Strong Italian Presence at Berlin Film Festival

The Italian films to be shown this year at the Berlin Film Festival are: "Vergine giurata" by Laura Bispuri, "Torneranno i prati" by Ermanno Olmi, "Cloro" by Lamberto Sanfelice and "Il gesto delle mani" by Francesco Clerici, as well as the Italian television series, "1992" staring Stefano Accorsi.

Laura Bispuri's film is the story of a young woman who escapes from her destiny of being wife and servant which is imposed on the women in the inhospitable mountains in Albania. She appeals to the old law of the Kanun and swears her eternal virginity thus becoming a “Vergine Giurata" (sworn virgin). The film is Laura Bispuri's first feature film and stars one of Italy's top leading ladies, Alba Rohrwacher. It will be in the main competition at the festival.

Olmi's film will be presented in the Berlinale Gala. Dedicated to World War I, the cast features Claudio Santamaria, A. Sperduti, Francesco Formichetti and Andrea Di Maria.

"Cloro" by Lamberto Sanfelice, which is also being featured at the Sundance Film Festival, is his first feature-length work, and will be shown in the Generation 14plus section.

The documentary by Francesco Clerici "Il gesto delle mani" will be shown in the 45th Forum, the Berlinale sidebar dedicated to visual experimentation and content that this year offers 43 films.

And finally, screening in the Berlinale Special is the Italian series "1992," a political thriller set against the backdrop of the “Mani Pulite” corruption investigations, triggering a political, civil and social earthquake in Italy. Accorsi heads the cast of "1992" which will make its World Premiere at the festival.

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