The fourth edition of the Maremma Archeofilm Festival concluded with a remarkable result: the documentary “Il volto di Alessandro” was awarded the prize for Best Film in Competition, as voted by the festival audience. Directed by Vanni Gandolfo and produced by GA&A Productions, the film won over the public in Grosseto, earning the “Maremma Archeofilm” Award 2025—a prestigious recognition granted annually by the popular jury of the festival. This achievement brings great pride and satisfaction to AANT, as it celebrates and enhances the contribution of our students to the project.
Held in Grosseto from July 17 to 20, 2025, the festival is an international showcase of archaeological, artistic, and environmental cinema, now in its fourth edition. Organized by Firenze Archeofilm (a traveling series of Archeologia Viva – Giunti Editore) in collaboration with the M.Arte Association and local institutions, the event featured three evenings of free screenings with guests and experts, actively involving the audience in selecting the winning film. Once again this year, the Maremma Archeofilm Award was assigned to the film most voted by viewers, confirming the festival’s signature participatory format.
The winning documentary, Il volto di Alessandro. Il restauro del mosaico di Alessandro e Dario, written and directed by Vanni Gandolfo, is produced by GA&A Productions in association with DOCLAB and in collaboration with RAI Cultura. The film offers an exclusive look into the intricate restoration of the iconic Mosaic of Alexander—one of the greatest treasures of ancient art housed at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN)—depicting Alexander the Great’s victory over Darius III of Persia. This legendary mosaic, the largest ever unearthed in Pompeii, serves as a valuable—if unusual—source for imagining the true appearance of the Macedonian conqueror. The documentary not only recounts the challenges of the restoration process, but also guides viewers through the search for Alexander’s “real” face using artificial intelligence.
A standout aspect of the project is the collaboration with the Academy of Arts and New Technologies (AANT) in Rome. Specifically, the “Frammenti” FARM—an experimental lab composed of seven selected AANT students under the guidance of professor Davide Cardea—made a significant contribution to the research featured in the documentary. AANT students applied innovative methodologies to analyze and reinterpret historical and iconographic sources related to the face of Alexander the Great, demonstrating how design and AI can concretely support the study and enhancement of cultural heritage. This multidisciplinary team reconstructed the “true” face of Alexander by combining scientific rigor with the most advanced generative AI technologies, comparing historical data (from ancient texts to sculptures attributed to Lysippos) with 3D digital modeling.
The young talents of AANT had the opportunity to take on an ambitious challenge—reconstructing Alexander the Great’s features beyond the myth—bringing into the film the skills and creativity developed during their academic journey. The Frammenti FARM thus became a bridge between academia and documentary production, playing a key role in the innovation behind the project.
The victory of “Il Volto di Alessandro” at the Maremma Archeofilm Festival 2025 is a source of great pride for the Academy and a remarkable recognition for the students involved.