Bordercinema

Retrospective East/West

The East/West Retrospective is part of the official program for the European Capital of Culture GO! 2025. The project aims to reveal the rich cinematic heritage of the cross-border region between Slovenia and Italy to European audiences. The filmography of this region, which explores life along the Slovenian-Italian border, challenges the conventional perception of borders as mere divisions, instead portraying them as vibrant spaces of transition, exchange, and connection.

Highlights/

Cinema in Udine

To discuss the history of cine-club culture in Udine, one must start with Guido Galanti, who in 1930 founded Cine Club Udine—the third cine-club in Italy in chronological order. Alongside him, Renato Spinotti (Dante Spinotti’s uncle) must also be mentioned. In 1934, Cine Club produced the 16mm medium-length film Giornate di sole (Sunny Days), a comedy directed and performed by Galanti, with cinematography by Spinotti. The opening title card featured a hand-drawn depiction of the angel on Udine’s hill and the inscription “La Galanti Film presenta” (Galanti Film Presents). Author: Giorgio Placereani

Trieste – The World in One City

Today I will attempt to summarize the development of cinematic culture in Trieste. I will discuss some well-known facts, such as the favourable view of cinema held by Trieste’s writers and intellectuals, or the city’s role as a bridge between Western and Eastern cinema. However, I also want to highlight a less discussed aspect: the presence of women in Trieste’s cinematic culture over the years. Author: Paolo Lughi

Restored Copy of the Film Red Boogie by Director Karpo Godina

The third symposium, East/West: Borders Through Film and History, which explores life along the Slovenian-Italian border through moving images, delivered an exceptional film experience on May 7 at 8:30 p.m. in the House of Film in Gorica. A freshly restored copy of the film Red Boogie by director Karp Godina from 1982 was shown, with the director himself joining us for the occasion.

Where is the iron curtain?

The short documentary film by director and screenwriter Mako Sajko focuses on what happened on and along the Yugoslav-Italian border in the 1960s. It describes life and friendly neighborly relations in a border area where the exchange of goods between the two countries takes place almost unhindered in a humorous and light-hearted manner. The documentary dispels myths about the impenetrable and strict border between the then Eastern and Western blocs, which over the years has been called the "Iron Curtain".