About

The VerticalMovie Festival is conceived and curated by a team of professionals from the film, communication, and new media industries, united by a passion for narrative innovation and the language of the 9:16 vertical format. Founded in 2018 in Piazza del Popolo, the festival has, over the years, been hosted in some of Rome’s most prestigious venues — from Macro Asilo to Cinecittà Studios and the Casa del Cinema — establishing itself as an international reference point for vertical cinema and showcasing short films from more than 100 countries.

Team

+8 professionisti Cinema · Comunicazione · Nuovi Media

Jury

14 Industry Experts From Italy, China, Mexico and beyond

Our Team

A multidisciplinary team that has been organizing the festival since 2018, overseeing every aspect of the event, from film selection to event production.

Founder and Artistic Director of VMF

Salvatore Marino

He made his debut as a writer and actor, taking part in numerous films and stage productions. He was a columnist on the television program Omnibus Weekend on La7. From 2012 to 2014, he was one of the comedians on the TV show Zelig. Starting from the 2014–15 season, he joined I fatti vostri on Rai 2, where he hosted a segment featuring videos sourced from the web. Since 2020, he has been part of the cast of Propaganda Live on La7

Performer, On-site Reporter

Alex Elton

Italian-British actress and singer, a student of Gigi Proietti, specialized in physical, emotional and improvisational theatre as well as clowning. She made her debut in Cyrano de Bergerac alongside Gigi Proietti. She has performed in international productions in London and New York. She is a renowned coach and teaches “Acting in English” at prestigious art academies.

Actress and Host

Maddalena Zoppoli

She studied theatre and film acting with, among others, Beatrice Bracco and Sergio Rubini. For several years, she has organized and hosted various film festivals. When she’s not on stage, she’s the mother of a red-haired Anna.

Stage Manager, Author and DJ

Mister Red

Claudio David, born in 1982, is a young manager at Red Fashion Talent Agency and the independent record label Red Saw Records. A television DJ and creator of TV and radio formats, he is also a talent scout who values talent over profit.

Producer & Documentary Director

Enzo Aronica

Lecturer in Cinema and Screen Acting. Founder and creator of NEVERLAND – Digital Paths (Palazzo delle Esposizioni, MACRO and Casa del Cinema, Rome). Scientific coordinator of Film Language Education projects in schools on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC) and the Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM). He has produced documentaries and reportages in Italy, France, Norway, Ethiopia, Senegal, Mali, Kenya, Iraq, Thailand, the United States and Argentina.

Author, writer, and marketing expert

Mario Bracciali

Mario Bracciali is a graduate of the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. He studied under Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Nino Manfredi. He holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Marketing and works as a creative consultant for major companies.

Lecturer, Practical Stage Training

Silvia Bompiani

Silvia Bompiani presidente Golden Age Events associazione fondatrice dell’accademia d’arte terza età. Formazione cinematografica presso Istituto Luce S.p.a. attuale Cinecittà Luce. Impegnata in vari progetti teatrali presso scuole territoriali.

Author

Danilo Milocco

Jury

The Vertical Movie Festival jury is mainly composed of nationally and internationally renowned show business professionals. It includes directors, screenwriters, musicians, actors, producers, and communication professionals.

Author and Screenwriter

Silvia Scola

Screenwriter and author. A student of Age and Scarpelli, she made her feature film debut with Che ora è starring Troisi and Mastroianni, directed by her father Ettore Scola. She co-wrote, among others, La Cena, Concorrenza sleale, Gente di Roma and Che strano chiamarsi Federico together with him.

Chief Executive Officer of Radio Matrix

Roberto Nepote

Roberto Nepote is an Italian television executive. With Rai since 1995, he has held several senior leadership positions, including Deputy Director of Rai 3 and Rai 2, President of Rai Com, and Director of Marketing & Strategy. He brings extensive experience in programming and media manageme

Environmental Reporter and Writer

Letizia Palmisano

Vironmental journalist, author and TV science communicator. Co-organizer and Head of Press Office of the"Green Drop Award” at the Venice Film Festival, she is the author of the essays"10 idee per salvare il Pianeta prima che sparisca il cioccolato” (2021) and “Sette vite come i gatti” (2023).

Head of Corporate Communications di Canon Italia

Paolo Tedeschi

Da settembre 2016 ricopre il ruolo di Head of Corporate Communications, Marketing & Sustainability di Canon Italia, coordinando le attività di comunicazione corporate, sostenibilità, brand reputation ed eventi. La sua solida formazione economica e il percorso manageriale — tra grandi aziende, agenzie e multinazionali — hanno plasmato uno stile fondato su visione strategica, inclusione e attenzione al benessere delle persone.

Actress & Screenwriter

Alessandra Kre

Alessandra Kre is an actress, singer, screenwriter, playwright and historian of Italian cinema. Deeply devoted to Italian comedy and to Monica Vitti above all, one of her guiding mottos is a quote by Vitti herself: “Discovering that you can make people laugh is like discovering that you are the King’s daughter.”

Actress & Author

Valentina Gemelli

Valentina Gemelli is an actress, author and radio speaker. She works in theatre, film and television. She was the recipient of the Vincenzo Crocitti Award in 2018 and writes for the weekly magazine Mio.

Actor, Writer and Director

Rubens F. Giusberti

Multidisciplinary artist.
Rubens Francesco Giusberti was born in Bologna and has lived in several countries, where he developed his academic and artistic training. As an actor, he trained with theatre director Marco Maltauro, performing in his production

Director and Screenwriter

Chul Heo

Chul Heo is a film director and Professor at the School of Film and Television Arts at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in Suzhou, China. His recent work, a vertical film titled New Normal (2021), was awarded at the Vertical Movie Festival in Rome, winning the Vertical Movie 2021 Award. His feature film The Return (2017) received the Golden Zenith Award at the 41st Montreal World Film Festival.

Director, author, screenwriter

Inaz Javan

Inaz Javan è una filmmaker di spicco, ricercatrice cinematografica e apprezzata giurata a livello internazionale. Forte di una solida formazione nel cinema e nel teatro, ha fatto parte della giuria di oltre 15 prestigiosi festival cinematografici, tra cui JIFF, NDIFF e GEMFest. Regista e sceneggiatrice pluripremiata, il suo lavoro ha ottenuto riconoscimenti in tutto il mondo, con premi per il Miglior Cortometraggio, la Miglior Regia Femminile e la Miglior Sceneggiatura in numerosi festival internazionali. Oltre alla sua attività creativa, è una critica e ricercatrice cinematografica appassionata, che contribuisce all’analisi accademica del cinema con una prospettiva narrativa originale.

Autore, Compositore

Fabrizio Fornaci

Composer of soundtracks for films and documentaries, as well as music for international series and television programs for Rai and Mediaset. He serves as Authors’ Representative within the governing bodies of SIAE and is a member of the Board of Directors of ACMF (Association of Film Music Composers).

Assistant Director & Casting Director

Andrea Marrari

Renowned for his appearances in The Name of the Rose (1986), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), The English Patient (1996), Johnny Stecchino, and many other acclaimed international and Italian productions.

Film Director, Screenwriter and Producer

Octavio Maya Rocha

A Mexican filmmaker with more than 30 years of experience, he has written, produced and directed around 28 short films, selected at international festivals and recipients of significant awards. In 2023, he received a nomination for the Dea d’Argento Award for Best Short Film for A Ball.

Director, screenwriter

Letizia De Ieso

Letizia De Ieso è una regista e sceneggiatrice italiana, membro della produzione Avamat, dove si occupa anche dell’operatività dello studio e dello sviluppo di progetti audiovisivi. Il suo percorso si muove nell’ambito del cinema indipendente, con un interesse per linguaggi visivi personali e immaginari fantastici. Attualmente lavora allo sviluppo di una serie animata dai toni macabri e fantastici.

Director, Author

Giovanni Gervasio

Giovanni Gervasio è un regista e autore con una solida formazione accademica, culminata in una Laurea Magistrale in Scienze dello Spettacolo e un Master in Cinema e Televisione. Attualmente è Assistente Didattico in Cinematografia Documentaria presso l’Università Suor Orsola Benincasa e lavora come regista e autore per Avamat Studio. Ha maturato una preziosa esperienza sul set partecipando alla realizzazione di cortometraggi e lungometraggi nei ruoli di assistente di produzione, regista e storyboard artist.

Producer, author

Rose Mazzone

Rose Mazzone opera nel settore cinematografico come produttrice, caporedattrice della rivista “Quaderni di Cinema” e organizzatrice di festival e iniziative culturali. Il suo percorso coniuga produzione, editoria e progettazione di eventi dedicati alla diffusione della cultura cinematografica.

Screenwriter and Producer

Simone Fordham

Nato a Napoli nel 2002, Simone Fordham è un regista, sceneggiatore e montatore italo-inglese che opera nel settore cinematografico da più di quattro anni.

Director, Author, screenwriter

Federico Bensi

Federico Bensi is an Italian director and screenwriter active in short films and audiovisual experimentation, with a particular focus on the language of vertical cinema. In 2018 he won the VerticalMovie Festival with Verso il basso. In 2024 he returned to the festival with Il prelievo, winning the award for best production and confirming the growth of his artistic path. His works combine experimentation and storytelling, addressing contemporary themes with an essential, personal style.

Director, author

Kassim Yassin Saleh

Originally from Djibouti and living in Rome since 1998, he is a screenwriter, author, and director. After his debut with A Special Day (2016), presented at Cannes, he has made numerous short films and documentaries, including Idris (winner of the MigrArti call), Il vento sotto i piedi, Guerra tra poveri, and Kamal. Founder of the fashion label Des Enfants Petits and of the production company KYS Film, he pursues an artistic path dedicated to cultural integration and the search for new forms of expression.

Screenwriter, Author

Erika Cervone

Erika Cervone worked as an assistant director on the docufilm "Dadapolis", directed by Carlo Luglio and Fabio Gargano. She collaborates as a screenwriter with Avamat Studio. She writes for Quaderni di Cinema and Cantieri Culturali Lab. She holds a first-level Master's in Cinema and Television from the Suor Orsola Benincasa University.

Producer, actor

Alessandro Avallone

Actor and producer, working across film and theatre. Founder of an Italian film studio.