Italian Cinema Today

Licia Maglietta On Monday October 14th at 8:30 pm, the Rome Film Fest will enter the concert hall of the Teatro dell'Opera for the world premiere screening of La prima donna , the new documentary film by Tony Saccucci starring Licia Maglietta. The screening is part of the programme of pre-opening events taking place ahead of the 14th Rome Film Fest, which will be held October 17 - 27, 2019. Emma Carelli In his sophomore film, Tony Saccucci – who directed Il pugile del duce , special mention at the Nastro d'Argento awards as Best Debut Film – tells the forgotten, rediscovered and shocking story of Emma Carelli, an absolute diva of the opera. Acclaimed worldwide in the early twentieth century, she was one of the first women managers in Italy as director of the Teatro Costanzi (today's Teatro dell'Opera in Rome) from 1912 to 1926. A soprano renowned in Italy, Europe and as far as South America, she triumphed as an impresario as well, in an environment dominated ...

Il vizio della speranza  ( The Vice of Hope )   by Edoardo De Angelis is the winner of the "BNL People's Choice Award" at the 13 th  Rome Film Fest. The "BNL People's Choice Award", in collaboration with BNL Group BNP Paribas, Main Partner of Rome Film Fest, was awarded by the viewers. The audience cast its vote for the films in the Official Selection using myCicero , the official app "RomeFilmFest"  and on the website  www.romacinemafest.org The film follows Maria, played by actress Pina Turco. Her existence streams from day to day, with no dreams or desires, taking care of her mother and working at the service of a bejewelled madam. With her courageous pitbull by her side, Maria ferries pregnant women across the river, in what seems like an endless purgatory. This woman will soon be visited by hope, in its most powerful and ancestral form, as miraculous as life itself. Because to stay human has always been the greatest of revolutions. “N...

Another great edition of the Festa del Cinema di Roma just wrapped up and what a diverse celebration of cinema it was. From documentaries to book presentations to Hollywood stars to Italian cinema maestros and newcomers, there was definitely something for everyone. Among my favorite selections this year was a sleeper hit for me.. a film I knew nothing about beforehand. Karen Di Porto's thought-provoking comedy, Maria per Roma follows a 30-something Italian actress struggling to make ends meet with small roles and her job as an Airbnb host along with her dog, Bea, who never leaves her side. Her chaotic days consist of running to auditions, taking calls from tourists, meeting them at their vacation apartments and occasionally receiving a pep talk from her father's ghost. I loved this film and I believe that you have to relate to the struggles of Maria and her friends to truly feel the same way. With that said, you will be especially moved by this film if you have on...

Valerio Zurlini's "La ragazza con la valigia" It's not everyday you get the chance to see short films made by an Italian master before he became a master and then with English subtitles.. and then among ancient Roman ruins. Well that's how I spent my Sunday evening and it's just one of the reasons why the Festa del Cinema in Rome is still my favorite annual cinema event. The Sala Trevi is hosting the festival's impressive retrospective dedicated to director Valerio Zurlini. Perhaps best known for "La ragazza con la valigia" (Girl With a Suitcase) starring a young, gorgeous Claudia Cardinale, this retrospective includes some lesser known works, such as a series of short films he made in the early 1950s.  Curated by  Domenico Monetti and Mario Sesti in collaboration with Rome's famous film school- Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia - Cineteca, opening night of the retrospective featured these rare short films, each of which give profou...

The 11th edition of the Festa del Cinema of Rome will be held 13-23 October 2016.