Manuale d’Amore screened at the opening night of the Cathay Pacific Italian Film Festival, Wellington. As well as vino Italiano the opening night audience was treated to the announcement of the winner of the film festival’s inaugural Scholarship. This Scholarship will be awarded yearly to a suitable New Zealand filmmaker. The winner gains the opportunity to attend the Venice Film Festival, and have periods of internship at Due A, Italian film production house and the National Museum of Cinema, Turin. This year’s recipient is actor, director and one-time Shortland Street star Paolo Rotondo. (Yes, a curiously Italian name. Paolo is in fact half-Italian and half-kiwi, and speaks fluent Italian.) The Wellington audience was given a viewing of Rotondo’s short film Dead Letters, which also screened at this year’s New Zealand International Film Festival. More information about the annual Scholarship, including application details for 2007’s round, can be found at italianfilmfestival.co.nz.—Melody Nixon