A couple of questions to Selvaggia Velo, creator of the most famous Indian Festival in Italy, less than a month after the launch of the screenings

Wild, how is the performance of the River to River Festival compared to past editions?

The turnout of the public at the River to river Festival has always been growing, except in 2011 when there was a small decline, as in all Italian cinemas.

Where have you been in the past months to find and discover new films to propose? An episode that struck you particularly?

I started in India in Bombay between February and March, and then at the Cannes festival and then again in India in June, in Delhi . There was not a specific episode that struck me but the thing that always leaves me surprised is the enthusiasm that the first-time directors bring us to meet me and give me their films. I am as excited as they are when I watch a movie!

Are there any movies you'd like to bring to the screen, I mean which Indian region, which you never had a chance to present yet?

I would like to project more films from southern India that I feel we were unable to adequately show the River to river Festival.

How does it feel to have a guest of such stature this year, Big B, Amitabh Bachchan?

I still don't realize it well . When I received his email telling me he was coming to the Festival it was July and I was stunned. Now that a month or so is missing, I begin to dream of the opening night with Big B on stage!

If the Festival also arrived in Milan one day?

We had landed for a weekend in January 2007, with a "the best of" of the 2006 edition. This year we try Rome and see how it goes, but I would certainly like very much to have a River to river even in Milan .