by InTrieste
Interview: FVG councilor for culture, Mario Anzil
The Venice Film Festival welcomed the premiere of Un anno di scuola (A School Year), the latest work by Trieste-born director Laura Samani. The film, which screened Sunday on the Lido, marks her second feature after the award-winning Small Body.
Loosely inspired by a story by the Triestine writer Giani Stuparich, the film is set in Trieste in 2007, a pivotal year for the city with Slovenia’s entry into the Schengen Area and the rise of social media. It follows Fred, a Swedish exchange student who becomes the only girl in an all-boys class, unsettling friendships and longstanding dynamics.
The production, backed by Nefertiti Film with Rai Cinema, and co-produced by Tomsa Films and ARTE France Cinéma, has wide-ranging international support. Italian distribution is handled by Lucky Red, while Rai Cinema International Distribution oversees foreign markets. The project was also supported by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Film Commission–PromoTurismoFVG, the regional Audiovisual Fund, Eurimages, Italy’s Ministry of Culture, France’s CNC, and Creative Europe Media.
Filming took place between late September and early November 2024, with Trieste and its surroundings playing a prominent role. Locations included the Nautico Galvani school — the main set — as well as Barcola’s Topolini bathing area, the Ausonia seaside resort, central streets, neighborhood trattorias, and nearby towns such as Basovizza and Muggia.
The production also collaborated with local schools. About 20 students from the Galvani Institute participated in training programs across departments such as production, directing, scenography, and casting, with former students acting as liaisons between the school and the film crew.
Mario Anzil, vice governor of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region and regional councilor for culture, attended the premiere. He emphasized the role of cinema in showcasing the region’s creative and professional networks. “This film offers further proof of the strong system that Friuli Venezia Giulia has built in the audiovisual sector,” Anzil said.
