Tiziana Rocca to Head Italy’s Taormina Film Festival (EXCLUSIVE)

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Tiziana Rocca, a well-known figure in marketing with strong connections to Hollywood and expertise in festivals, has been named as the new artistic director for Italy’s Taormina Film Festival. This appointment marks her return as leader of this iconic Sicilian event that has experienced its fair share of highs and lows throughout the years.

Eight years after being compelled to resign due to political disagreements in 2017, Rocca will return to Taormina once more. This comes after a strong five-year tenure. In 2017, she found herself losing a legal dispute over her continued role as the festival’s leader, as she argued that her company, Agnus Dei, had been unjustly excluded from the competition to secure a new mandate for managing the event. Instead, another organization was chosen to take over.

Since Rocca’s removal eight years ago, Taormina has experienced numerous changes and has been trying to stabilize itself under various artistic directors, one of whom is Marco Mueller, who joined the team quite recently last year after serving as the head of Venice.

Or, in a shorter form:

Taormina has had multiple leadership changes over the past eight years, with Marco Mueller (formerly of Venice) joining late last year as one of the artistic directors.

Rocca expressed strong feelings and deep appreciation as he resumes his position as the artistic director of this festival, a place dear to his heart, according to a statement he made.

Rocca expressed her strong desire and excitement to once again participate – with fresh vigor and enduring enthusiasm – in the development and transformation of this 71-year-old film festival. She commented that the city’s rich history, breathtaking charm, and thriving culture make it the perfect setting for crafting and sharing captivating tales.

Since the mid-1950s, this summer festival has been held in a Sicilian resort that American viewers might recognize as the setting for “The White Lotus” Season 2. This event takes place near an ancient Greek amphitheater with a capacity of 8,000 seats, nestled beneath the looming presence of Mount Etna, Sicily’s active volcano. Famous attendees 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

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2025-02-13 14:16