Street Theater on a Saturday Night in Lucca

Some of this year's special guests at Lucca Film Festival 2024

The busy month of September came to a close with Lucca’s annual Film Festival.  This year marked the 20th anniversary of the event which screens feature and short films and awards prizes in each category. Genres include everything from horror to war to musicals and westerns.

Lucca’s event doesn’t rival the glamour or importance of the film festivals in Cannes or Venice.  There were no red-carpet gowns or tuxedos.  No paparazzi. There were several honorees, Italian premiers of films, cinema related conferences and exhibitions.  This year there was also a fun Saturday evening of amateur theater, dance, and music in the streets and piazzas throughout Lucca. Many bars and restaurants decorated for the event and their employees wore film related costumes.

The Screwdriver Bar turned into a Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.  La Fabbrica di Cioccolato in Italian.

The mild evening was perfect for wandering through Lucca and catching a few of the short performances.   Some were related to well known films, both English language and Italian ones. Piazza San Salvatore was the setting for the Wizard of Oz. Who knew that Dorothy, the Wizard, the Lion, the TinMan, and the Scarecrow all were fluent in Italian?

 Aladdin made an appearance in Piazza Anfiteatro. He even brought some belly dancers.

Can you guess what film these actors represented? Hint - just outside the photo was a grand piano.

Mozart, and not Puccini, was the opera composer on this night in Lucca.

Italian Films were represented too, including the classic comedy Amci Miei. These amateur performers really brought the spirit of this comedy to life.

Other performances seemed to be just for fun.  From roller skaters in Piazza San Frediano to a Macarena flash mob in Piazza San Michele (video on the Two Parts Italy Facebook page) it was the kind of simple local fun that is so much a part of Lucca. 

 And now … on to fall.