SLAM Festival: Where Music Speaks Louder Than Words

The recent SLAM festival in Milan, a new international event, delved into the expressive power of film music, echoing Ennio Morricone's sentiment that music can articulate what words cannot. This collaborative festival between CAM Sugar and Triennale Milano presented over 30 events, including screenings, talks, and musical performances, drawing approximately 100 artists. Organizers have already confirmed a second edition for 2026, underscoring the event's success.

CAM Sugar, marking its 65th anniversary, utilized SLAM to showcase its expansive library of more than 2,500 Italian and French film scores. The festival's programming, curated by Andrea Fabrizi, offered a multifaceted view of film music's historical context and present-day relevance through listening sessions, DJ sets, and discussions. This rich archive continues to inspire contemporary filmmakers and musicians, with its pieces being sampled by artists worldwide and featured in modern productions.

The festival underscored the universal nature of film music, with discussions touching upon its ability to transcend language barriers and its continued influence on global cinema and sampling culture. Speakers emphasized the irreplaceable human element in musical creation, cautioning against over-reliance on digital tools and advocating for trust in composers. The event concluded by reinforcing the idea that the unique human spark in composition cannot be replicated by machines.