Press Releases

STARRING THE IMAGES FROM THE FILMS THAT MADE ROME FAMOUS

The use of LED technology allows to reduce the cost of electricity by 45%

Rome, December 8, 2019 – The new Christmas lights provided by the Acea Group were turned on tonight, in Piazza Venezia, in the presence of the city's mayor, Virginia Raggi, and the CEO of ACEA, Stefano Antonio Donnarumma. The lights tell the story of Rome through the images, films and faces of the actors and actresses that made the city famous all around the world.

This year’s project is called ROMA BY LIGHT ACEA™, created by Studio Medaarch from Cava de’ Tirreni, winner of the international creativity competition “Make Christmas Lights ACEA”, launched by the multiutility company in collaboration with Maker Faire Rome – The European Edition, organized by Rome Chamber of Commerce, to find the best creative and sustainable Christmas lights to install in the city center and in the other fourteen municipalities.

Approximately 190 kilometers of optic fiber and 115 light beams comprising 300 luminous tails, able to reduce the installation’s daily electricity consumption by 45%, and 10 4mx2m LED screens connected with an App, were used to light up the 1,500 meters of Via del Corso. The new lighting system was created using technical, innovative and interactive lights and luminous elements with a very low impact on the environment, thanks to LED technology, which reduces light pollution and CO2 emissions to the minimum.

This lighting system, inspired by museum lighting models, was used to create the image of a starry sky in Via del Corso, with the objective of enhancing the spaces and colors of the Eternal City and its huge artistic value. In this context, ten mesh led screens show images from Italian and foreign films part of the history of cinema and the history of Rome. From masterpieces of neorealism, such as “Rome, open city” and “Mamma Roma”, to classic Italian comedies, “Campo dei fiori” and “Il sorpasso”, and the more recent works by Carlo Verdone, Woody Allen and Paolo Sorrentino, the new Christmas lights in the historic center bring Rome’s images and imagination to life through its architecture, history and cinema.

An App by the same name, ROMA BY LIGHT ACEA™, makes the project interactive, allowing visitors to connect their phones to discover more about the places, faces and film scenes shown on the screens.

As per tradition, a technological Christmas tree, made using LED lights, has been decorated in each one of the fourteen municipalities.

“Once again, the traditional Christmas lights have been provided by ACEA, but this time it’s a truly innovative installation – said CEO Stefano Antonio Donnarumma. By organizing the international competition to promote creativity, innovation and sustainability, the Group wanted to renew the lighting system and use it as an opportunity to add value to the beauty of the city using lights. As part of our strategy, for years we have been committed to requalifying urban spaces and Rome’s historical heritage, starting with the artistic illumination projects of its monuments and fountains”.
“Tonight, thanks to the initiative launched by Acea, we switched on the Christmas lights in Via del Corso – said Rome’s mayor, Virginia Raggi.
Not just any lights, a proper installation based on museum lighting models, selected through an international creativity competition. The starry sky effect, together with the scenes from the films that made Rome famous, make the city's Christmas atmosphere even more suggestive and beautiful, for everyone to enjoy. The new lighting system was created using fiber and LED screens, technologies that allow to considerably reduce power consumption and therefore are more environment friendly”.