DANCE/UmanoOctober 14–31Teatro della Pergola, Cango & various Oltrarno venuesIt’s all about body language this month at Teatro della Pergola, at Cango and throughout the Oltrarno. UMANO_Cantieri internazionali sui linguaggi del corpo e della danza is a multidisciplinary dance manifestation with both group and solo performances and lessons. The festival will feature several internationally renowned choreographers. One of the first in the spotlight is Tunisian dancer and choreographer Radhouane El Meddeb, who will present Je danse et je vous en donne à bouffer at 9pm on October 14 (Cango). Other notable guests include Emanuel Gat from Israel, whose rendition of Plage Romantique will be performedon October 25. See the full program here.
ph. Dan MarinoPHOTO/Street-Folio October 10 ZAP, vicolo Santa Maria Maggiore 1, Florence
Street photographers of all stripes can take part in an unprecedented conference this week: a portfolio reading with the Italian street photography collective Spontanea and guest of honour Richard Bram. Seasoned pros will provide feedback to artists who are just starting out, as well as to those who’ve already cultivated their street photography style. The portfolio reading is in collaboration with Street Photography Italia and The Florentine. To submit your portfolio for the reading, write to info@spontanea.org – the cost is €10. Two free street-photography walks will also be held on this occasion: to sign up, see this Facebook event. For more background on Street-Folio, head to Spontanea’s website.
INK/Florence Tattoo ConventionOctober 9–11Fortezza da Basso, viale Filippo Strozzi, Florence
Ink it up at the Fortezza when the full-bodied eighth edition of the Florence Tattoo Festival comes to town! Tattoo artists from New Zealand, South Korea, Italy and beyond will show off their skills. Stars of the Spike reality show Ink Master are some of this year’s special guests. This is a cultural convention, not a back-alley parlor, and the global guest list proves it: three Japanese artists will demonstrate their mastery of Irezumi, ‘hand poke’ pioneers from Papua New Guinea will show off their talents, and the list goes on. Tatuaggio not your cup of tea? Performance art, burlesque shows and photography exhibitions are all on the agenda, too.
Florence’s English cemetery, the site of several SonicSomatic events
SOUNDS/SonicSomaticOctober 8–10Palazzo Strozzi, the Arcetri Observatory, the English Cemetery & the Museo Marino MariniA two-part showcase of contemporary visual arts and sounds, SonicSomatic is a free and funky festival featuring collective listening sessions, site-specific installations and multimedia performances. SonicSomatic starts with a bang when Alessandria di Nardo performs Erik Satie’s Vexations, known as the world’s longest musical composition. Since John Cage’s rendition of it back in 1963, the piece has been played only 25 times in public. The performance, slated to last twelve hours, will take place in the Palazzo Strozzi courtyard beginning at 11am on October 8. This marks the first time that Satie’s magnum opus has been performed in Florence. Other events include a sound-themed walk through the English cemetery (October 10, 11.30am) and a ‘Recorded Audio Festival’ (October 9, 9pm) with drinks provided by Andersen Cafe, Borgo Santa Croce’s brand-new addition. More information here.
CINEMA/Florence Short Film Festival October 8, 9pmOdeon Cinehall, piazza Strozzi, Florence
October is a full month for film buffs as Florence prepares for the upcoming launch of 50 Days of International Cinema, the renowned film rassegna, which begins October 29. This week’s highlight is the second Florence Short Film Festival, a platform for discovering young indie moviemakers, organized by Le Aspen Club and taking place at the Odeon. Last year’s winner, Theo Putzu’s Paper Memories, earned dozens of top designations at numerous Italian and international festivals. This year’s lineup includes Frank Jerky’s Six, Roberto Valdes’ Algien, Hermes Mangialardo’s One Day in July, Daniele Minucci’s Post and more. The judges’ panel features top film journalists, critics and independent cinema advocates like Simone Bartalesi of OFF Cinema. Post-festival, celebrate in film-star style at the official afterparty at Rex (via Fiesolana).
