Milan – from 5 to 9 November 2024 – hosted the 42nd edition of “SPORT MOVIES & TV – Milano International FICTS Fest” (www.sportmoviestv.com), Final of the World Championship of Television, Cinema, Communication and Sports Culture at the conclusion of the International Circuit “World FICTS Challenge” (20 Festivals in 5 Continents) under the slogan “Culture Through Sport”.

The event was organized by FICTS – Fédération Internationale Cinéma Tèlevision Sportifs (President Prof. Franco Ascani), a Federation recognized by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) for which it promotes the values ​​of sport and the socio-cultural significance of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in collaboration with the Lombardy Region and the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 as part of the Cultural Olympiad.

Five days of TV, Cinema and Sports Culture in five different locations (Auditorium Testori di Regione Lombardia, Centro Internazionale Brera, Cinema Centrale, Edicola Corso Como 19, FICTS Headquarters) the event, with free admission, was characterized by a massive participation on a national and international scale with the presence of sports champions, representatives of the 130 Countries affiliated with FICTS (in the 5 continents) and operators in the sector.

The event was divided into 129 Screenings selected from 1,965 works from all over the world (including 35 world and European premieres, exclusive images of the Olympic Games), 4 Meetings, 3 Workshops, 8 Exhibitions 1 Press Conference, 5 Related Events, the 8th Paralympic International Movies & TV Day, 72 Awards Ceremony for National and International Guests, 803 Great Champions on the screen.

121,493 online participants and 8,130 in person for a total of 129,623.

A true “Festival of Olympic and Sports Images” with a “Special Showcase” dedicated to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games.

 

The Opening Ceremonies (5/11) and the Award Ceremony (9/11) – opened by the video message of the IOC President Dr Thomas Bach (awarded the “FICTS Golden Star”) and by the performance of the Fanfare of the Carabinieri Command of the Lombardy Region – took place in the Testori Auditorium, which was packed to capacity.

Speakers at “SPORT MOVIES & TV” included: Andrea Abodi, Minister for Sport and Youth (awarded the “FICTS Golden Star”), Attilio Fontana, President of the Lombardy Region, Andrea Varnier, CEO of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, Diana Bianchedi, Chief strategy planning and legacy Officer of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, Domenico De Maio, Education and Culture Director of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, Andrea Monti, Chief Communications Officer of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, Ivo Ferriani, Member of the IOC EB, Francesco Ricci Bitti, President of ASOIF – Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, Yasmin Meichtry, Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage, Kun (Justin) Hou, Member of the IOC Commission for Culture and Olympic Heritage, Mariia Bulatova, Director of the Olympic Institute at the National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport, Giorgio Chinellato, President of Panathlon Internazionale, Liston Bochette, Olympic bobsleigh and athletics athlete, Angelo Cito, President of the Italian Taekwondo Federation, Nadia Zampol V. President and Silvia Trevisan Communication and Media Relations CCIAA Treviso-Belluno|Dolomiti, Carlo Bozzali President of the International Jury.

On the podium, national and international celebrities from the world of cinema, television and sport were awarded the “FICTS Guirlande d’Honneur”: Roberto Vecchioni, singer, writer, poet, Amadeus, television host, Stefano Fresi, actor and composer, Eddie Irvine and Jean Alesi, former F1 drivers, Gianni Bugno, multiple world cycling champion, Antonio Cabrini, 1982 National World Football Champion, Fabio Capello, one of the greatest football coaches of all time, Javier Zanetti, Vice President of F.C. International, Marino Vigna, Gold Medal at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games, Federico Buffa, sports journalist and commentator, Guido Lombardo, President of Titanus for the 120th anniversary of its foundation, Giusy Versace, Paralympic athlete, Vice President of the Senate Sports Commission, Vito Dell’Aquila, Gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games, Alessio Simone, Bronze at the 2024 Paris Games, 17 gold “Medals” of Paris 2024, Claudio Nolano, Technical Director of the Italian National Taekwondo, the “Butterflies” Martina Centofanti, Agnese Duranti, Alessia Maurelli, Daniela Mogurean, Laura Paris with the Technical Director of the National Team Emanuela Maccarani. For the Serie A League: Lorenzo Casini, President, Luigi De Siervo, CEO, Lorenzo Dallari, Editorial & Social Director and Radio TV Serie A the footballers Roberto Donadoni, Massimo Ambrosini, Alessandro Matri and Luca Toni. Alessandro Araimo Executive V. President received the “Tv Sport Emotions Award 2024” assigned to Warner Bros. Discovery.

On November 6, the Testori Auditorium of Palazzo Lombardia hosted the “Ragazzi…in gamba” Day. A morning dedicated to the Primary and Secondary Schools of Milan, with screenings and debates organized by FICTS in collaboration with Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 as part of the “Education Programme Gen26” in the presence of: Arianna Pucci, Education Programme Coordinator, Andrea Macrì, Paralympic Games Integration Coordinator, Maria Teresa Squillaci, Head of Web & Social Content, Anna Rossi, Paralympic Games Accessibility Coordinator, Marco Alberto Marcellino, Marketing Activation Specialist.

Prof. Ascani presented the 62nd edition 2025 of the “TROFEI DI MILANO CORTINA 2026 – Education, Culture and Sport for Young People” (extended from Lombardy to Veneto with the “GenerAZIONE2026” Project) with the awards ceremony for the Schools, Students and Teachers selected from the 42,300 participants of 73 Schools. Speakers included: Stefano Mei, National FIDAL President, Claudia Colla, Representative of the European Commission for Northern Italy, Director of the Milan Office, Gian Vincenzo Zuccotti, Director of the Department of Pediatrics at the Vittore Buzzi Children’s Hospital, Manuela Rippo, Head of Communications at the Invernizzi Foundation, Edoardo Cioni, CEO of Buona Spa.

The journalist Claudio Arrigoni, expert in Paralympic Games, led the debate meeting of the 8th Paralympic International Fest with the Paralympic Athletes Champions at the Paris 2024 Games: Federico Bicelli (Gold 400 freestyle, Bronze 100 backstroke), Giada Rossi (Gold table tennis), Alessandro Arcigli (CIP Technical Director and National Table Tennis Coach), Polha Varese Amateur Sports Association for the Disabled with the presence of athletes Simone Barlaam (Gold and Silver swimming) and Federico Cristiani.

On November 7th, the Seminar: “Sports image: rules and professional ethics”, a Journalist Training course organized by FICTS, the Lombardy Region and the Unione Artigiani Milano Monza Brianza, took place. Speakers included: Roldano Maurizio Radaelli, journalist, Fabio Luca Benati, journalist, member of the Order’s Disciplinary Council, Livia Draghi, Head of Video Content Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, Stefania Cappa, lawyer, federal prosecutor for the Italian Winter Sports Federation.