View from the Hilton balconyItalian film hot shots mingled on the balcony of a Hilton Hotel conference room Friday afternoon in Cannes, discussing the latest in Ischia Island's Film and Music Global Festival. The summertime festival, which takes place on Ischia Island, Italy will have its fifth run this year from July 9th to 15th.

The event, a conference to promote Italian film and to present Ischia's festival in shining lights, took place over looking the Mediterranean, a slight breeze coming in from open glass doors onto the patio. Panelists speaking were: Festival Producer Pascal Vicedomini; Marina Cicogna, a festival promotional comittee member; actress Anna Falchi; director Mimmo Calopresti; Jeremy Thomas, Oscar Winning producer of The Last Emperor; and Italian producer Fulvio Lucisano.

"We have many international friends here so this meeting will be in english," said Vicedomini in a thick Italian accent, who played moderator for the conference. "This will be the most successful international movie event of the summer, we think that a lot of support can be given to Italian cinema by international players," he said, right away grabbing attention in the small crowd with his optimism.

It being important to aknowledge the presence of great talent in the room, Vicedomini outwardely thanked Calopresti right away. "I personally never forget when somebody does something good for us," Vicedomini said greatfully, first speaking in Italian (and then being reminded not to). "You were the first producer to believe in us."

It seems the festival will prove to be a great event, based on one strong point: Ischia, a beautiful tourist destination island approximately 40 km Southwest of Capri, already attracts film big wigs when they are relaxing on their yachts, so it's quite a prime location for a film festival. "The movie business is very different from other businesses, said Calopresti. When you get to know people in a real, casual environment like this, that's where real deals can be made; and its important it's in a place where producers, actors, and directors are all together,"

Thomas agreed. "It's very important form filmmakers to meet in a relaxed environment to talk about films, I went last year and it was all was very effective and pleasurable."

"In Ischia everybody feels free to discuss film, causal, with no stress," assured Vicedomini. "We don't like the word VIP, we think everything that has to do with VIP is disgusting. We just like movies."

Attendance this summer will include names like Paul Haggis, Oscar winning writer from Crash; director and Oscar winner for An Inconvenient Truth, Davis Gugghenheim; William Monahan, screenwriter for the Departed; and Gustavus Santaolalla who wrote the music for Brokeback Mountain. As far as the social cinema aspect to the festival, this year Bobby Moresco- a Michael Moore type whose new film is also about hospital systems- will be present. And since they are frequenters of the island, maybe Bill Gates and Paul Allen wil stop by on their yachts too.

Hilton Hotel Lobby CannesIschia, Italy Global Film and Music Fest 2007 conferenceIschia Globalfest Poster