The United Nations designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women to raise global awareness about females who are subjected to rape, domestic violence and other forms of violence while highlighting the true nature and scale of an issue that often goes unspoken about. The day, nominated around 30 years ago after Latin-American feminist activists marked November 25 as a day to combat violence against women and commemorate its victims, was officialised by the UN in 1999. The Florentine has picked out events taking place in Florence this year to mark the occasion either by educating yourself about the phenomenon through film festivals and theatre productions or getting active through self-defence workshops and masterclasses.
Festival dei diritti
Il Festival dei diritti (The Festival of Rights), promoted by Florence city council, has been running since last October and will go on until December, and aims to raise awareness of violence against women, gender stereotyping and LGBT discrimination. Part of the festival is dedicated to November 25 and includes events ranging from concerts to theatre productions. All events are free to enter.
Saturday 24 November
At Chalet Fontana at 4pm, female architects and landscape gardeners meet to discuss the female presence and influence in gardens and public spaces. Entrance is free, booking recommended, incontri@chalet-fontana.it, 335/7040001. (In Italian.)
In Palazzo Pitti’s Sala Bianca, at 7pm, a theatrical enactment of Artemisia Gentileschi’s fate takes place with the show entitled Artemisia Gentileschi versus Orazio Gentileschi. Booking recommended, scaramuzzi@scaramuzziteam.com, 055 494949. (In Italian.)
At the Cinema La Compagnia the International Festival of Women in Film gets rolling with various screenings throughout the weekend. On Saturday at 5pm, Giovanna Gagliardo talks about her film Il Mare della nostra storia and about her memories of Italians who were born and lived in Libya.
Ottavia comes to the Palazzo Vecchio’s Salone dei 500 at 9pm, with musicians from the Tuscan ReMuto School orchestra, Luigi Cherubini Conservatory, Fiesole Music School and the University of Florence. It’s an opera accompanied by an orchestra that tells, by writer and essayist Sandra Landi, a story set in the 1950s that evokes the emotions of the first post-war generation and the plight and struggle of women at the time. (In Italian.)
At 10pm the Combo Social Club hosts The André and Giò Mannucci, a relaxed and musical honouring of this important cause with a show entitled Music against gender violence. (In Italian.)
Sunday 25 November
All day on Sunday the flag flying above the Palazzo Vecchio will be at half-mast to honour the victims of domestic violence and to condemn violence against women.
Get active and moving at MSP Firenze in Coverciano with a full day of self-defence fun starting from 10.30am with a free seminar on correct pepper spray usage followed by self-defence classes preparing students physically and psychologically for dangerous situations. From 3.30pm onwards the day takes on a more family friendly front by providing activities for children and parents to do together, all while keeping safe and fit. The day ends at 5.30pm with a merenda for both parent and child alike. Booking recommended, combat@mspfirenze.com, 329 63 44 650. (In Italian.)
At 11am there’s a conference in the Vasari Auditorium of the Uffizi, Una violenza bestiale (“Beastly violence”), held by professor of Greek language and literature Valeria Andò from the University of Palermo, where she will discuss themes such as the literary, poetic and artistic representation of the human condition. While seats last, booking recommended, 055 23885. (In Italian.)
At 11am, the International Festival of Women in Film festival continues with a masterclass of the history of women in cinema between Italy and Germany taking place at the German Institute. The film festival closes with a showing of La bella e la bestia by Kaouther Ben Hania at 9pm, including an appearance from actress Marian Al Farjani. 055 268451 (In Italian.)
At the Caffé Letterario delle Murate, at 6.30 pm, the show Gli ultimi saranno ultimi (The last will be the last) takes to the stage, telling the story of a pregnant employee who finds herself unemployed on the eve of childbirth. (In Italian.)
At the Spazio Alfieri Cinema, at 9pm there is a showing of the episodic feature film Zitta!, a collection of short films by Florentine directors on the subject of gender violence, followed by a debate, “The representation of gender violence in the mass media.” (In Italian.)
