Gianluca Castellini
Presidente Associazione Sedicicorto e Direttore Artistico del Festival

Our stories

In October 2003, a wandering photographer of Argentine origin arrived in Romagna, scattering around the city of Forlì a few flyers inviting people to sign up for an eight‑evening directing course. Eight people showed up, among them myself, intrigued by that unusual teacher accompanied by his equally eccentric partner with purple hair.
At the end of the course, Osvaldo Fulgenzi suggested that we organize a short‑film festival, an idea that excited everyone. However, on the eve of our first meeting, the two mentors had to return to Argentina for family reasons and, without their support, the project was shelved. But for me, it had already become a true obsession.
So, in March 2004, I founded a cultural association with the aim of bringing the Festival to life — a Festival that, in my imagination, echoed my experiences as a spectator at the Bellaria Film Festival. The name of the Festival was born from a play on words. When I began consulting with some friends about what name to adopt, the opening question was always the same: “If you say corto (short), what comes to mind?”