UNIMA GENERAL SECRETARY / EUROPE COMMISSION 

Fabrizio Montecchi is director, set designer and pedagogue. From 1978 to 2022 he collaborated with Teatro Gioco Vita in an important experience during which he worked on the growth and development of contemporary shadow theatre. In 1985, his first experience as a director and, to date, he has to his credit the direction of more than sixty shows for all ages and numerous artistic collaborations with important theatres all over the world. During these years, he established himself worldwide as one of the most important directors of contemporary shadow theatre as well as a specialist in theatre for children and young people. His productions have won several awards and featured in the main festivals all over the world. Since 1993, he has been involved in pedagogical work aimed at spreading knowledge of contemporary shadow theatre. He has led courses and workshops around the world. He has participated in numerous symposiums, conferences, written books and articles and created exhibitions and events, always with the aim of contributing to the development of contemporary shadow theatre. For this activity he received the 2013 Transmission Prize from the International Puppet Institute of Charleville Mézières. Since 2000 he has been shadow theatre teacher at the ESNAM, in Charleville-Mézières. Since 2019 he has been the pedagogical director of ANIMATERIA, advanced training course for puppeteers expert in the physical and digital languages of puppet theatre, in Piacenza, organized by Teatro Gioco Vita and financed by the Emilia-Romagna Region and the European Social Fund Plus. Since 2020 he has been National Secretary of UNIMA Italy.