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Four Contemporary Italian Films at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival

 
Istituto Luce-Cinecittà returns once again to the Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, in New York City Thursday, April 15 through Sunday, April 26, 2015, to showcase four contemporary Italian films: Hungry Hearts, Maraviglioso Boccaccio (Wondrous Boccaccio), Palio, and Vergine Giurata (Sworn Virgin) that were selected specifically to be shown at the Festival.  
 
Tribeca Film Festival runs from April 15th to April 26th and will present an impressive number of Italian films as International or North America Premieres to the New York public and press.

Four films by multi-award winning Italian maestri: directors Paolo e Vittorio Taviani, will present the brand new Maraviglioso Boccaccio (Wondrous Boccaccio), while director Saverio Costanzo and actress Alba Rohrwacher will launch Hungry hearts, distributed by IFC films. Straight from the Berlinale’s competition is Laura Bispuri’s first feature, Sworn Virgin, which will be shown in Competition.  Fourth title is the documentary Palio directed by Cosima Spender and distributed by Altitude Film Sales on the fascinating horserace, which takes place in Siena.
 
The mission of Istituto Luce-Cinecitta’ is to promote Italian cinema worldwide, and has been long regarded as the production powerhouse in Italy. Roberto Cicutto, CEO of Istituto Luce-Cinecitta’, states, “Italian cinema is once again at its peak, and we are delighted to see how Italians continue to play a major role in the industry creating incredible works that are appreciated universally. Moreover, having Tribeca Film Festival recognize the talent of these five Italian directors reinforces Italy as a strong leader of contemporary cinema.”
 
Istituto Luce-Cinecitta’ is one of the major players in the film industry, which works to support the development and promotion of Italian cinema in Italy and abroad, and is distinguished by the ability to integrate different areas of activity, which are essential in order to respond the competitive global market.

Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2001, The Tribeca Film Festival helps filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema. It is well known for being a diverse international film festival that supports emerging and established directors.
 
The following includes a list of contemporary Italian films that will be shown at the Tribeca Film Festival: Hungry Hearts, Meraviglioso Boccaccio (Wondrous Boccaccio), Palio, and Vergine Giurata (Sworn Virgin).
 
Hungry Hearts- directed by Saverio Costanzo
Synopsis: In the tiny basement bathroom of a Chinese restaurant, Mina (Alba Rohrwacher) gets trapped with stranger Jude (Adam Driver) when the door sticks shut. After having spent the night together, then Costanzo cuts to Mina on the toilet with a pregnancy test.
They decide to get married, and at their wedding, Jude’s mother, Anne (Roberta Maxwell), dances over to Mina, telling her that she will struggle to be part of the family. During her pregnancy, Mina consults a psychic, who tells her she has an “indigo baby,” meaning a child with paranormal powers. The pregnancy goes on with troubles, until she gives birth to the baby. Once back home with her underweight infant the mildly neurotic Mina barely takes care of the child, undermining the existence of the infant as well as Mina and Jude’s marriage.
 
Meraviglioso Boccaccio (Wondrous Boccaccio)- directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani
Synopsis: Florence, Thirteenth Century. The "Black Death" is spreading. Ten kids (three boys and seven girls) decide to escape and to seek shelter in the countryside, away from the horrible consequences of the plague. In order to kill time, each kid tells a particular story, but no matter how different their stories may be, they all have one aspect in common: love. A love that will help the characters cope with the numerous uncertainties of a very arduous age.

Palio- directed by Cosima Spender
Synopsis: Twice a year the Italian city of Siena goes crazy for the oldest horse race in the world: the Palio. Not your average race: strategy, bribery and corruption play as much a part as the skill of the riders. Horses are allocated by lot four days prior to the race. This is when the madness truly begins. In the eye of the storm stand the jockeys. Loved and loathed by the districts they represent, they forge alliances and make deals promising large cash sums to try and get the best start. Legendary rider Gigi Bruschelli has won 13 Palios in 16 years and is accused by his critics of monopolizing the race. He works the system, paying off younger jockeys and fixing the race with average horses. Two races away from beating the world record, Bruschelli will do anything to win. But one jockey stands in his way, his former trainee, a handsome young Sardinian, Giovanni Atzeni, who is quietly determined to challenge his old mentor. Less interested in bribes and collusion, he rides for the love of the race. PALIO is the thrilling story of a young 'outsider' keen to break in to the dangerous but lucrative race and the corrupt 'insider' who has manipulated the city of Siena for a decade. Their passionate and dramatic battle is an epic and cinematic tale of Italian life in microcosm.
 
Vergine Giurata (Sworn Virgin) - directed by Laura Bispuri
Synopsis: Sworn Virgin is a journey inside the feminine universe told in its many contradictory forms. It is the story of a woman who sacrifices her femininity for freedom, and then sacrifices her honour to go back to being a woman again. She does this without ever setting her feelings aside. Hana Doda, still a girl, escapes from her destiny of being a wife and servant which is imposed on the women in the inhospitable mountains in Albania and appeals to the old law of the Kanun, swearing eternal virginity and therefore becoming a 'sworn virgin'. She turns into a man, takes up a rifle and becomes Mark Doda. As Mark, she enjoys the same consideration as any other man, but after over ten years spent in solitude in the mountains, Hana decides to change her life. She leaves Albania and goes to Milan, where she meets caring, loving, people that life had denied her so far. Hana struggles to leave her man clothes and learns to be woman, learning to piece back together the two souls that for years have coexisted inside her body.
 
To see films and attend events at the Tribeca Film Festival, you will need to purchase an Individual Ticket, Ticket Package or Festival Pass. Single screening tickets are $10 for the matinee and $18 for the evening & weekends. $2 discount per each Evening/Weekend screening ticket (Available for students with valid ID, seniors age 62 and over, and select downtown resident).

For more information, visit the festival online at... http://tribecafilm.com/festival.
 

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