Valmadrera: the Artesfera association is ready to resume work with a more intensive program

The courage of resistance. This is the feeling you get when you enter the Cineteatro Artesfera in Valmadrera. The courage of a resistance group of over sixty volunteers. While many now see the death of cinema as inevitable, despite the devastation wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic, they are still here, ready to give the area another exciting season of film and theater.

Mattia Vergani and Don Isidoro Crepaldi

“As a parish, we want to bet on the potential of this room. The goal is for her to live well after the Covid years. We want to offer good products, but we also try to fill the structure, because this requires a lot of costs. Either there is a virtuous resilience, or it is very difficult,” explained Don Isidoro Crepaldi very honestly at the beginning of the presentation evening of the new season, which took place last night.

We remind you that the Cineteatro Artesfera belongs to the parish of Valmadrera. The post-pandemic relaunch was entrusted to a new board of directors, consisting mainly of young people. “Last year was a very beautiful and busy season. This year we want to do even more. We want to offer an offer that will be rich and interesting for everyone. We want everyone to feel at home here in this room. We want everyone here to be able to find time to dream,” explained Mattia Vergani, President of the Board of Directors of Artesfera.

With the release of the first video, the curtain rose on the film season. Ten shows, one every Thursday evening at 9:00 pm from October 5 to December 14. We start with Greta Grevig’s Barbie, one of the modern films, and The Whale, the film that won Brendan Fraser an Oscar. Next stand out are the first film by Christopher Nolan and “My Crime” by Francois Ozon. Ten films taken from different parts of the world and touching on a variety of topics. “Talking about cinema has become increasingly difficult in recent years. The Odeon multiplex in Milan closed this summer. But Artesphere continues to bet that going to the movies is worth it. For us, cinema is a ritual based on certain elements, such as the room, the film, the darkness. Watching a film on a platform at home is not the same,” commented Giuliano, a member of the Artesfera film commission.

A subscription is sold for 30 euros, and one show costs 5 euros. “If all goes well, we will continue with the ten-film review early next year. From October, the first shows will also begin on Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons,” he concluded.

While the film club will open with the magnetic beauty of Margot Robbie and the enormous artistic talent of Ryan Gosling, the theater season will open with the charisma and energy of Paolo Ruffini and his show “Up and Down”. “This show leaves very strong emotions. You leave the room happy that you were there. In general, I invite you to tell us as much as possible about this theater season. Behind the calendar is the effort and effort of the volunteers,” emphasized Giovanna from the art agency Due Punti, the organization with which Artesfera collaborated to put together the program.

Among the actors who will take turns to appear on stage, in particular, the names Giovanni Schifoni and Roberto Lipari stand out, scheduled for January 28 and April 12, respectively. The cost of a subscription for six scheduled shows is 125 euros. Tickets for individual evenings can be purchased after 30 September.

These two posters, representing the traditional Artesfera offering, have many new features. “The show “Listening to the Mountain – Men and Wolves on the Road” was born from the meeting of two mountaineers such as Max Solinas and Dario Canossi. Solinas, a mountaineer, sculptor and writer, lived with a she-wolf for many years. Thus, the book “The Wolf and the Rope” was born from his real-life experiences. Subsequently, Luf decided to write a song starting with this text, and this is how the collaboration was born,” explained Giovanna. The show Max Solinas hey Luf, scheduled for November 15, 2023 at 21:00, is a production of Due Punti.
Another new feature of the Artesphere 2023–2024 season is a mini-theater show dedicated to the little ones. “Hakuna Matata” by the troupes “All Crazy” and “Sold Out”, “I bestialini” with Huck Tessaro, “The Three Little Pigs” by the theater troupe “Pandemonium”. These are three performances included in the cultural program of the complex with the goal of bringing children and families closer to the magical world of the theater.
“Going to the theater is a communal experience, and that makes it much more human than watching a film through a screen. Heartfelt thanks to those who, like the Artesphere volunteers, manage to resist. The goal is to make this room a landmark not only for our territory,” commented Marcello Butti, Cultural Councilor of the Municipality of Valmadrera.
Mattia Vergani recalled that the municipalities of Malgrate and Civate also support the activities of Artesfera.

“We are also launching a sponsorship campaign “This season is behind me.” In a region full of companies like ours, there are those who can afford to lend us a helping hand so that everyone can come and attend our shows,” concluded the president of Artesphere. “Now we are waiting for you on Sunday at 16.30 to have a snack together. Anyone can take a tour of the venue, even going into areas that are not normally accessible, such as the cinema room or the wings.”