Italian Cinema Today

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The Vibrant Colors of Ancient Greek and Roman Sculpture

I recently attended a symposium on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s stunning exhibit – Chroma: Ancient Sculpture in Color. The speakers, presentations, and history discussed made the symposium so captivating. Then seeing the works up close really completed the whole experience. The exhibit featured reconstructions of ancient sculptures painted in vibrant colors as they were created 2,000+ years ago. Although sculptures created during the Renaissance were monochromatic and true to how we see them today, it’s important to keep in mind when walking through a museum browsing ancient sculptures the diversity of their appearances in antiquity. According to an essay published by the MET, “Greek and Roman sculpture was originally richly embellished with colorful painting, gilding, silvering, and inlay. Such polychromy, which was integral to the meaning and immediacy of such works, survives today only in fragmentary condition.” Through modern technology, scientists can collect traces of the ac

Sabrina Impacciatore Living the Dream

Whether she’s playing a devoted mother, a biblical figure or a tough but kind hotel manager, Sabrina Impacciatore escapes into the lives and minds of her characters so completely that she often believes she has become them. Impacciatore had wanted to be an actor since she was just 4 years old, but she grew up insecure about her looks and abilities so she pursued a degree in marketing and advertising instead. Unable to shake her childhood dream, she took up acting as a hobby, which led her to write for television. When she presented one of her scripts, she was asked to audition for it. Setting aside her fears, she gave it a shot, landing that role and many others to follow. Her sense of humor made her a natural for TV comedies. Legendary director Ettore Scola cast her in her first feature film, opposite Gérard Depardieu, in the 2000 drama “Concorrenza sleale” (Unfair Competition). Her emotionally charged breakout performance came a year later as Livia in Gabriele Muccino’s internationa

Toni Servillo: Master of His Craft

Named by Vogue Italy as the most versatile performer in the history of Italian cinema, Toni Servillo has earned a reputation as a masterful character actor who hauntingly transforms himself into dark, troubled protagonists indifferent to the dubious methods they employ to get what they want. Born in 1958 in Afragola, a town in the province of Naples, Servillo began his acting career on stage during the 1970s, founding Teatro Studio in Caserta and participating in a number of productions in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Influenced by Eduardo De Filippo, he interpreted several of the legendary actor and playwright’s roles and writings. Servillo made his feature film debut in Mario Martone’s 1992 “Morte di un matematico napoletano” (Death of a Neapolitan Mathematician) and appeared in Martone’s follow-up projects: the 1993 “Rasoi,” the 1997 “I vesuviani” (The Vesuvians) and the 1998 “Teatro di guerra” (Rehearsals for War). He was tapped by Paolo Sorrentino to play a starring role in

In the Shadow of a Volcano

An encounter with a legendary director at Italy’s film restoration powerhouse set her on a course for a life in cinema. Born in 1979 in Torino, home to the National Museum of Cinema, Gaia Russo Frattasi’s first love was theater. She pursued this passion at the University of Torino. After graduating with a degree in theater history, she discovered L’Ipotesi Cinema, a series of workshops featuring industry professionals and hosted by Italy’s film restoration powerhouse Cineteca Bologna. After attending a workshop taught by veteran director Ermanno Olmi, she decided to change her focus from theater to cinema. Shortly thereafter, she made the documentary “Miriam – Variazioni” about a popular Torino nightclub act. The short film premiered at the 2005 Torino Film Festival and was awarded Best Film or Video. Russo Frattasi has honed her craft over the years, making numerous videos and documentaries with her production company, Moby Film. A few years ago, while accompanying her friend on a

The Complex Characters of Luca Marinelli

Photo by Siebbi His intense dramatic performances have earned him a spot as one of contemporary Italian cinema’s top leading men. Born in 1984, Luca Marinelli was no stranger to cinema when he enrolled in the Rome drama school Silvio d’Amico National Academy of Dramatic Art. His father, Eugenio Marinelli, is an actor and noted voiceover artist, having interpreted the likes of John Goodman, Gene Wilder and Ving Rhames for Italian audiences. Marinelli graduated from film school in 2009 and hit the ground running as a lead actor. His breakout role was his very first in a feature film, Saverio Costanzo’s 2010 drama “La solitudine dei numeri primi” (The Solitude of Prime Numbers). Three years later, he was named a Shooting Star at the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival for his role in Paolo Virzì’s “Tutti i santi giorni” (Every Blessed Day). That same year, he had a small role as the tormented Andrea in Paolo Sorrentino’s Academy Award-winning “La grande bellezza” (The Great Beauty)

Is there an exorcist in the house?

Awarded the Golden Lion in the Orizzonti section of the 73rd Venice Film Festival, Federica Di Giacomo’s 2016 “Liberami” (Deliver Us) has become one of the most talked about documentaries of recent years. It is a film about the practice of exorcism that explores the contrasts between ancient traditions and modern challenges. Di Giacomo tells the story with a hint of comedy, but that lightheartedness is overshadowed by the profound suffering of people desperately searching for answers. Her third feature film after having made several shorts, “Liberami” put Di Giacomo on the map. After its award-winning debut in Venice, it went on to garner accolades around the world. The Catholic Church has long trained exorcist priests to respond to the phenomenon of demonic possession. One of them is Fr. Cataldo, whom the film follows along with those who attend his masses in search of a cure for their inner demons. The film opens with a woman sitting on a chair in a chapel as Fr. Cataldo anoints her