The future of festivals

Alberto Barbera

Born in Biella (Italy) on February 20, 1950. After graduating in Modern Literature with a thesis on Film History and Criticism at the University of Turin, he began his collaboration with A.I.A.C.E. (the Italian association of Friends of Arthouse Films), for which he served as president from 1977 to 1989. From 1980 to 1983 he was the film critic for the daily newspaper La Gazzetta del Popolo, and since 1982 he’s been a member of the Journalists Guild. He has collaborated with many dailies and magazines (Città, La Stampa, Essai, Altro Cinema, Bianco & Nero, Cineforum), and television and radio programs such as CinemaScoop (RAI 3), La lampada di Aladino (RAI - DSE), and Hollywood Party (Radio3 RAI). In 1985, he co-directed a documentary, Cineasti del Nord-Ovest, for RAI 3. In 1982, he began his collaboration with the Festival Internazionale Cinema Giovani (now Torino Film Festival), and from 1989 to 1998 he served as the Director. From December 1998 to April 2002, he was the Director of the Venice International Film Festival. From 2002 to 2006 he served as co-director of RING! Festival of Film Criticism, in Alessandria. In 2002, he became a consultant for the Museo Nazionale del Cinema in Turin, and from June 2004 until December 2016 he was its Director. In 2012, he was once again appointed as Director of the Venice International Film Festival. In 2019, he was one of Variety’s 500 most influential people in the entertainment industry. Since 2020, he’s been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.