Alfonso Capuozzo, who plays Simone in Mare Fuori, met students at the Teatro Comunale Vittorio Emmanuele in Benevento on the opening day of the XVIII Benevento Social Film Festival ArTelesia.
According to local reports from NTR24 and L'Eco del Sannio, Capuozzo took part in the festival's student-facing programme on 7 October. The festival's official programme clearly lists Andrea Pisani for the 9:00 student meeting that morning; Capuozzo's participation is described in the local coverage rather than in that programme listing.
Speaking to students, Capuozzo described paternal figures as important reference points in young people's growth. In the words quoted in the NTR24 headline: "Gli eroi sono le figure paterne. Ai ragazzi dico di provarci sempre."
He also spoke about his own path into acting. Capuozzo said he had been working as a pizza maker and was preparing to leave for Germany before receiving the opportunity to join Mare Fuori. His message to students was to keep trying when an opportunity appears.
A festival built around young viewers
The Benevento Social Film Festival ArTelesia is holding its XVIII edition from 7 to 11 October 2026, according to the festival's official website.
Students from secondary schools and universities are directly involved as viewers and jurors in the selection of finalist short films. L'Eco del Sannio reports that students were scheduled to meet guests on the morning of 7 October and to serve as jurors for finalist shorts, while the official programme includes student matinees and short-film judging at the Teatro Comunale Vittorio Emmanuele on 7 October.
Andrea Pisani, of the comedy duo PanPers, was also scheduled to meet students during the opening day and to hold a public open conference later that day.
What is on during the festival
The official programme presents free events, masterclasses, screenings and meetings with audiovisual professionals. Events take place at venues in Benevento and nearby towns, with the Teatro Comunale Vittorio Emmanuele among the venues used for the 7 October student programme.
For readers planning to follow the festival, two practical points are confirmed by the research:
First, the core dates are 7 to 11 October 2026. The opening day included the student meetings and judging sessions reported above.
Second, much of the programme is designed as open access. The official programme describes free events alongside masterclasses, screenings and professional meetings, making it useful to check the festival's official website and programme PDF for times, venues and any reservation requirements before travelling.
Capuozzo's appearance is identified in headlines by his character name, Simone, but the person who met students was Alfonso Capuozzo, the actor who plays Simone.
