Since it’s last year’s premiere at the Taormina Film Festival, “Tell It Like a Woman” has received lots of attention both from the film makers and the socially engaged organizations. After the special screening at the UN General Assembly in March 2023, a month dedicated to women, and a live performing of it’s Oscar nominee - the song “Applause” at the Academy Awards ceremony, the film finally had it’s premiere in Serbia, at the opening night of the Italian-Serbian Film Festival, on September 22, at Jugoslovenska kinoteka.  

Tell It Like a Woman is an American-Italian anthology filmed in different parts of the world. It is produced by ILBE in collaboration with We Do it Together. Parts of the film’s animation and CGI production were done by ILBE Studios under the supervision of Peter Nalli, Head of Animation & VFX at ILBE and the film’s Animation Producer.

The film is composed of seven short films directed by women directors from different parts of the world: Lucia Bulgheroni, Silvia Carobbio, Catherine Hardwicke, Taraji P. Henson, Mipo O, Lucía Puenzo, Maria Sole Tognazzi, and Leena Yadav. Combining various styles and approaches, these creators presented their own views on the position of women in the world today.

International cast includes recognized female actors and some of the Hollywood stars Margherita Buy, Cara Delevingne, Jacqueline Fernandez, Marcia Gay Harden, Jennifer Hudson, Anjali Lama, Eva Longoria, Jasmine Luv, Leonor Varela, Pauletta Washington and Anne Watanabe.

Gabriella Carlucci, Festival Founder and Art Director welcomed the guests, and expressed her gratitude to all institutions and individuals who take active part in this festival, above all Mrs Maja Gojković, The Minister of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, H.E. Luca Gori, the Ambassador of Italy to Serbia, Marjan Vujović, Director of Jugoslovenska kinoteka.

“The Italian-Serbian Film Festival has become a regular event, which, along with other initiatives realized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, such as ‘Fare cinema’, contributes to the promotion of Italian cinematography in Serbia” – said H.E. Luca Gori, and thanked to the initiators and partners of the festival which came to its 8th edition.

Carlucci presented the festival program, introduced the film „Tell It Like a Woman“, and invited the producer Chiara Tilesi to join her on the stage.

“I am very happy and honored to be here in Serbia with the movie which is very special to us because of its important messages. I would like to thank Andrea Iervolino and Lady Monika Bacardi for the fantastic collaboration we had on this project. I would also like to announce the collaboration between the non-profit We Do It Together, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia. We put our joint efforts in establishing an Academy in Serbia dedicated to strengthening gender equality awareness” – said Chiara Tilesi, one of the movie producers and founder of WDIT.

The premiere was also attended by Rade Vojnović, Councilor at the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, Roberto Cincotta, Director of Italian Cultural Institute, Vjera Mujović, Actress, Miloš Pavlović, Dean at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, Tatjana Žeželj Gojković and Bojan Kosović from Archangel Digital Studios, ILBE Studios representatives, and many artists, producers and media representatives from Italy and Serbia. 

The Italian-Serbian Film Festival takes place at Jugoslovenska kinoteka and will last until September 26.