Italian Cinema Today

It was recently announced that documentary filmmaker Francesco Patierno will present his latest work "Camorra"  in the Sconfini program of the 75 th  Venice Film Festival, which runs August 29 – September 8. The film has been described as “a striking historical and socio-anthropological portrait of the Campania’s regional capital and of the organized crime that afflicts it.”  Patierno spent months researching the treasures of Rai Teche archives and uncovered a number of period films, many of which were previously unpublished. Born in Naples in 1964, Patierno studied architecture before discovering his passion for filmmaking. He worked as a creative director for an ad agency producing video clips and commercial spots for RAI. Then in 1996, he tried his hand at filmmaking with a short film called " Quel giorn o"   (That Day). The compelling 10-minute film premiered at the 53 rd Venice Film Festival and was shown at more than 50 film festivals worldwide....

Last week, "Milionari" opened in theaters across Italy. Inspired by one of the Camorra's most  notorious Neapolitan crime bosses, the film is an action-packed, emotionally-charged drama, which offers a glimpse into the life of an infamous gangster and the trauma one woman endured as she stood by the man she loved. I talked with actress Valentina Lodovini about her role portraying that fascinating woman, Rosaria. Our interview was done in Italian, so both versions are included. Tell me about your character. Rosaria is a woman, not a criminal. She has nothing to do with the business or power of the Camorra. She has just fallen in love with a man who is a criminal. My character, otherwise, is just one aspect of organized crime. We call this the Omertà, which describes a person who does not complain about the injustices that lie before him or her. It is someone that prefers not to know and not to ask questions.    Raccontami ...