Safara triumphs at the Levadia Film Festival 2025 with four nominations and two international awards. A success story of solidarity and cinema made in Chieti.
Chieti, April 8, 2025 – TakeMeBack – Corrieri Solidali is proud to announce the triumph of Safara, its second documentary film, at the Muses Film Awards – Levadia International Film Festival 2025, held from April 4 to 6 in the picturesque setting of the city of Livadia, Greece.
In its international festival debut, Safara stood out for its authenticity, narrative power, and emotional impact. The film received four nominations in major categories— Best Original Song, Best Original Soundtrack, Best Human Rights, and Best First-Time Filmmaker —winning two important awards:
- Best Original Soundtrack, for the extraordinary evocative power of a soundtrack capable of crossing geographical and emotional boundaries.
- Best First Time Filmmaker, which rewards the depth and sensitivity of a debut film destined to leave its mark.
Conceived by Antonio Di Leonardo, Andrea Mariani, and Fabio Talucci, and directed by Paolo Calcagni, Safara recounts a real and deeply human journey, intertwining stories of solidarity, encounters, and connections that transcend all boundaries. The film documents an experience in Tanzania, showing how even the simplest gestures can have a profound and lasting impact on people's lives.
“Seeing Safara receive an award in such an inspiring setting gives us strength. Stories of solidarity can really go a long way, and this recognition confirms that we are on the right track,” said Antonio Di Leonardo.
“Every image carries with it a fragment of reality. Knowing that the film has touched the hearts of an international audience fills us with gratitude,” added Andrea Mariani.
“Safara is the result of a shared commitment, an experience that touched us deeply. This award shows that the truth of the stories we tell can cross any border,” commented Fabio Talucci.
Not just nominations and awards. At its big screen debut on April 6, shortly before the final awards ceremony, Safara was greeted with extraordinary enthusiasm. The theater, packed with spectators, experienced a unique emotional journey. The audience showed a level of engagement that exceeded all expectations, confirming the universal power of the message that Safara conveys.
“This recognition at the Muses Film Awards is a great honor. It is the result of a lot of hard work, passion, and dedication. Thank you to everyone who believed in Safara from the very beginning,” concluded director Paolo Calcagni.
This success was also made possible thanks to the work of Lorenzo Antonelli ( Marketing & Communications) and Giuliana Colucci ( International Festival Coordinator), whose contribution was fundamental in promoting and spreading awareness of the project. Both were present in Levadia alongside the TakeMeBack team, actively participating in every moment of the festival and sharing the excitement of this important milestone with the public. Special thanks also go to Francesca Perinetti, who transformed the narrated texts into poetry with the intense and profound voice of Roberto Pedicini, and to Nico Di Benedetto, for his valuable support in post-production and for creating the official posters for the film.
Demetrios Katis (aka Dimitrios), founder of the Muses Film Awards, award-winning Greek-American composer and master of symphonic and epic music, expressed his great appreciation for Safara. His support confirmed the universal value of the film, capable of moving and engaging even the most authoritative voices on the international artistic and cultural scene. The importance of this achievement was also emphasized by the Mayor of Levadia, Dimitris Karamanis, who personally congratulated the TakeMeBack team, praising their commitment, energy, and passion in promoting cinema and culture.
The Muses Film Awards – Levadia International Film Festival, now in its first edition, was created with the aim of celebrating cinema as an art form capable of inspiring, connecting, and transforming. Set between Mount Parnassus and Mount Helicon – the mythical lands of the Muses and the god Apollo – the festival aims to become a reference point for filmmakers and storytellers from around the world, offering an authentic space where art, activism, and beauty come together.
Safara's incredible achievement rewards teamwork, the shared vision of the TakeMeBack team, and the commitment of those who believe in a different way of telling the world's story through the beauty of solidarity.
