Italian Cinema Today

Pre-production for Paolo Genovese's next film is officially underway, and the big news is that it will be shot in English in New York. Addressing an audience at the Giffoni Film Festival, Genovese said the new project, titled The First Day of My Life (Il primo giorno della mia vita), will be very different from his blockbuster, Perfetti sconosciuti (Perfect Strangers). He explained, "It will be the contrast, very positive." He went on to say, "It's probably a reaction to this moment when the whole world seems to be on fire. I want to make a film about the beauty of life." Paolo Genovese is known for his character-driven stories, mostly labeled comedies. Although, my feeling is that they are more along the lines of drama with strong comedy relief. In America, as he pointed out in an interview with the Italian newspaper, Il Messaggero, we call them dramedies. From his coming-of-age film, Immaturi to his southern Italian romantic comedy, Sei mai stata su...

I read a quote about Paolo Genovese’s “Perfetti sconosciuti” (Perfect Strangers) -   “Un film che rimane impresso, prima nella pancia e poi nella mente.” –A film that remains first in the stomach and then in the mind. That sums up how you will feel upon watching the film. If you’re a filmmaker, you will take it one step further by asking yourself, "Why didn’t I think of that?” This is a universal story, a testament to the times in which we live. If I was limited to one word in reviewing this film, it would be, genius. That word covers just about every aspect of the film from the writing to the directing to the acting to the lighting to the set design to the wardrobe. Each person, every detail made “Perfetti Sconosciuti” a true masterpiece. I watched it several times before I attempted to write this. The first time, I just read the subtitles. The second time, I focused on the performances and then I watched it again to pay attention to the production details such as the...