In practice, what is also known as the "House of Cinema and Audiovisual" will therefore host Prof. Kevin B. Lee and his research group, who will be able to promote new synergies with the institutions active within it and in the city. on Lake Maggiore.
"Professor Kevin B. Lee," declared USI Rector Boas Erez, "will have access to the spaces necessary for the Chair's activities both on the USI campus in Lugano and at the PalaCinema in Locarno. Professor Lee's expertise, dynamism, and commitment will thus be put to good use both for his teaching activities and for the Locarno Film Festival, as well as for the entire Ticino region."
"With the presence of the joint chair Usi-Locarno Film Festival - explains the President of the Board of Directors of PalaCinema Locarno, Carla Speziale - one of the historical objectives that the Municipality of Locarno, through PalaCinema Locarno SA, had prefigured with the realization of this center of audiovisual culture south of the Alps. The aim, then as now, is to integrate research and dissemination, training and activities, existing projects and new initiatives, in a systemic logic of national and international significance. This evolution fits perfectly into a development vision of our structure, in which the training and research sphere is grafted into the cultural tradition of excellence embodied since the middle of the last century by the Locarno Film Festival ”.
PalaCinema Director Roberto Pomari echoes her: “This agreement is perfectly in line with our role as a privileged platform for meeting and developing collaborations between operators in the film, audiovisual production and research sectors. We are very happy to make our spaces available to the Chair, because we are sure that we will not be long in seeing the return in terms of planning and dynamism, which will allow us to profile ourselves internationally as a place of creation, study, research and innovation in the audiovisual sector ".
"The presence of Kevin B. Lee at the PalaCinema and a joint USI-Locarno Film Festival chair created thanks to the support of Swisscom - added the president of the Locarno Film Festival, Marco Solari - help to give strength to the Ticino area in national and international debates. around the future of cinema and audiovisuals. A milestone that allows the Locarno Film Festival to achieve its goal of going beyond just the Festival's summer days and being physically and online throughout the year ”.
