Italian Cinema Today

Contemporary Italian cinema is gaining more momentum worldwide with each passing year. When I began writing for Fra Noi back in 2004, I could count on one hand the contemporary Italian film festivals held in America. Fast forward to 2015, and there are dozens of film series and festivals across the United States that showcase the newest trends in Italian cinema and culture. The popularity of all those series and festivals is grabbing the attention of film distributors, leading them to discover how much Americans really enjoy a good Italian movie. Francesco Munzi’s   Anime nere (Black Souls) is the latest example of this momentum. The film gained international acclaim when it premiered at last year’s Venice Film Festival, and it is now making its way across the film festival circuit in America before its   nationwide release begins on April 10th by Rialto distribution company.   Black Souls (Anime nere) is an unprecedentedly authentic depiction of the Calabrian crim...

Born in Austria, director Edoardo Winspeare spent his childhood in the enchanting land of Apulia, where his Italian origins go back 300 years.   That experience is strongly present in his work today.   Winspeare's love for the southern Pugliese culture is expressed in his approach to filmmaking. Utilizing his documentary background, he is known for calling upon local musicians and casting many non-professional actors. His 2014 film, "In grazia di Dio" (Quiet Bliss) Made its North American premiere at Lincoln Center's annual film series, Open Roads: New Italian Cinema. Shot in Salento, the film  reflects the current economic crisis facing Italians. Members of a family are forced to downsize their lives, selling their childhood home and taking on the laborious tasks of farmhouse peasants. Led by the family's matriarchs, Adele and her mother, the family manages to hold on to its dignity while making a living during the hardest of times. In a poignant scen...