Skip to main content

New faces of Italian cinema

Angelo Iannelli
With the 2012 film festivals just about wrapped up, we saw a big emphasis this year on newly emerging and independent filmmakers. This was most notable in the Venice Film Festival's Horizon's program, which gave these filmmakers an unprecedented amount of visibility as the program reached out to people all over the world via the internet. 

To mark this current trend, I recently caught up with two independent filmmakers in Rome: Angelo Iannelli and Vito Napolitano. Each filmmaker has experience on both sides of the camera. Their origins are based in the south of Italy but they are now living in Rome. Angelo Iannelli was born in Benevento in the region of Campania, while Vito Napolitano is from Lecce in Puglia. What I enjoyed the most about our conversation is the passion with which the two young filmmakers speak about cinema. They are so enthusiastic and about their craft, they reel you right into their dreams. The three of us recently met up at the Libreria del Cinema, a bookstore and cafe dedicated to everything cinema, located in Trastevere. I asked the two about the recent trends in Italy regarding independent cinema and how its filmmakers are faring in the current climate.

Vito Napolitano
How do you feel about the film industry in Italy right now? Do you like the movies that are being made? 
Angelo: I believe that Italy's cinema is undergoing a period of profound change. After several years in which it was difficult to shine the light on good independent directors, some brave distributors were able to support the work of directors like Calibrodi, Garrone and Sorrentino. Garrone represents a certain Italian style. His style could be called neo-realism especially with his 2002 film, The Embalmer. His recent success at Cannes for his latest film, Reality will, in my opinion, open the doors for more non-commercial filmmakers, but I think the best contemporary Italian cinema is still reserved for the more high profile directors like Bellocchio, who continue to make great films. We recently lost a great director, Giuseppe Bertolucci. He was a true visionary and an experimenter, being among the first in Italy to use digital technology in the film Probably Love. 
Vito: The Italian film industry is unfortunately the mirror of hard times in general throughout the country. Luckily, the quality always exists but films have a hard time in the distribution sector. Recently I spoke with the director Alessandro Piva after attending the screening of his latest great movie, Henry, which unfortunately did not find its way to distribution and will be sold only on DVD. This is an increasing problem that is affecting our industry. Fewer and fewer economic resources are concentrated on independent projects and producers often prefer to make safer choices when investing in projects for fear of box office failure. All of this for us insiders is very frustrating. 

What obstacles do independent filmmakers face these days?
Angelo: The biggest problem is that Italy is a country where there are millions of artists. It is one of the greatest cradles of art. The directors are very talented even in independent cinema, but unfortunately there is not room for everyone. The greatest difficulty is this: they make many films that are self-produced and self-financed but it is difficult to find distribution for them. So we work mainly on the national festival circuit. I think nowadays a director must find their own style, their own poetry. If he does not immediately, then it will be too late and there is a risk of being lost. You have to have a trademark that distinguishes your work from that of other directors. Be unique, not necessarily large in scope, but always unique. 
Vito: These problems really affect the world of independent film in Italy, which is in no way comparable to the organized and powerful industry of the independent American filmmaker. A few months ago I shot a role in an independent film called Hope, directed by Daniele Ciferri. We are all hoping that the film, after the post-production, will be able to find some outlet on the market. In this case it was the director who invested his own money for the project. Self-financing is often the only way for independent films to be made.

At the Rome Film Festival with Vito Napolitano
Has the new technology made it easier to make a film, from shooting to editing? 
Angelo: Undoubtedly. We are seeing a technological miracle. With a few hundred dollars you can make a movie, edit it and distribute it in the film festival circuit. The major innovation is the digital editing, which has been around for years but has recently contributed to a significant reduction in costs. The editing programs allow you to create a professional movie along with color correction and audio editing. The digital recording then gives the opportunity to have greater maneuverability and versatility while drastically reducing the total cost of making the film. Independent filmmakers owe a great deal to this new digital technology. 
Vito: I'm not very knowledgeable about the new technology since I've only been concentrating on acting, but I am sure that it has really helped the independent film industry because it makes filmmaking more accessible. The new technology reduces costs making it easier to invest in a project. 

Do the national networks like RAI and Mediaset support independent films? Do they buy them and show them on their networks? 
Angelo: I must say that this is a sore point. Unfortunately, there is little television distribution, dare I say almost nothing. Some digital channels transmit independent short films but it's really hard. The problem is to be found in the TV listings, which are more and more saturated with pure entertainment programs and averse to art. Perhaps the fault is less and less geared towards the entertainment industry and more the fault of the excessive passivity of the television viewer. 
Vito: The situation of the television choices in Italy on both RAI and Mediaset is a disaster. Often the power of these networks is in the hands of boards of directors or owners directly linked to political interests. There is little interest of giving visibility to independent cinema and its filmmakers. Needless to say, it's due in part to the lack of economic return that would result in the support of independent cinema. Think of advertising, for example. This makes it very complicated for the independent film world. 

What do you think can be done to improve the opportunities for independent filmmakers in Italy? 
Angelo: Well cinema is entertainment, but first of all it's art. Often the independent filmmaker is at an advantage because you do not have the pressure of the big studios and distributors, and perhaps even the public. An improvement that could be made is to increase the number of films shown the theaters. It's very simple: instead of giving 700 showings to a movie, just give 400 and the other 300 can be distributed to us young directors. Experimentation often leads to a general improvement. Then there is television. Each channel, for example, could devote two hours a day to an independent film, maybe not in prime time slots but it could still be done. We also need to get the older generations on board in supporting the new filmmakers. To change things, we must all unite in common goals. 
Vito: The sector of independent filmmaking as a whole needs to be better supported. As an artist, all you can do is remember that quality comes first in terms of writing a good script and making a professional, high quality film. Continue to always focus on the quality and dignity of your work, and in the long run, that is your strongest weapon. The film industry is very complicated, and this is even true in the older more respected establishments. Take Cinecitta' for example and the difficult financial times it's facing. If such a respected institution of cinema can go through such hardship, image what it's like for unknown filmmakers. I believe that we should institute sort of a "Marshall Plan" to help us revive the interest of the whole world in Italian cinema.. but then maybe this is just utopia. 

- Jeannine Guilyard
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Luminous Legacies: Yoichi Ohira’s Murano Glass at Magazzino Italian Art

A new exhibition in Cold Spring, New York, is bringing the luminous legacy of Murano glassmaking into focus through the work of Japanese artist Yoichi Ohira. “Yoichi Ohira: Japan in Murano” is on view at  Magazzino Italian Art  until February 2027. The exhibit showcases the work of Ohira, who became a leading figure in the design of Venetian glassworks on the island of Murano. The exhibition features works that highlight the uniqueness of Ohira’s art across the decades of his career. Ohira’s earliest Murano works blend Venetian glass techniques with his own style. These pieces show balanced shapes, clear surfaces, and striking color combinations. His Venezia e l’Oriente (Venice and the Orient) decanters reflect Venice’s ties to the East, creating vases inspired by Marco Polo’s tales with a modern twist. The exhibition shows Ohira’s respect for Murano’s glass masters, displaying objects alongside preparatory drawings that map ideas to the final works of art. It also explores ho...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Legend of Alberto Sordi - Rome's Eternal Son

′′They will always judge you, whether you behave well or if you behave badly. So screw it and live as you want but above all don't listen to anyone.′′  - Alberto Sordi By giving his fellow Italians something to laugh about during tumultuous times, he emerged as his generation’s King of Comedy. One of Italy’s best-loved personalities, Alberto Sordi played a pivotal role in Italian cinema from the end of World War II to the postwar economic boom of the 1950s. During those tumultuous years, he gave his countrymen a hearty laugh when they might have otherwise cried. Former Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi perhaps said it best: “Alberto Sordi interpreted the feelings of Italians, especially in their most difficult and tough moments.” Born in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome in 1920, Sordi grew up in a creative household. His mother was an elementary school teacher and his father, a professional musician for the Rome Opera House. A young Sordi joined the children’s choir o...
Post a Comment
Read more

7 Days - 7 Women: Gina Lollobrigida

Update, January 16,2023: Gina Lollobrigida has passed away at the age of 95.  On Day 3 of our week-long series, 7 Days - 7 Women, in which we are showcasing seven strong, talented women working as filmmakers, writers or visual artists, we celebrate the forceful, creative energy of movie legend Gina Lollobrigida. She has been called the most beautiful woman in the world and at 87 years old, she is still a sight to behold. Her outer beauty mirrors the talent and inner beauty of this true, complete artist. Lollobrigida, the iconic actress, photojournalist and sculptress, was born Luigina Lollobrigida on July 4, 1932 in Subiaco, Italy, a town located outside of Rome in the province of Lazio.  Adored by fans all over the world, Lollobrigida has worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood including Humphrey Bogart, Rock Hudson, Frank Sinatra, Anthony Quinn and Shelly Winters. She acted opposite Bob Hope in his 1968 comedy, "The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell," and...
Post a Comment
Read more

Federico Fellini: A Look into the Life and Career of an Icon

A Fellini family portrait  “The term became a common word to describe something on the surface you can say is bizarre or strange, but actually is really like a painter working on a film,” said Martin Scorsese when asked to define “Felliniesque,” an adjective inspired by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. The oldest of three children, Federico Fellini was born in the seaside town of Rimini in 1920. His father was a traveling salesman, so his mother was left to do the bulk of raising the children. One can argue that Fellini was born for his destiny. “You could tell that even as a child, he was different and unique. He was very intelligent, well above average. He was always the one to organize things, direct the others, make up games. He could control the other kids with just a look, said Fellini’s sister, Maddalena, in an interview with journalist Gideon Bachmann.  Not only was Fellini directing the children, but he was also putting on shows and charging ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Isabella Ferrari- the Damsel and the Thinker

Isabella Ferrari is a versatile actress whose trademark pouty lips and intense, melancholy eyes have been gracing Italian screens for more than three decades. Born in Piacenza on March 31, 1964, Ferrari has perfected the art of playing contrasting roles like the damsel in distress and the complicated, intellectual. Influenced by Italian auteur cinema, which encompasses the neo-realistic approach to filmmaking, she delivers powerful performances with each role she tackles. Ferrari's small screen debut goes back to 1981 in Gianni Boncompagni's television program, "Under the Stars." Two years later, she made her big screen debut in the summer comedy, "Il ras del quartiere." Diego Abatantuono, the star of the Oscar winning film, "Mediterraneo," co-wrote and starred in the film, which put Isabella Ferrari on the map and she hasn't stopped working since. Open Roads 2005: Isabella Ferrari, Antonio Monda and Renato De Maria With doz...
Post a Comment
Read more