Rome, Open City

It is absolutely unacceptable and incomprehensible that Matteo Romanello, the mayor of Marcon, should refuse to sponsor the screening of Roma città aperta, Roberto Rossellini's masterpiece, which opened the most fruitful period of Italian cinema. Rossellini's film is the heritage of all humanity. The erection of ideological barricades and the creation of divisions that have in fact been overcome by history is wrong, incomprehensible and unjustifiable. The anti-fascist and anti-Nazi resistance is the DNA and the founding act of the Italian Republic, and Roma città aperta is its highest expression.
The Locarno Film Festival - since its foundation in 1946 - has defended and promoted neo-realism.

And today it defends Roma città aperta (Rome, Open City) against these incomprehensible and unacceptable forms of censorship.
Long live Roma città aperta (Rome, Open City)!
Long live neorealism
Long live Roberto Rossellini

Giona A. Nazzaro