Welcoming the journalists was the Co-spokesperson of the Salesian Congregation, Fr Giuseppe Costa, who briefly illustrated the program and the order of events, and invited Fr Gildasio Mendes, General Councilor for Social Communication to introduce the festival. Fr Gildasio, In his speech, underlined the value of the festival "as a concrete means to unite and involve young people from all over the world", and concluded exhorting all the journalists present: "We also want to invite you to be ambassadors of hope, along with us and our young people from all over the Salesian world!”
Then, some of the most impactful videos among the 1,686 that were received on the website www.dbgyff.com were presented. A choreographed video musical titled “Moved by Hope” by the young lady "Chariet", brought the screen to life by the joyful dance of the young people from the refugee camp of Palabek, Uganda. It was a joyful action-packed song highlighting hope despite difficulties, thanks to Salesian education. This was followed by a moving French short-film “Mister Pipou” show-casing the loneliness that so many young people experienced during the lockdown, ending however with a move towards renewal. "Listen", produced by the young people of the Salesian Project of Panjim - India, reproduced the transition from total despair to shared joy arising from a gesture of providence, through images and music.
Fr Harris Pakkam, Director of the Festival, then traced the path taken to set up this great project in favor of young people from all over the world. He narrated how, from the conception of the project in December 2020, at the height of the pandemic, to today. The festival has seen the participation of thousands of young people from 116 countries, the involvement of over 100 jurors in the Preliminary Jury panel, and 10 other dignitaries from the world of cinema and culture in the panel of the Grand Jury. "We were a small team, but we knew how to dream, with young people and for young people," he said, before adding: "It was a work of God."
The Rector Major then illustrated the profound meaning behind the DBGYFF as giving a platform to young people so that they could express themselves, so that in the face of the tragedies and depressive ambiance generated by Covid-19 they could yet have the possibility to express themselves. “We adults often tell young people what we think is important, and how they should live. No! The young people through their films have tell us: 'we have the ability to think, and we know how to express ourselves’,” said Fr Á.F. Artime.
Reviewing the whole experience of the pandemic, the Rector Major recalled the problems of the ever-increasing increase of poverty and inequality across the globe. But at the same time, he indicated two brightening prospects: that “the generosity of many small benefactors, has allowed various units of the Salesian organizations in the world to allocate over 10 million euro directly to support people affected by Covid-19. Creativity has thus moved the Salesians in all the countries to be able to reach their young people despite the pandemic. And it is from that same creativity that the idea of the DBGYFF risen.”
Reflecting further on the success it has achieved, he reaffirmed his desire to renew the experience of the festival also in the upcoming years, and thanked the journalists present "for giving voice to the voice we want to express."
After an open session for questions, in which the idea of promoting a worldwide Salesian film school was even suggested to nurture the talents that emerged at this festival, Bro. Alberto Rodríguez, President of the DON BOSCO NEL MONDO Foundation, proposed the vote of thanks to all present.
Having been broadcast in live streaming, thanks to the collaboration of IME COMUNICAZIONE, the press conference remains accessible to all on the Facebook pages of ANS and the DBGYFFIT.
The grand finale of DBGYFF would be on Friday 19 November, when, at 18:00 (UTC + 1), in the Teatro Grande of Valdocco, the Final Award Ceremony of the Festival will take place, in the presence of the Rector Major, the Director of the Festival, and several other prominent figures. The event can also be seen live in the same way as today.
