• 8th Edition / summer school
Where cinema becomes practice
From 3 to 5 July 2026 , in Fluminimaggiore, Andaras Summer School of Cinema hosts “Emergency Acting”, a masterclass on acting led by Paolo Rossi and Caterina Gabanella .
Three days of work dedicated to exploring the relationship between person, actor and character, through practical exercises, improvisation and storytelling .
THE MASTERCLASS
How do you act in a world where everyone is acting?
In the age of social media and constant exposure, performance has become part of everyday life. Everyone constructs images of themselves, plays roles, and tells their own version of the world. For this reason, according to Paolo Rossi, an actor’s work can no longer be limited to the mere creation of a character.
At the center of his method is the person.
Before the actor and before the character, there is a human being with their own story, contradictions, memories, inventions and vulnerabilities. Every authentic performance emerges from this personal heritage. For Rossi, no character can truly come to life unless it is supported by the truth of the person portraying it.
The masterclass therefore proposes a journey that begins with the individual and their experience, leading toward the stage. Through improvisation, practical exercises, storytelling and collective work, participants will explore the relationship between person, actor and character, learning how to transform listening, unpredictability and mistakes into creative tools.
The workshop also addresses stage presence, the relationship with space, time and fellow performers, ultimately arriving at the art of storytelling, where the actor becomes at once author, narrator and protagonist of their own story.
Rather than teaching a fixed technique, Emergency Acting proposes a living theatrical practice based on authenticity, risk, improvisation and continuous exploration. A unique opportunity to engage with the method of one of the most influential figures in contemporary Italian theatre.
Acting masterclass by Paolo Rossi and Caterina Gabanella .
July 3-5, 2026 / h. 09:00 a.m. - 01:00 p.m. / Fluminimaggiore
Programme:
Curated by:
Paolo Rossi
Paolo Rossi is one of the most influential actors, authors, playwrights, and performers on the Italian cultural scene. Born in Monfalcone in 1953 and Milanese by adoption, for over forty years he has worked across theater, television, and film with a distinctive language that blends comedy, storytelling, improvisation, and civic engagement.
Among the protagonists of the season that renewed Italian theater and comedy between the 1980s and 1990s, he was one of the symbolic figures of the Zelig experience, contributing to the growth of a new generation of artists and bringing to the general public a form of entertainment capable of combining satire, popular culture, and theatrical tradition.
Throughout his career, he has collaborated with artists such as Dario Fo, Gabriele Salvatores, Elio De Capitani, and Carlo Cecchi, developing a path that has always intertwined artistic research and attention to the present. Alongside his theater work, he has built a significant film career working with some of Italy's most important directors. His numerous film credits include Kamikazen – Ultima notte a Milano e Nirvana by Gabriele Salvatores, Benvenuti al Nord by Luca Miniero, Volevo nascondermi by Giorgio Diritti, Gloria! by Margherita Vicario, and L'invenzione di noi due by Corrado Ceron. He is also the screenwriter and composer of the music for the films Camerieri and Il grande bang by Leone Pompucci.
A multifaceted artist and tireless experimenter, Paolo Rossi continues to be one of the most original voices on the Italian cultural scene, capable of moving effortlessly between stage, film, and television without ever losing direct contact with his audience.
Caterina Gabanella
Caterina Gabanella is an actress and performer. Born in Bolzano, she has a multidisciplinary artistic and human background that combines sports, psychology, and theater.
After a competitive career in figure skating, where she was a member of the Italian national team for eight years, participating in international competitions and the World Championships, she graduated in Clinical Psychology from the University of Turin, specializing in risk, performance, and the relationship between the individual and the context.
His theatrical training developed at the Shakespeare School directed by Jurij Ferrini, with the contribution of masters such as Valerio Binasco and Gabriele Vacis, and continued through film workshops and advanced training courses, including the "La Valigia dell'Attore" scholarship organized by the Gian Maria Volonté School.
In recent years he has worked steadily alongside Paolo Rossi in theatrical productions such as The Anarchist King and the Outlaws of Versailles , Hamlet , This Evening We Improvise and Operaccia Satirica .
At the same time, he developed an intense activity in cinema and audiovisual, taking part in numerous short films, television productions and feature films directed by, among others, Marco Bellocchio, Antonio Pisu, Davide Marengo and Howard J. Ford.
Her artistic research focuses on the intersection of stage presence, narrative, and performer authenticity, themes that are at the heart of the pedagogical work she developed with Paolo Rossi.
Regulation
Summer School of Cinema - by Andaras APS
The total fee for the masterclass is €70, comprising a €10 membership fee and a €60 participation fee. Places on the masterclass are limited to a maximum of 15 participants. Applications must be submitted by 28 June 2026.
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Minimum age: To participate in the Summer School of Cinema, you must be at least 16 years old.
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Experience: No previous professional or educational experience in acting or theater is required. The masterclass is open to anyone who wants to challenge themselves and deepen their work on stage presence, storytelling, and improvisation.
Given the limited number of places available, the festival management reserves the right to select participants based on the information provided in their biography and cover letter, with the aim of building a motivated, diverse working group that is consistent with the proposed program.
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Mandatory Attendance : Participants are required to ensure regular and punctual attendance at all scheduled sessions. Unexcused absence may result in dismissal from the course.
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Active Participation : Active participation in activities, workshops, and discussions is required. Active participation is essential to maximize learning and program success.
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Behavior : Participants are expected to maintain respectful and professional behavior toward instructors, staff, and other participants. Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated and may result in immediate dismissal from the program.
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Respect for Facilities : Participants are required to respect the facilities and equipment made available during the Summer School. Any intentional damage will be the responsibility of the participant responsible.
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Data processing : By completing the registration form, participants consent to the processing of their personal data in accordance with current data protection legislation (EU Regulation 2016/679 - GDPR). The data provided will be used exclusively for purposes related to the organization and management of the Summer School of Cinema and will not be shared with third parties without explicit consent.
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Participants' Rights : Participants have the right to access their data, request its modification or deletion at any time by contacting the Summer School of Cinema organization.
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