In an article entitled “Esposizione, congresso, concorso et similia” that appeared in the August 4 issue of “Rivista Fono-Cinematografica” of 1908, sub-editor X announced the preparation of an international film competition to be held in Milan. The project had a long and complex gestation period, but one year later the capital city of Lombardy did host the largest cinema event ever held in Italy.

With a special organizing committee chaired by industrialist Edoardo Banfi and composed of prominent figures of Milan’s cultural, social and political scene, on October 17, 1909, the 1st World Film Competition was inaugurated; the event was held at one of the most important venues of Milan, the cinema-theater Santa Redegonda, located in the center of town.

All the main Italian production companies participated in the competition along with a considerable number of foreign companies: Lux, Eclipse, Théophile Pathé, Éclair and Le Lyon from France, Vitagraph from the US, Bioscope from Germany and Film Co. y Globe from Sweden. There were several important no-shows: Gaumont and Pathé Frères. Nevertheless, the Milan competition was indisputably a significant international event, a symbolic moment for Italy’s entry among the leaders of world cinema. 70 films totaling almost 20,000 meters in length were presented and scrutinized by an international jury, which had the task of awarding the various prizes offered by civic bodies, institutions and individuals.

After the jury had watched the films, they were distributed among the city’s cinemas for public screenings that started at ten in the morning and went on until midnight. Despite the higher ticket price, people flocked to theaters, demonstrating the event’s great success. In fact, it appeared in all the specialist publications but also in the city’s more important papers.

Among the films that were successful with the public and the critics were the historical dramas with period costumes such as Ambrosio’s Nerone, Cines’ Patrizia e schiava or Vitagraph’s The Way of the Cross, in addition to film adaptations of literary works like Macbeth (Cines) and Saggi dell’Inferno dantesco (S.A.F.F.I. – Comerio); there was also a great number of actuality films including the acclaimed work Caccia al leopardo, produced by Ambrosio, I Bersaglieri made by the small company Ancona Film, documentaries by Adolfo Croce and the exotic Villes et cimetières arabes produced by Théophile Pathé; though few, there were also fantasy films – including Princess Nicotine (Vitagraph) – and comedies, like La fidanzata di Cretinetti starring André Deed, an Itala film that debuted that same year.

At the end of seventeen days of screenings, on November 2 the 1st World Film Competition of Milan officially ended, with the awarding of 9 gold medals and 6 silver ones: the most important prizes went to Cines, Ambrosio, S.A.F.F.I. – Comerio, Pasquali & Tempo, Adolfo Croce and to the “foreign” companies Lux, Eclipse and Vitagraph. The Milan event never opened its doors again, but its positive consequences went beyond just the competition’s immediate success: with the 1st World Competition Italian cinema finally shed its provincial limits and acquired international visibility, foreshadowing its ascent in the international marketplace.

Giovanni Lasi