Italian Cinema Today

On the second night of the Giornate del Cinema Lucano, an annual film festival held in the southern port city of Maratea, a number of local filmmakers will present their projects. Among them is Giuseppe Marco Albano. I've been following Albano's work for several years, and enjoying all he's done in the southern regions of Basilicata and Puglia. In 2015, he won a David Di Donatello for his short film Thriller , the story of a young boy living in the Pugliese town of Taranto, who dreams to emulate his idol Michael Jackson in the foreground of the city's controversial industrialization. Albano used regional actors from Basilicata and Puglia, including Anna Ferruzzo, to tell the story in the most genuine, authentic way possible. Albano worked closely with his lifelong friends Angelo Troiano and Sergio Ragone. Together, the trio is a force to be reckoned with when promoting the infinite beauty and natural resources of their beloved Basilicata. The short film is a masterp

Nestled in the Dolomite mountains of southern Italy's rich, historic region of Basilicata, Castelmezzano radiates the same southern beauty as its  own  Alessandra Romano Baudelaire, a stunning, talented filmmaker who left for Los Angeles to work as an actress.  Although the move took courage and sacrifice, Romano Baudelaire has found her share of success in both leading and supporting roles.  After having recently visited her  picturesque hometown and meeting members of her beautiful family, I can understand how the sincere passion for her work and the desire to make the world a better place through her art ignited her need to give it all she had and chase after her dream.  Romano Baudelaire and I have been connected for some time on social media. In light of wanting to know more about the young people of her region- why some stay and others leave- I asked her about her work, her love of acting and her dreams for the future.  Tell me about your work as an