The Porretta Film Festival in Porretta Terme, Italy, will host a Memphis Day during its 2025 festival, happening December 6-13. Craig Brewer’s Hustle & Flow will headline the celebration of Mid -South filmmakers. It will screen as a double feature with Hoop Street, directed by Princeton James. The screening is part of an exchange program between the festival and Memphis & Shelby County Film and Television Commission.
“In one year, The Film Exchange has grown from our screening only short films from Memphis in 2024 to screening a feature-length film at our 2025 Festival. We are very excited to show off films from our Sister City to our international audience of film lovers,” says Porretta Film Festival President Luca Elmi.
Brewer is celebrating 20 years since the release of the made-in-Memphis film, which earned Three 6 Mafia an Academy Award for Best Song, and Terrance Howard an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
“I’m honored on the 20th Anniversary of Hustle & Flow to know that it will be shown at Memphis’ Sister City’s prestigious film festival-Festival del Cinema di Porretta Terme. What an opportunity to showcase side-by-side my early example of Memphis independent film and an example of local independent film today, Hoop Street!”
Hoop Street is the work of Memphis writer/producer Teresa Dickerson. She and director James will be at the festival, along with Brewer and a delegation from the Memphis & Shelby County Film and Television Commission.
Memphis & Shelby County Film Commissioner Linn Sitler called the screening, which will occur on the closing night of the festival, “a dream come true.”