The venue
Odeon Cinema, a fascinating location in the heart of the city centre and only a few steps away from the most important railway station, is the place where the conference will be held. Built in 1920, Odeon Cinema is the most ancient movie theater in Florence. We should be grateful to a world famous Italian actress, Eleonora Duse. She was able to change the mind of the owner, who at first wanted to transform the building into a luxury hotel. The cinema first opened in 1922 and since then it has hosted many celebrities, both Italian and international ones. Among the actors and directors who hit the stage in the past we remember Alberto Sordi, Nino Manfredi, Bernardo Bertolucci and Roberto Benigni. More recently, the cinema also welcomed stars such as Angelica Huston, Kate Winslet, Kenneth Branagh and Ralph Fiennes. Odeon Cinema is a vibrant cultural centre which often includes in its program original language films and is home to a large number of cinema festivals. One of the leading is “50 Giorni di Cinema Internazionale”, that takes place in Winter showcasing movies and directors from different cultures.
Cinema Odeon is a building with a dual personality: a typical Renaissance palace outside, an art decò jewel of Florence inside. Once you get in you'll suddenly feel welcomed by a bright and warm environment, characterized by the presence of precious Art Nouveau architectural elements.
