Skip to main content

'Zoran, il mio nipote scemo' Starring Giuseppe Battiston- Awarded Il Premio Mario Verdone

The European Film Festival just wrapped up in Lecce, Italy. Now in its fifth edition, the festival designates a special award aimed at encouraging and celebrating young filmmakers. Named after Italy's beloved film critic, the late Mario Verdone, Il Premio Verdone is awarded each year to a young Italian filmmaker whose first or second work excelled during Italy's previous cinematic calendar year. The jury consists of Mario Verdone's children; Carlo, Luca and Silvia Verdone. 

This year, the prize went to director, Matteo Oleotto for his film, "Zoran, il mio nipote scemo" (Zoran, My Nephew the Idiot). It was Oleotto's first work. The story follows 40-year-old Paolo, who lives in a small town in the northern region of Friuli–Venezia Giulia. Described as "unreliable and with a passion for good wine," he spends his days at the local tavern with the other regulars, and takes pleasure in stalking his ex-wife. One day, he unexpectedly meets his nephew Zoran, a socially-awkward 16-year-old boy who was raised in the Slovenian mountains. Paolo is reluctantly named the boy's caregiver and shortly thereafter, discovers Zoran’s unusual talent for the game of darts.

A scene from "Zoran, il mio nipote scemo"

Giuseppe Battiston


You may recognize Giuseppe Battiston from his role in the international hit comedy, "Pane e tulipani" (Bread and Tulips) but in Italy, he is a familiar face, working non-stop on films for both the big and small screen. 

Born in 1968 in the northern city of Udine, Giuseppe Battiston was educated at Milan's prestigious Scuola d’Arte Drammatica Paolo Grassi. Upon graduation, he landed his first role in Andrea Barzini's 1990 film, "Italia-Germania 4-3." He then teamed up with one of Italy's most respected directors, Silvio Soldini. Also from the North of Italy, Soldini is known for telling stories through the poetic way in which he shoots his landscapes and scenes. The two compliment each other with Battiston lending a lighter touch to Soldini's intense and dramatic style of filmmaking. 

One of his most memorable roles, and a favorite among North American moviegoers came in Soldini's wildly successful "Pane e tulipani." Battiston has a gift for comic timing, and his portrayal Costantino Caponangeli is one hilarious performance. Costantino is your classic case mammoni, the eternal mamma's boy. He manages to leave the nest for Venice to pursue a freelance opportunity as a private detective in search of a missing housewife. The experience leads him to uncover a whole new world of adventure and love, all while fielding his mother's continuous phone calls and eating the pannini she packed for him upon his tearful departure. 

Although Battiston is a natural comedian, he pulls no punches when taking on a dramatic role, or even that of a villain. In Carlo Mazzacurati's 2007 murder mystery, "La giusta distanza" (The Right Distance), Battiston plays Amos, a seedy businessman who is a prime suspect in a murder case. The role gave Battiston the opportunity to prove his acting range goes far beyond comedy. He embraced the mystery and shadiness of his character, transforming himself into the very essence of corruption. The film was released in the United States in 2009.

A scene from "La giusta distanza"
Cristina Comencini's 2005 drama, "La bestia nel cuore," known internationally as "Don't Tell," was nominated for an Oscar in the category, Best Foreign Language Film. It gave international audiences another chance to see a great comedy performance by Battiston. The plot is heavy with the main characters dealing with haunting childhood issues. The comic dimension was a fine line to tread, but Battston approached the role with the perfect amount of sensitivity never minimizing the seriousness of the larger subject matter. 

One of the actor's most prolific years to date was 2013 in which he made four films: "La sedia della felicità," "Zoran, il mio nipote scemo," "La prima neve" and "La variabile umana." Directed by Andrea Segre, "La prima neve" premiered at the 70th Venice International Film Festival and went on to tour the world in a special film series organized by the festival to promote Italian cinema around the world.

A scene from La prima neve
In Annarita Zambrano’s French-Belgium-Italy co-production, "Dopo la Guerra" (After the War), Battiston takes on the role of Marco, a former left-wing activist, sentenced for the murder of a judge and exiled to France for 20 years. Forced to flee with his 16 year old daughter, his life changes forever, as does his family’s in Italy who has to pay for Marco’s faults. The film premiered at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival in the section, Un Certain Regard, and went on to be shown at festivals throughout the world.

His most recent project to arrive on American shores is the FX Network’s current hit series "Trust," in which he plays a shady drug dealer. For longtime fans, it was thrilling see him in an English-language role. Unfortunately, his character was killed off after a few episodes but his performance was spectacular and memorable nonetheless.

Watch a preview for Trust featuring Giuseppe Battiston...


I recently attended a press conference during the 2018 edition of Canada's Italian Contemporary Film Festival where Battiston presented his new films. He talked about the film commission in his region and all the productions being made there..


The beauty of Battiston's performances lies in his ability to treat his characters with a rare tenderness and empathy. He clearly identifies with their struggles as they face life's complexities.

- Jeannine Guilyard
(Updated June, 2018)
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Federico Fellini: A Look into the Life and Career of an Icon

A Fellini family portrait  “The term became a common word to describe something on the surface you can say is bizarre or strange, but actually is really like a painter working on a film,” said Martin Scorsese when asked to define “Felliniesque,” an adjective inspired by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. The oldest of three children, Federico Fellini was born in the seaside town of Rimini in 1920. His father was a traveling salesman, so his mother was left to do the bulk of raising the children. One can argue that Fellini was born for his destiny. “You could tell that even as a child, he was different and unique. He was very intelligent, well above average. He was always the one to organize things, direct the others, make up games. He could control the other kids with just a look, said Fellini’s sister, Maddalena, in an interview with journalist Gideon Bachmann.  Not only was Fellini directing the children, but he was also putting on shows and charging ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Sweetness and Genius of Giulietta Masina

Fellini and Masina on the set of "La Strada" As open-hearted and sunny as Federico Fellini was dark and complex, they were perfect counterpoints during a half-century of marriage and professional collaboration.  Nicknamed a  “female Chaplin” and described by Chaplin himself as  the actress who moved him most,  Giulietta Masina confronted the tragedy of her characters with an eternal innocence and enthusiasm that gave Italians hope in the most challenging of times.  Born in 1921 in San Giorgio di Piano, a commune north of Bologna, Masina was the oldest of four children born to a father who was a music professor and violinist and a mother who was a grade-school teacher. Her parents sent her as a child to live in Rome with her widowed aunt while she attended school there. As Masina took an early interest in gymnastics, her aunt saw in her a passion for performing and encouraged her to pursue acting. So after high school, Masina attended Rome’s La...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Extraordinary Career and Legacy of Dino De Laurentiis

Producer Dino De Laurentiis was one of the most prolific filmmakers ever, having produced or co-produced more than 600 films during a career that spanned seven decades. His legacy continues not only through the work of his children and grandchildren but also through a new generation of filmmakers in his Italian hometown. De Laurentiis was born in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius on Aug. 8, 1919, in the city of Torre Annunziata, located just minutes from the ruins of Pompeii. As a child, he worked at a local pasta factory owned and operated by his father. That experience had a profound effect on him, shaping a lifelong passion for food and an appreciation for business. At the age of 17, he decided to leave home for the big city. He arrived in Rome and enrolled in the prestigious film school, Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. After attending the school for about a year, he managed to produce one film in 1940, The Last Combat , before having to leave Rome temporarily for m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Alessandro Gassmann: Born to Act

Alessandro Gassmannin his directorial debut "Razzabastarda" Alessandro Gassmann is the son of the iconic Italian actor/director Vittorio Gassman and French actress Juliette Mayniel. He was born in 1965 and grew up around cinema royalty.  He made his cinema debut in 1982 at the age of 17 in his father's autobiographical film, "Di padre in figlio." He went on to study his craft under his father's direction at the Theatre Workshop of Florence.  Vittorio Gassman was very active in theater and seemed just as comfortable on stage as he did in front of the camera. Known for his powerful interpretations of Dante's "Inferno" and "Paradiso," it is no surprise that he nurtured his son's acting aspirations on stage before he launched his career in television and film. One of Gassmann's strong qualities, which he undoubtedly inherited from his father is his incredible range and ease in going from genre to genre. He can play ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Legend of Alberto Sordi - Rome's Eternal Son

′′They will always judge you, whether you behave well or if you behave badly. So screw it and live as you want but above all don't listen to anyone.′′  - Alberto Sordi By giving his fellow Italians something to laugh about during tumultuous times, he emerged as his generation’s King of Comedy. One of Italy’s best-loved personalities, Alberto Sordi played a pivotal role in Italian cinema from the end of World War II to the postwar economic boom of the 1950s. During those tumultuous years, he gave his countrymen a hearty laugh when they might have otherwise cried. Former Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi perhaps said it best: “Alberto Sordi interpreted the feelings of Italians, especially in their most difficult and tough moments.” Born in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome in 1920, Sordi grew up in a creative household. His mother was an elementary school teacher and his father, a professional musician for the Rome Opera House. A young Sordi joined the children’s choir o...
Post a Comment
Read more