APCOM

The field of digital art has been constantly growing in the last few years, mostly, thanks to the contribution of the 'Internet generation', a group of 20-30 year old people who are accustomed to surfing the net and taking advantage of new technologies. Milano's Fabbrica del Vapore hosts 'Visioni digitali' (Digital visions), a three-day festival that aims to take the stock of graphic computer area, while trying to understand how digital creativity can meet the market demands.

The event, which celebrates its third edition, offers an intense program of projections, previews and workshops. The inauguration is on Monday the 5th at 7.30 pm with an unusual entertainment show. On stage some creative artists who will display one or more projects. The audience will vote for the most cogent ones and the winner will experience an internship to realise a video for a social campaign. The special guest will be Guido Manuli, a known director who worked both on famous cartoons and movies. Three of his short films, 'Trailer', Big Caesar' and 'Human', will be screened during the festival.

The opening contest isn't the only initiative dedicated to new artists, which will also find space through the best productions selected from 'Les e.magiciennes', a digital art event that takes place in the French city of Valenciennes and involves students from all over Europe. In 2007 a group of pupils of Milano's Accademia di Comunicazione gained the 'Coup de Coeur' jury prize with an interactive work on the furniture issue.

"New techniques help the production of videos that in the past required much more expensive means" commented Manuli "However, it can be a risk for cinema, as sometimes we are so fascinated by all these opportunities that we forget that the success of a movie depends above all on the plot's quality. Of course, on the other hand, thanks to the digital technology everything is possible. We are able to recreate all that fantasy can imagine."