In 2017, the Lavazza Italian Film Festival (LIFF) Australia's premier national boutique festival partnered with Bulgari to establish the inaugural Bulgari Critics' Choice Award (BCCA). Designed as a landmark cultural platform, the award aimed to celebrate contemporary Italian cinematic excellence, elevate the festival’s international prestige, and deepen audience engagement with high-profile Italian productions through the lens of luxury and Made-in-Italy heritage.
As the Awards Coordinator, I orchestrated the entire lifecycle of the award, working in close synergy with the Palace Cinema and Bulgari teams. My responsibilities spanned from conceptual design to operational execution, including jury selection, voting system development, art direction, and comprehensive brand management.
High-Profile Jury Curation & Custom Voting Framework: Assembled a distinguished 6-member jury balancing Australian and Italian cinema leaders, including actress Greta Scacchi and Bulgari MD Brad Harvey. Designed a bespoke quantitative/qualitative voting system to capture in-depth technical feedback, producing compelling quotes and analytical data for press releases and marketing materials.
360° Visual Identity & Immersive Set Design: Personally created the official BCCA logo and visual identity across websites, printed programs, EDMs, and stage graphics. Designed an "Italian-style" jury deliberation lounge complete with curated props, custom lighting, and branded backdrops—creating a "photo-ready" environment that guaranteed premium visual content across all media coverage.
Operational Agility & Content Capture: When external PR schedules shifted, I immediately mobilized an in-house photo/video crew to record behind-the-scenes jury debates and executive interviews. This generated exclusive, authentic video assets that drove organic digital engagement far exceeding standard press coverage.
Institutional Diplomacy & Strategic Alliances: Built foundational alliances with the Italian Embassy, the Italian Consulate General, and the Italian Cultural Institutes (IIC). Secured a $6,000 cash grant from IIC Melbourne and established a grass-roots "Festival Friends" network across iconic Italian venues to maximize brand footprint.
Broadcast & Gala Event Production: Authored national radio commercials and participated in live SBS Radio broadcasts, orchestrating a live surprise on-air award announcement with winning director Roberto De Paolis (Pure Hearts). Co-directed the presentation assets for the VIP Winner Announcement Gala hosted at The Residence, Grand Hyatt Melbourne.
Global Luxury Reach: Video content produced during jury sessions was requested and adopted by Bulgari’s global channels, reaching an international audience of 4.26+ Million followers.
Viral Digital Engagement: Official jury and festival video clips generated 58,000+ organic video views on Facebook alone, with the BCCA award winner announcement post accumulating over 10,500 impressions.
Direct Funding & Cultural Backing: Secured $6,000 in direct institutional grant funding and successfully cemented long-term sponsorship relations between Palace Cinemas and diplomatic institutions.
Industry Endorsement: Established direct dialogue with leading Italian filmmakers and international film festival directors (Rome, Ischia, EST Film Festivals), positioning BCCA as a highly respected international film prize.
The BVLGARI Critics’ Choice Award in Melbourne
Interview with Brad Harvey (Bulgari CEO Australia)
Thank you to my literally beautiful team.
