One of the most engaging events on the program of the 2026 Giornate degli Autori, the autonomous section established in 2004 within the Venice International Film Festival, is a conversation between the film-score composers Michele Braga and Pivio, tied to the festival’s presentation of Balcanica, Nicola Sorcinelli’s directorial debut in competition precisely at the Giornate degli Autori. The score for Balcanica is by Braga, and the event is promoted by ACMF (the Association of Composers Musica per Film), in collaboration with SIAE.
Balcanica is set in Afghanistan and tells the story of a father, an orchestra conductor, and his son, a tuba player, who, at the moment music is banned in the country, seek a new beginning along the Balkan route. During their escape they encounter an Italian doctor, and the encounter will forever alter their destinies. The female character, named Greta, is portrayed by Matilda De Angelis.
Pivio and Michele Braga will speak, on Saturday September 5 at 11:00 in Sala Laguna, not only about a film (Balcanica, precisely) in which the music is not a commentary but a core element of the storytelling, but also about their craft, and thus about how to write music for cinema today: with what pacing and what budgets and inside an industry that is rapidly changing. Pivio, who serves as president of the ACMF, is one of the leading film-score authors. He has scored more than a hundred works, many of them in collaboration with his colleague Aldo De Scalzi. He has also worked for television and theatre and has released several albums. He has won three David di Donatello awards and three Nastri d’Argento.
We have met Pivio, whose given name is Roberto Pischiutta, on numerous occasions, while Michele Braga was interviewed for the release of L’Abbaglio, on which he collaborated with Emanuele Bossi. With Roberto Andò he has also collaborated on La stranezza, and he too has an impressive résumé, including Lo chiamavano Jeeg Robot and Freaks Out, Benedetta follia and Si vive una volta sola, the second and third Smetto quando voglio, and L’incredibile storia dell’isola delle rose by Sydney Sibilia, Scordato and Il bene comune by Rocco Papaleo.
La chiacchierata fra Pivio e Michele Braga potrà essere seguita liberamente.
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