The festival's directors have included Alberto Barbera, Stefano della Casa, Giulia d'Agnolo, Roberto Turigliatto, Nanni Moretti, Gianni Amelio and Paolo Virzì.
Gianni Rondolino founded the Festival Internazionale Cinema Giovani in 1982 in Turin, a city that was in economic decline.
The festival, attracting big names in Italian and international cinema, helped to re-energise the city both economically and culturally.
[3] Moretti left the post in 2008, after two festivals, to focus on his own filmmaking.
The festival opened with animated musical comedy Sing 2 by Garth Jennings and honoured Monica Bellucci with a lifetime achievement award.