INTERVIEWS

Valentina Castellani-Quinn has been appointed as the new Artistic Director at MATIFF, the Matera International Film Festival. Her inaugural initiative, titled “A Drop of Hope,” aims to inspire dialogue between nations, communities, and faiths through meaningful, thought-provoking cinema.

Theo Dumont is a power broker who built the stage for independent cinema. A former Director of Corporate Communications for MGM Studios, he co-founded the Oscar- and BAFTA-Qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival. As Managing Partner at Alta Global Media, he manages high-profile campaigns and is a trusted advisor and publicist for Spike Lee, helping films like BlacKkKlansman win major awards.

Actor and environmental activist Ian Somerhalder ("The Vampire Diaries" and "Lost") chatted about his new documentary “Common Ground,” which he narrated and served as an executive producer. The film was directed by Josh and Rebecca Tickell (“Kiss the Ground”) and sheds light on biodiversity and the growing regenerative agriculture movement. “This documentary is the best thing in the world,” he exclaimed. “This is the greatest achievement of my life, at this point, other than