Italia Mia 2022

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The Consulate General of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute in Hong Kong and Macao present the fourth edition of Italia Mia, an annual initiative to promote Italian culture, language, art and lifestyle, through a number of projects and activities, which are scheduled to take place in Hong Kong from October the 20th to December the 31st 2022. The Festival relies on the special partnership with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao and on the full involvement of public and private bodies such as the Italian Trade Commission in Hong Kong, Societa’ Dante Alighieri, the Italian Women Association, the Italian Library, Accademia Italiana della Cucina and the Knights of Alba. Italia Mia also relies on the support of prominent Hong Kong Institutions, Associations and private companies.

The 2022 edition contributes to the wide spectrum of activities organised in the framework of the Italy-China Year of Culture and Tourism. More than 40 events covering cinema, art, music, Italian language, books, design, food and fashion trends, are included in the programme. Living the Italian Way: Arte. Lifestyle. Gastronomia (20-23 Oct), a four-day pop- up fair organised by The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong & Macao, will be the official opening of the Festival dedicated to the Italian way of life. Additional highlights include two comprehensive retrospectives of film masters Lina Wertmüller and Pier Paolo Pasolini, an evening concert with classical veterans Rachel Cheung & Gian Paolo Peloso, and dinners with seasonal truffles and Italian wines specifically referred to culinary traditions of Italian Regions. Through its activities, the Festival aims as well at promoting cross cutting themes, such as sustainability, with specific support to the candidacy of the city Rome to host the 2030 Expo exhibition.

Carmelo Ficarra, the newly arrived Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong, comments, “I am honoured to start my duties in Hong Kong as the new Consul General of Italy supporting the fourth edition of the Italia Mia Festival. The Festival counts on the crucial commitment of public institutions and of the private sector, both Italian and local, as well as the continuous and strong coordination among different organisers in various fields. I wish visitors will all enjoy the 2022 edition of the Festival as much as we enjoyed organising it.”

Commenting on a variety of cultural programmes this year, Stefano Fossati, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute, says, “It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to Italia Mia, the annual celebration of the colourful Italian culture, returning again this year with an enriched programme thanks to the support of various local cultural organisations. Please explore the programmes in person and stay tuned to our website about surprise line-ups throughout the festival.”

Key programmes include:
● On Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 100th anniversary, we present a series of screenings of the documentaries and films by Pasolini, co-organised with the Hong Kong Arts Centre and the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society; The Other Side of Dolce Vita, an art exhibition at Novalis Art and Design; as well as a book collection display at Eslite
Bookstore. Pasolini is widely recognised as one of the most defining public intellectuals of 20th century;

● To honour the late Lina Wertmüller, the subversive Italian film-maker and the first female director ever to be nominated for an Oscar, we present a comprehensive film retrospective at the Hong Kong Arts Centre;

● Music lovers will find their surprises in a selection of classical performances, led by renowned violinist Gian Paolo Peloso and internationally acclaimed pianist Rachael Cheung. For a contemporary twist, join Maggio for an online rap music performance.

● Two contemporary films examine the fibres of society like their predecessors. Clashes of Civilization over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio (2010) is a social satire and murder mystery adapted from the eponymous novel by Algerian writer Amara Lakhous; Alberto Gerosa’s Dea (2021) collaborated with foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong
who have been victims of domestic violence.

● For a family day-out, do not miss the Children’s Concert: Marco Polo and the Sounds of Carnival by Musicus Society. Imagine Marco Polo returning to Italy from his travels to China and bringing Chinese musical instruments with him! The special interactive musical show involves live acting, features fun characters from Italy, and will be sure to delight all ages.

● Gallery goers will be delighted by the exhibition of budding Italian contemporary female artists Ilenia Arosio and Grossi Maglioni at the Duddell’s Central; and KC100 Art Space’s photo exhibition of Antonio Biagiotti. More to come.

● Gastronomy lovers should check out this year’s Vino Condiviso, featuring 70 Italian Alpine wines.
The sit-down tasting will feature hidden gems from Valle d’Aosta, Alto Piemonte, Lombardia and Trentino-Alto Adige. In addition, the 3.5-hour event will present a 4-course lunch filled with classic Alpine dishes.

● The Italian Trade Commission will organise, in collaboration with Dante Alighieri Society, a series of Italian language courses focusing on the world of Italian wine and dine culture. There will be 2 courses for the general public: from raising a toast to reading Italian wine labels, this course is fully packed with interesting insights into Italian wine culture and is suitable for wine lovers. Through fun games and activities led by expert teachers, participants will learn the correct pronunciation, all the essential wine related vocabulary and expressions.

● The 86th Chapter of the Hong Kong Delegation of the Order of the Knights of the Truffle and Wines of Alba will host the Knights of Alba Hong Kong–White Truffle Gala Dinner. It will be a chance to taste iconic wines from the Piemonte region and indulge in the “diamonds of the table,” the legendary White Truffles of Alba!

● The Italian Food Market: Puglia & Piedmont, will be held at various city’super outlets from 1 to 24 November 2022, featuring artisanal food & wine stalls. The one-stop festival of Italian delicacies is based at city’super, with specially selected gourmet produce promoted across the brand’s four gastro-markets in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, ifc mall, Central, Times Square, Causeway Bay, New Town Plaza, Sha Tin and E- Shop.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Italia Mia is a non-profit partnership between the Consulate General of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute in Hong Kong and Macao with a selected number of partners whose goal is to promote Italian culture, language, art, lifestyle, design and culinary traditions in Hong Kong. Events are supported by public and private entities, Italian and local, such as the Italian Trade Commission and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao. The first edition of the Festival took place in 2019 and it presented numerous primary events, including the show “Leonardo da Vinci: Art & Science, Then & Now”, exhibiting 12 original drawings by Leonardo da Vinci. In 2020, Italia Mia celebrated the famous painter Sandro Botticelli with the exhibition “Botticelli and His Times—Masterpieces from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence” and the great director Federico Fellini with a retrospective of his movies on the 100th anniversary of his birth.