The cultural association Sinergetica and the team behind the Desenzano Film Festival have conceived a new cultural format called Kinocaravan, aimed at bringing the seventh art to places lacking cinema facilities. The initiative involves equipping a camper with a projector, screen, and audio system, transforming the vehicle into a genuine mobile cinema capable of traveling autonomously across the peninsula. This project stems from the desire to promote cinematography, particularly short films, by creating opportunities for collective viewing in unconventional spaces. From Lake Garda Festivals to the Road Trip The idea has its roots in the experience gained in the Lake Garda area since 2019, the year the Desenzano Film Festival was founded. From that initial step, the association’s activities have expanded through various local initiatives such as “Cine-Ma Corto” at the castle of Moniga, “Cinema in Calice” in Raffa di Puegnago, “Porto Ragni” in Limone sul Garda, and collaborations with the Laba Academy in Brescia and QcTerme. Matteo Delai, a director from Puegnago and the festival’s artistic director, shares the project’s origins: “It all started from a passion for cinema and togetherness: we founded the cultural association Sinergetica and in 2019 we launched the Desenzano Film Festival to explore the language of contemporary short films and share it with the public. We were few, with ideas bigger than ourselves, yet that seed took root.” The need for a self-sufficient vehicle emerged from the logistical challenges faced while organizing the distributed events. Delai explains that, despite receiving strong support for the format, the group encountered “the difficulty of finding a service in every location and not knowing how to transport the sets.” This led to the idea of acquiring a camper to bring cinema everywhere, resolving the issues related to transport and technical setup. The Fundraising Campaign on Kickstarter To bring the Kinocaravan project to life, the volunteers have launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, with a deadline set for Thursday, November 20. The initial financial goal is set at €10,000, aimed at purchasing a used camper manufactured between the 1990s and early 2000s. Subsequently, an additional €20,000 will be needed, to be raised through other funding channels, to complete the installation of the technical equipment necessary for screenings. With just days left until the deadline, the campaign has already surpassed €9,000. “We believe in it until the end,” the organizers declare. To encourage donations, various rewards are offered to supporters: from the opportunity to sign the vehicle once purchased, to having their names included in the credits of the screenings. Additionally, five artists have donated their works to support the cause: for a contribution of €300, one can obtain the original piece, while for €75, a lithograph will be received. Tour Programming and Stops The Kinocaravan will not only serve as a means of transport but will also act as a cultural catalyst by presenting author short films in their original language, with subtitles in Italian and English. The selection of works will draw from the catalogs of major international festivals, including Cannes, Venice, Locarno, and the Berlinale. Each stop will be enriched by exhibitions, musical performances, and moments of dialogue, aiming to build collaborations with local entities in the areas visited, whether they be squares, villages, parks, or wineries. The interest in the initiative has already generated requests from various regions in Italy. The inaugural journey is planned for spring, with an itinerary that in June will visit several locations, culminating in the Ballarò district of Palermo, before heading back to Northern Italy in July and August. As Matteo Delai emphasizes, the project aims to “unite cinematic art and the social dimension,” creating spaces for discussion and connection through the universal language of short cinema. Italian Version
Kinocaravan, the traveling cinema project on camper vans departs from Desenzano to reach all of Italy
