Crema, “HOPE” inaugurates the XXV season of the FATF

Crema, “HOPE” inaugurates the XXV season of the FATF

On Friday 2 September (21.00 pm), the show "HOPE" will be on stage in the renovated Piazzale della Stazione di Crema (Cr), a circus performance, a pandemic fairy tale created by Pietro Chiarenza together with his sons Anders and Milo during the first Covid-19 lockdown, with the desire to spread a bright message of hope to the world closed at home.

Free entry. “HOPE” inaugurates the XXV season of the Franco Agostino Teatro Festival – FATF and the spirit of the show is in perfect harmony with the chosen theme: “Everything flows”. The FATF is sponsored by the Municipality of Crema.

«During the first lock-down, in Belgium as in other countries, it was customary to appear in front of the house at eight in the evening and applaud for a minute the health workers busy fighting Covid – says Pietro Chiarenza, author and director of show – A few days later we notified all the inhabitants of our street that we had something to share with them in the usual evening appointment. With the help of my children we put together a small performance and performed it in front of the house. I will never forget the applause of all those people who, forced far apart from each other, looking out of doors and windows, found themselves close again for a few moments. We didn't know it yet but we were at the beginning of a journey that would take us two years later on tour with a complete show inspired by that first small fire intervention. From that moment the video of the performance began to circulate, word of mouth sowed curiosity and opportunities were created. Now we're on tour until February 2023 and I have a feeling it won't end there. We are ready to spread hope for years to come."

"HOPE" it is a small dramaturgical intervention that has grown over time to become an intense and dynamic performance of fire theater and circus; it is a contemporary and ancient story that comes to life where an audience physically gathers to listen to it. Fire is a universal expressive language that can only be experienced live.

Pietro Chiarenza is an Italian director, author and set designer, born in 1980 in Lodi, living in Belgium since 2005, working in the field of children's theatre, prose theatre, circus-theatre, street festival dramaturgy and open-air theater in general.

“HOPE” was created thanks to the sponsorship of Simecom luce e gas, a company from Crema that has been dealing with light and energy for over 70 years, therefore particularly similar to the themes addressed in the show.

It is with a breath of hope and lightness that the Fatf wants to resume the slowed down but never interrupted path after this too long period of pandemic and limitations. The magic and atmosphere that have always characterized the Festival's initiatives will give life to a moment of smile and reflection, starting from a work born during the lock down, but open to hope and rebirth. “HOPE” is a show by Pietro Chiarenza, now an established international artist, who returns to pay homage to the FATF with a show that opens its arms to the restart.

«In these 25 years in Franco's memory, the FATF has written important pages for Crema. Attention to the little ones, constant presence in schools, point of reference for families, ability to spread beauty throughout the city – says the Councilor for Culture of the Municipality of Crema Giorgio Cardile – The FATF is a beautiful love story, a history that must continue to be written together with the generations to come with the support of the administration.

With Hope we inaugurate the 25th edition of the festival, hope like hope, hope like the certainty that the FATF will continue to illuminate our community. And we do it in the new station square, a place that every day welcomes the many tourists who arrive in the city and the many workers and students who move to Milano, a regenerated place, which has rediscovered beauty."

FATF – Franco Agostino Theater Festival is a non-profit organization founded 25 years ago which, every year, organizes a theater festival (and not only!) dedicated to a specific theme.

Franco Agostino he was a boy deeply in love with the theatre, who lived his passion in a contagious way and with whom he was able to involve a group of friends. Unfortunately he passed away prematurely at just 15 years old. It happened 25 years ago, his mother and her "company" wanted to remember him by pursuing his dream: to bring the theater among the very young, in families, in schools (starting from nursery schools up to universities), in the city , in its streets, not only in the "sacred" places dedicated to performances. Among the people, for the people.

The FATF – Franco Agostino Teatro Festival has come a long way since then and every year, in addition to the opening and closing shows of the season, it organizes the theatrical review-competition for middle and high schools (which over the years has also involved groups from from France, Sweden, Poland, Switzerland, England), theater workshops in local schools, writing competitions which for ten years have involved hundreds of middle and high school students, the concert-show of the youth orchestra and much more.

VISIT THE Franco Agostino Teatro Festival WEBSITE