The request by the Festa’s president, Goffredo Bettini, was warmly supported by the historic Roman company. “Close links with the world of cinema”, said Paolo Bulgari, the company’s president, “have always been a source of inspiration for Bulgari and signify a great honour. We are particularly enthusiastic to participate in the first edition of this important Roman event, creating prizes inspired by the statue of Marco Aurelio (Marcus Aurelius)”.
The prizes (Best Film, Best Actor and Actress) will be awarded at the end of the Festa on the indications of the popular jury led by Ettore Scola, and to make them, Bulgari has creatively re-worked one of Rome’s most important symbols: the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, together some of the architectural details of Piazza del Campidoglio where the statue is situated. The prizes combine these historical elements with evocative cinematographic features in a highly original way, so as to stress the links between the city of Rome and the world of film.
The silhouette of emperor Marcus Aurelius on his horse, made in engraved silver, appears as though “projected” onto a crystal screen, and placed on a cylindrical canister-type structure mirroring the shape of a reel of film.
The upper part of the canister bears a bas-relief of the famous drawing of the square designed by Michelangelo, while on the side there is a silver plaque in the form of a piece of film, with the Festa’s logo.
The cylinder rests on a rectangular base of whitened maple wood, with the Bulgari logo adorning one side and space for a personalised silver plaque engraved with the name of its relevant recipient.
A special version of the Marcus Aurelius prize in gold-plated silver has been created especially by Bulgari for the Acting Award, the lifetime achievement award to be given to Sean Connery for this first edition.