Comics, September 21st and 22nd in Acaya ‘Jabba! Salento Cinecomics Festival’

Clouds and little clouds over the ancient medieval village of Acaya, a fortified citadel in the heart of Salento that for two days will host the magical world of comic book, game and cinema enthusiasts. It will be a weekend of great surprises on September 21st and 22nd, which will see the first edition of the “JABBA! Salento Cinecomics Festival”. Great surprises and illustrious guests, such as the director Enzo d’Alò, the screenwriter Francesco Artibani, the illustrators Andrea Yuu Dentuto and Alberto Ponticelli.

The national event, conceived by the Kanò7 association in collaboration with the Municipality of Vernole and sponsored by the Province of Lecce, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Ciardo Pellegrino Art and Dance High School, the G. Palmieri Classical and Musical High School and the Sentieri Selvaggi film school of Rome, represents a new meeting point for fans and those curious about the world of comics, cinema and games, highlighting the setting of the Salento area as a cultural epicentre.

Borrowed from a Salento dialect expression that denotes amazement and disbelief, the term “JABBA!” reflects the festival’s intent to surprise and involve the public, offering an immersive experience with a playful but also educational character. The festival is aimed at the curious and enthusiasts of all ages, offering a vibrant environment made up of meetings, exhibitions and presentations, where comics culture in all its forms can be shared, disseminated and celebrated.

But “JABBA!” does not want to be just an entertainment event. It will also be an opportunity to promote Salento as a cultural destination. The choice of Acaya as the venue for the festival is not accidental: the village, with its peculiar historical architecture, offers an ideal setting for an event that blends culture, territory and entertainment. The festival wants to contribute to the deseasonalization of tourism, fully inserting itself within a territorial strategy aimed at promoting Puglia and Salento as a tourist destination with high cultural and entrepreneurial value.

Many guests, Enzo d’Alò, Italian director and screenwriter, known for successes such as “The Seagull and the Cat”, will be present at the screening of his latest film, “Mary and the Spirit of Midnight”, and will participate in a dialogue with the public and with the film critic Sergio Sozzo of the Film School “Sentieri Selvaggi” in Rome. Francesco Artibani, comic book and cartoon screenwriter. Since 1991 he has written for the weekly “Topolino” and for the series “PK”, “Mickey Mouse Mystery Magazine”, “X-Mickey” and “WITCH”. Since 1992 he has written the adventures of “Lupo Alberto”. In 2002 he created the series “Monster Allergy” with Katja Centomo while for Panini/Marvel he signed “X-Campus” and “Young Doctor Strange”. In the field of animation, he has collaborated on many TV productions including “Lupo Alberto”, “Spike Team”, “Bu Bum”, “The Extraordinary Adventures of Jules Verne”, “Egyxos”, “Tommy & Oscar”, “Winx Club”, “Monster Allergy”, “Pop Pixie”, “World of Winx”, “44 Cats” and “Pinocchio & friends”. He is a professor at the National Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Roman School of Comics. Andrea Yuu Dentuto, an illustrator and cartoonist of the Japanese school, will bring his ten-year experience to Japan, where he has collaborated with animation icons such as Yasuo Otsuka and published highly successful manga. During the festival, Dentuto will share anecdotes and curiosities about his career and manga culture. Alberto Ponticelli, one of the most appreciated cartoonists, on the Italian scene since the mid-nineties, publishes his works for some of the most important publishing houses in Italy and the United States, including Panini.

Again, Enzo De Giorgi, author of the official illustration of the festival. The artistic path of Enzo De Giorgi, born in 1968, is characterized by personal aesthetic research in the field of painting, illustration and comics that make him a multifaceted artist who, through different mediums, narrates stories and emotions through images. Since 1996, he has combined his art with teaching as a teacher of Figurative Arts at the Art High School of Lecce. He collaborates with publishing houses, record companies and artistic and cultural associations. The world of music has always been part of his drawings: he has created the cover image of numerous albums, books and festivals (Folkest, Festival de la chanson italienne à Paris, Festival Internazionale delle Arti and then… Jabba!). Claudio Rugge, born in ’77, began his career as a caricaturist and then specialized in Oriental Iconography, later worked as an illustrator for “La Repubblica”, in the regional sector and specialized again in the creation of Illustrated Maps.

Other guests of the first edition of “JABBA!” will be Kirio (Maurizio Iorio), a YouTuber and streamer specializing in manga and anime; Gianfranco Florio, an illustrator for the Walt Disney Company Italy; Mansikawaii (Martina Pierini), a content creator passionate about pop culture and manga.

In addition to meetings with guests, the festival will offer a series of workshops and conferences aimed at both professionals and enthusiasts. Emerging artists will have the opportunity to exhibit their works, while visitors can entertain themselves with contests and gaming, or participate in in-depth sessions and thematic debates. There will also be an exhibition of works in Lego bricks organized by the new Pro Loco of Acaya in collaboration with the Salento Brick association.

For further details on the program, tickets and guests, you can visit the official website http://jabbacinecomicsfestival.it or follow the festival’s social channels on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook (@jabba_cinecomics).