15th Festa di Cinema del Reale in Specchia Celebrates William Klein and Documentary Cinema

The 15th edition of the Festa di Cinema del Reale takes place from July 18 to 21, 2018, in Specchia, Salento, one of Italy's most beautiful villages. The festival, directed by Paolo Pisanelli, features 50 screenings on two screens, exhibitions, performances, masterclasses, and special events dedicated to documentary cinema. It opens with a William Klein exhibition titled 'Contacts' at Castello Volante in Corigliano d'Otranto from July 16 to October 21, curated by Big Sur and supervised by William Klein Studio, showcasing his iconic contact sheets. The festival's theme is 'faces, wars, and changes,' and each evening begins with 'Tweet from Ghouta,' a series of video selfies by Syrian teenager Muhammad Najem documenting the destruction of Damascus under the hashtag #SaveGhouta. International guests include filmmaker Lech Kowalski, who presents 'I Pay for Your Story' and a masterclass on July 20 at Castello di Risolo. Wanted Cinema collaborates on screenings such as 'Dancer' by Oscar-nominated director Steven Cantor about dancer Sergei Polunin, 'Restare vivi: un metodo' based on Michel Houellebecq's book, and 'Last Men in Aleppo' by Syrian director Firas Ayyad, an Oscar-nominated documentary about volunteer rescue workers in Syria.