring Giancarlo Giannini. He has also directed music videos for internationally acclaimed artists including Tina Turner and Elisa, and has collaborated twice with three-time Academy Award-winning cinematographer Vittorio Storaro.

Stefano Veneruso began his film career as an assistant director on Il Postino, for which he also directed an award-winning behind-the-scenes documentary.

After moving to Los Angeles in his early twenties, he studied filmmaking at UCLA and the AFI, where he directed his first short film, I’m Sophie and You?, which received several awards. He later worked as an assistant director on Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York and Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ.

Alongside his artistic career, Veneruso is actively involved in social and cultural initiatives. He has served as President of the Jury of the Premio Massimo Troisi and as Honorary President of the short film festival Corto ma non troppo!, featuring works made by filmmakers experiencing mental health challenges. Since 2009, he has been a member of ItalianAttori, a football team composed of actors and directors that promotes solidarity and social inclusion through sport.

General Director

Barbara Di Mattia, Italian-American producer, actress and screenwriter. She is the producer and screenwriter of the film Gli anni del padre (2025), starring Massimo Bonetti.

In collaboration with Rai Cinema, she produced Da domani mi alzo tardi, a film inspired by the life of Massimo Troisi and starring John Lynch and Gabriella Pession. Available on RaiPlay, the film features an original, previously unreleased song by Pino Daniele.

The world premiere took place at the prestigious MANN – National Archaeological Museum of Naples. The film was also screened at the Italian Parliament and Senate in the presence of senior institutional representatives. It was subsequently selected for the Giffoni Film Festival – Special Events and received the Premio Charlot – Speciale Cinema 2023.

Barbara also produced the contemporary art group exhibition I volti di Massimo Troisi at Palazzo D’Avalos as part of the Procida Italian Capital of Culture programme, where it received an enthusiastic response.

She produced the documentary Il Postino – Uno sguardo dentro (1994–2026). Previously, she produced both the multimedia exhibition and the theatrical production Troisi Poeta Massimo, in collaboration with Istituto Luce – Cinecittà. The production premiered at the Teatro dei Dioscuri al Quirinale in Rome, followed by performances at Cinema Anteo in Milan, Maschio Angioino and Castel dell’Ovo in Naples, receiving widespread acclaim. The production was also streamed from the Premio Massimo Troisi, where it achieved a sold-out audience.

With 30Miles Film, she also produced the show Annunciazione Annunciazione! in Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples, a tribute to Massimo Troisi marking the 40th anniversary of La Smorfia and featuring prominent personalities from the worlds of film and television.

She also produced the documentary Insanity (I danni dell’inverno).

Barbara began her career as an actress and model, appearing in television films and numerous advertising campaigns for international brands including Nutella, Barilla, Mulino Bianco, Bialetti and Johnson.

General Supervisor

Raffaele Veneruso, General production manager and executive producer with an extensive professional career in the film industry. He is distinguished by his exceptional organizational skills, developed through decades of hands-on experience, and by his comprehensive understanding of the different roles within a film crew.

His expertise enables him to identify production requirements with accuracy and efficiency and to implement fast, intuitive solutions while optimizing both time and resources. His professional skills also encompass financial management, contracts and budgeting, technical script analysis and production scheduling, as well as supervision of audio and video production, editing and post-production.

He has worked on more than 100 film and television productions, including Il piccolo Diavolo, Il caso Moro, Padre Pio, Ci sta ancora la valigia sul letto, Massimo, il mio cinema secondo me, Donna per amico, Nassiriya, Christopher Roth and All the Invisible Children, as well as Massimo Troisi’s entire filmography through to Il Postino.

Throughout his career, he has worked alongside leading producers, writers and directors including Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, Massimo Troisi, Roberto Benigni, Franco Zeffirelli, Spike Lee, Ridley Scott, John Woo and Emir Kusturica, among many others.

He was also among the first professionals to collaborate with Italy’s newly established regional Film Commissions, making a substantial contribution to their start-up phase, particularly in the regions of Piedmont and Apulia.

In recent years, alongside major productions, he has dedicated part of his professional activity to supporting emerging cinema, working with young producers and directors and sharing his extensive experience and expertise through consultancy and technical training.

Commmunication e marketing

Fabio Gentiluomo Communications and content professional responsible for the official Massimo Troisi social media channels. Since 2019, he has also served as Assistant Director of the theatrical production Troisi Poeta Massimo.

Programmazione e ricerca film

Martino Mangiacapra, Active in film directing, screenwriting and production, with experience in both Italian and international productions as well as in public funding for film production and distribution.

Digital Coordination e Graphic Design

Aldo Boccolari A professional with more than 30 years of experience in film editing, motion graphics and photography. For over 20 years, he has worked as an editor and technical and artistic consultant for 30Miles Film.

Press Office

Serena Trivelloni Journalist and film critic with experience in press office management as well as political and institutional communications. She has organized and moderated conferences and events dedicated to cinema and to the artistic legacy of Massimo Troisi.