Paola Cortellesi shines as La Befana in a family comedy blending tradition and modernity

A wildly successful Christmastime film, earning over $8 million at the box office when it premiered in 2018, "La befana vien di notte" (“The Legend of the Christmas Witch”) is a wholesome holiday comedy that the whole family can watch.

Directed by Michele Soavi, the film stars two of Italy's most diverse contemporary actors, Paola Cortellesi and Stefano Fresi, as gift-giving foes. Paola (Cortellesi) is a grammar schoolteacher by day, but at night, she turns into La Befana, the Christmas witch, a mystical being who brings gifts to the good kids and coal to the naughty ones.

On one of her Befana nights, she was attacked by a dog that tore her Befana gift list. When she returned home from a night of riding on her broomstick, delivering gifts to children all over the world, she realized that she had forgotten one child. When she discovered the torn-up list, she figured out who the child was, got back on her broom, and headed straight to his house. Having arrived late, the boy, Johnny, had already woken up to an empty stocking.

Fast forward 25 years, and that boy, Mr. Johnny (Fresi), now a grown-up toymaker in his own right, has dedicated his life to seeking revenge for that Befana morning that he says ruined his life. He gets his chance after a teenager mistakenly records La Befana on his phone. When the teen realized that he captured a witch flying through the night sky on her broom, he uploads the video to social media, and it goes viral. Mr. Johnny figures out her location and goes there with his entourage of misfits to kidnap her and bring her back to his toy factory. There, he imprisons her and threatens six of her students, who are on a mission to save her, until Paola tells him where she keeps all the kids' letters so that he can take her place, swearing that he will never disappoint a child the way that she disappointed him.

It's worth noting that the English title was translated from Italian and that this film is not an adaptation of the American children's book by the same title by Aubrey Plaza and Dan Murphy.

Written by the prolific screenwriter Nicola Guaglianone, Soave took on the film after working mainly in the drama genre, seeing the film was the opportunity for him to explore comedy. He set out to combine realism with the fantastical, utilizing digital effects to give it a sense of fantasy.

"I reworked the myth of the Befana, played with brilliance by Paola Cortellesi, an unconventional character, a female superheroine who marries elements of tradition in a more modern guise," said Soave in a promotional statement to Cinecittà. "She's a woman who, despite wearing rags, takes care of herself, sometimes even appearing seductive and fascinating."

Soave certainly succeeded in his quest to combine elements of realism and fantasy. The film has just the right number of effects to enhance the characters' actions while making the story seem believable. Guaglianone's clever and creative screenplay also deserves credit for maintaining a balance of realism and fantasy with suspenseful scenes and engaging dialogue among the students, whether they are working through a logistical challenge in their mission to save Paola or talking about a first kiss. There is a strong sense of community and friendship in the film that is appreciated, particularly during the holiday season.

In 2021, director Paola Randi made a prequel to the film starring Monica Bellucci. Set in the 18th century, Paola (Zoe Massenti), who is always getting into mischief, ends up thwarting the plans of the corrupt Baron De Michelis (Fabio De Luigi), a power-hungry Quasimodo who detests witches. Dolores (Bellucci), a good witch who looks after children, saves Paola's life in return for her pledge that she will become La Befana and be forever young.

Not only is the film entertaining and a fun, lighthearted watch during the hectic holiday season, but it also offers insight into a holiday that Americans are often curious about. It's a wonderful, whimsical children's film that the whole family can enjoy.

"The Legend of the Christmas Witch" is available on several streaming platforms, including Tubi, where it is free of charge. Click here to watch the prequel on Max.

- Written by Jeannine Guilyard for the December issue of Fra Noi Magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Comments

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 ...

The Timeless Talent of Stefania Sandrelli

On screen since the tender age of 14, she has captivated audiences for more than 50 years with a compelling combination of strength and vulnerability. She achieved stardom at just 14 years old playing the angelic cousin of a love-struck Marcello Mastroianni in Pietro Germi’s “Divorce Italian Style.” More than half a century later, she is still going strong and remains one of Italy’s most esteemed actors. Stefania Sandrelli was born on June 5, 1946, in Viareggio in the province of Lucca in northern Italy. As a child, she studied music and dance. Then in 1960, she won a beauty pageant and was featured on the cover of Le Ore magazine. Her purity captivated the country and shortly thereafter, movie offers began pouring in. Just one year later, she made her cinema debut in three feature films: Mario Sequi’s Gioventù di notte , Luciano Salce’s The Fascist, and Pietro Germi’s Divorce Italian Style . She instantly became a star and before long was a key figure in Italy’s legend...

The Anthology Film Archives Presents: The Italian Connection: Poliziotteschi and Other Italo-Crime Films of the 1960s and '70's

June 19 – June 29 Influenced both by 1960s political cinema and Italian crime novels, as well as by French noir and American cop movies like "Dirty Harry" and "The French Connection," many Italian filmmakers in the late-60s and early-70s gradually moved away from the spaghetti western genre, trading lone cowboys for ‘bad’ cops and the rough frontier of the American west for the mean streets of modern Italy. Just as they had with their westerns, they reinvented the borrowed genre with their inimitable eye for style and filled their stories with the kidnappings, heists, vigilante justice, and brutal violence that suffused this turbulent moment in post-boom 1970s Italy. The undercurrent of fatalism and cynicism in these uncompromising movies is eerily reminiscent of the state of discontent in Italy today. ‘The Italian Connection’ showcases the diversity and innovation found in the genre, from the gangster noir of Fernando Di Leo’s "Caliber 9" ...

Gianfranco Rosi to premiere 'Sotto le nuvole' at Venice Film Fest, exploring Naples' history

Documentary filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi will premiere his much-anticipated latest film at the upcoming 82nd Venice International Film Festival , which runs August 27 - Sept. 6. "Sotto le nuvole" (Below the Clouds) takes a deep dive into the rich history and culture of Naples and the area surrounding Mount Vesuvius. There has not been much information revealed but so far, we know that the film will focus on themes similar to those explored by Rosi in his previous works, such as the examination of Roman culture in "Sacro GRA" (2013) and Lampedusa's refugee crisis in "Fuocoammare" (2016). The film's synopsis reads, “The land around Vesuvius is a vast palimpsest. On the surface, underground and even beneath the sea of the modern city of Naples and its surroundings, the memory of history is etched into tunnels, walls and fissures, the remains of women, children and men — statues, buried cities. Only thin layers separate contemporary and ancient life, an...

Riccardo Scamarcio Joins Cast of "John Wick 2"

Update to our original January 18 post.. - According to the Hollywood Reporter, the follow-up to John Wick has been given an official title — John Wick, Chapter 2 — and a release date from Lionsgate: Feb. 10, 2017. It's just been reported that Keanu Reeves is in Rome shooting his new film, "John Wick 2" with Italian actors Riccardo Scamarcio and Claudia Gerini . The film is an action-thriller and sequel to "John Wick". Shooting began last October in New York City. John Wick, played by Reeves, is a hitman that comes out of retirement to seek vengeance for the theft of his vintage car and the killing of his puppy, a gift from his recently deceased wife. The scenes being shot in Italy for the sequel reportedly take his career to the international level. Riccardo Scamarcio One of Italy's most recognizable faces, Riccardo Scamarcio has built a solid career based on the diversity in the roles he chooses and the intensity with which he plays the...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog