During the 81st Venice International Film Festival, the lobby of the Hotel Excelsior from August 28 to September 7 presents the exhibition &ldquo;Dive &amp; Godmothers&rdquo;, which brings together portraits of actresses of the past and contemporary godmothers of the festival. In this interview with Chiara Sbarigia, President of Cinecitt&agrave;, and Lucia Borgonzoni, Deputy Minister of Culture, we learn more about the conception and significance of this unique exhibition.

L'OFFICIEL ITALY: How did the idea for the &ldquo;Dive &amp; Godmothers&rdquo; exhibition come about?
Lucia Borgonzoni: We conceived this exhibition as an ideal place for a dialog between the history of Italian women's cinema past and present. It is a story in images that, through the universal language of film and photography, conveys to the international audience that came to Venice for the festival an idea of a country that is an inexhaustible source of talent.
L'OFFICIEL ITALY: What was it like working with photographer Uli Weber on the portraits?
Lucia Borgonzoni: It was a great privilege to observe the creative process of such an outstanding artist. Weber was able to combine his talent with a deeply developed humanity, which undoubtedly helped to create contemporary images with a strong interpretation.
L'OFFICIEL ITALY: What unites the shots of historical divas with the godmothers of the Venice Film Festival?
Ciara Sbarigia: I would say it's the strong component of awareness. In the expression of the eyes, in the presence, in the image that the photographs convey, you can feel how great actresses of the past and talented contemporary actresses are aware of their history, how much they have studied and worked to achieve the results that are visible to the audience.

L'OFFICIEL ITALY: How the images are linked?
Ciara Sbariggia: We aim for an exchange of energies to make us aware of the importance of great cinema and to shed light on the talents in front of us.
L'OFFICIEL ITALY: Do you see a common denominator that unites all these women?
Lucia Borgonzoni: Charisma, determination, enthusiasm. The project participants are all extraordinary women and outstanding performers. They are magnetic artists who convey the power of their love for the big screen. The divas they embody also often led personal lives that were unusual for their time.
L'OFFICIEL ITALY: Why did you choose the Excelsior lobby in Venice as the venue for the exhibition?
Ciara Sbarigia: The Hotel Excelsior is a place that brings together the different facets of the film festival. Everyone passes through its lobby, from the film delegations and actors to the filmmakers, press and audience. The most anticipated stars land at Excelsior and their fans flock here. This place is an ever-changing observation point of the festival's energy. We have created an exhibition specifically tailored to this iconic location.

L'OFFICIEL ITALY: What does the historical past of divas have to do with the present of godmothers?
Lucia Borgonzoni: The key word linking past and present is &ldquo;talent&rdquo;, a characteristic that has always distinguished our film industry. The exhibition shows this continuity. Actresses, directors, screenwriters, costume designers and all those who work behind the scenes create a list of names that are highly valued abroad. These are faces and professionalism that we have an obligation to support and promote, including through initiatives like this.
L'OFFICIEL ITALY: What clothes are the godmothers wearing in the pictures presented in the exhibition?
Lucia Borgonzoni: The story of the world recognition of Italian cinema presented in the exhibition project is also enriched by the contribution of the fashion world. Godmothers wear outfits by Giorgio Armani, Armani Priv&eacute;, Fendi, Dolce &amp; Gabbana, Ferragamo, Alberta Ferretti, Versace, N21 by Alessandro Dell'Acqua - another example of the exceptional value of Made in Italy.
L'OFFICIEL ITALY: What was the most exciting and challenging for you in this exhibition?
Ciara Sbariggia: What perhaps satisfies me most about this teamwork is that we have been able to convey to viewers in one glance the legacy of the beauty of our archives, the measure of talent of a generation of actresses and the appeal of a unique place like Cinecitt&agrave;. The Cinecitt&agrave; studios are not only a workplace, but also the perfect space for fantasy and dreams. It was a source of joy and pride for me to bring Cinecitta and its images to Venice.
L'OFFICIEL ITALY: What have you learned from this experience?
Lucia Borgonzoni: You always learn by being around those who create, and for me it's all an incentive to invest even more in our young talents and protect what we are capable of creating. Recently, our initiatives have been aimed at giving space not only to our great past but also to our outstanding present (155 million euros from the Recovery and Sustainability Plan have been allocated to cultural and creative enterprises, the Made in Italy law has a part dedicated to Italian craftsmanship, and 700 million euros have been allocated to the Italian audiovisual system).

"Dive & Godmothers" the exhibition in Venice told by Lucia Borgonzoni and Chiara Sbarigia

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