Italian Cinema Today

It’s a scorching day in a deserted Rome: mother and daughter are walking non-stop, dragging a large suitcase. The couple seem to seek one another, fleeing from each other, inverting their natural roles in continuation. Until, with just one gesture, they reveal the unexpected epiphany of their love. And so begins a new chapter for actress Jasmine Trinca as a director. “Being My Mom is a metaphorical walk in the existence of two women, a mother and her daughter, two protagonists of nothing but their lives. We are watching them by chance; two creatures taking part in existence, inessential for the world but essential for one another. It is a study of the bright and obscure paths of maternity and progeny,” explained Trinca. The film, which stars Alba Rohrwacher and Maayane Conti, boasts an all-female cast and crew, and has already made the line-up of two film festivals- Giovanna Taviani's Salina DocFest and Australia's nationwide Italian Film Festival . We'll keep you updated ...

If you’re an aficionado of international cinema, then chances are you have seen the films of Marco Tullio Giordana. His work is not for the faint of heart. It is dramatic, in your face and often reflects the brutality of society and the prices one must pay to hold on to his or her values. Giordana’s most successful films outside Italy are One Hundred Steps (I cento passi) and The Best of Youth (La meglio gioventù). One Hundred Steps is the true story of Peppino Impastato, a Sicilian activist who spoke out against the mafia. He paid the ultimate price for his activism and to this day, is regarded as a beloved hero among Sicilians. The Best of Youth was originally a television mini-series but was so well-received, it was edited down to six hours for a theatrical release. Not many films could hold an audience for six hours, but I saw the film in a regular theater in upstate New York, not at a film festival, and people were laughing, crying and enjoying the emotional rollercoaste...

Boys Cry Since the early 2000's, I've always looked forward to the month of June because of the remarkable selection of contemporary Italian films shown in New York at Lincoln Center's annual series, Open Roads: New Italian Cinema .  This year's diverse lineup, presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Istituto Luce Cinecittà, includes the Berlin Film Festival sleeper hit by the D’Innocenzo brothers, Boys Cry , the story of two best friends who get in over their heads with organized crime;  Innovative director Fulvio Risuleo's Look Up ; Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza’s second feature, Sicilian Ghost Story ; Sergio Castellitto’s emotionally-driven Fortunata , with Jasmine Trinca, who won the Un Certain Regard Best Actress prize at last year’s Cannes Film Festival; and three works by returning Open Roads filmmakers: Marco Tullio Giordana’s Name of a Woman , Ferzan Ozpetek’s Naples in Veils , starring the talented Giovanna Mezzogiorno and Alessa...

Her girl-next-door looks got her discovered when she was just a teenager. Fifteen years later, she's one of Italy's top dramatic actresses. Born and raised in Rome, Jasmine Trinca  never had intentions of becoming an actress, but she was discovered by a talent scout and fate took over. Trinca's first role was in Nanni Moretti's 2001 drama, La stanza del figlio (The Son's Room.) It's the tragic story of how parents deal with the death of a child. Trinca portrays the role of Irene, the sister of the character who dies in a swimming accident.   Trinca was just a teenager when she appeared in this film, but her performance was strong as she shared scenes with cinema veterans Laura Morante and Nanni Moretti. Her performance earned her the prestigious Guglielmo Biraghi prize as best new talent of the year. For as much success as she had in that film, she thought her career would end there.  It was only after director Marco Tullio Giordana off...

Valeria Golino on the set of "Miele" Valeria Golino will present her directorial debut film to New York audiences tonight along with her star, Jasmine Trinca. "Miele" (Honey) is the story of Irene, a woman who lives an isolated life. She works in a hospice setting, helping terminally-ill people die with dignity by giving them a drug. One day she supplies a supposed new client with a fatal dose, only to find out he’s perfectly healthy. Irene is determined not to be responsible for his suicide. From this moment, Irene and Grimaldi are locked unwillingly in a tense and unusual relationship which will change Irene’s life forever. Valeria Golino Valeria Golino is one of Italy's most celebrated actresses, but she is no stranger to American cinema. Born in Naples in 1966, Golino is most recognized in the U.S. for her role in "Rain Man." She's was the girlfriend of Tom Cruise's character, Charlie. The role put her on the map as an internation...