Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from February, 2014

Italian Films from the 70th Venice Film Festival Reach Audiences Worldwide

Antonio Albanese and Gianni Amelio, Photo by Claudio Iannone For the first time ever, the Italian films screened at the Venice International Film Festival will be featured in a film series in Beirut, Lebanon. The film event “Venezia Cinema a Beirut,”organized by the Biennale di Venezia with the Italian Institute of Culture in Lebanon, will run from February 20 through February 25, 2014. According to Labiennale.org, four Italian films from the Official Selection of the 70th Venice Film Festival will be presented at the Metropolis Empire Sofil – Acharafieh in Beirut. The event will open with "L’intrepido" by Gianni Amelio . The following day, audiences will be treated to Emma Dante 's "Via Castellana Bandiera" with the star Elena Cotta, winner of the Coppa Volpi for Best Actress, on hand for a discussion. Monday's screening on February 24th will feature "La prima neve" by Andrea Segre, and the closing film will be the Golden Lion winner, &

Director Salvo Cuccia's Compelling Documentary on Frank Zappa's Sicilian Origins

Salvo Cuccia' s acclaimed documentary, “Summer 82 when Zappa came to Sicily" premiered at the 70th edition of the Venice Film Festival. It is a remarkable story which recounts a Frank Zappa concert that was scheduled in Palermo during the tumultuous summer of 1982, but had to be cancelled due to unrest in the city. Some 30 years later, the director, with ticket in hand, revisits that night, accompanied by the late singer's wife, children and granddaughter as he takes them through the land of their origins and introduces them to relatives they never knew. The Zappa family goes on to receive honorary citizenship of Partinico, Sicily. Click here to stream on YouTube.

The Center for Italian Modern Art in New York City

"La Rissa" Fortunato Depero The New York Times recently reported a new art gallery dedicated to Italian modern art will open this month in Manhattan. Located in SoHo, the gallery will be called, the Center for Italian Modern Art. Located at 421 Broome Street, the inaugural exhibit will feature work of the Futurist artist and designer Fortunato Depero. The exhibit is set to coincide with the Guggenheim Museum's “Italian Futurism 1909 – 1944: Reconstructing the Universe.” Laura Mattioli, the center’s founder and president, said, “The launch of the Center for Italian Modern Art marks a critical milestone for the international appreciation of 20th-century Italian art and an important step in overcoming the range of cultural, academic, and political obstacles that for far too long have prevented a broader awareness of the significance of modern and contemporary Italian art.” The website,  www.italianmodernart.org  is still under construction. The doors are scheduled

Fabrizio Bentivoglio - Accidental Actor

Bentivoglio with his "Ricodati di Me" family Born in Milan on January 4, 1957, Fabrizio Bentivoglio had dreams of becoming an athlete before discovering has passion for acting.  He played one season for the Serie A, Milan-based football club, Inter until a life changing knee injury, which forced him to quit.  His next move was enrolling in the acting/directing school of the Piccolo Teatro in Milan. That decision would go on to change his life forever. Bentivoglio’s stage debut was a role in Shakespeare’s “Timon of Athens.”  He later moved to Rome and teamed up with Studio Universal to create the Tipota Movie Company.  Among his diverse characters are doctors, lovers, mobsters, movie stars and even a poet. Bentivoglio’s debut big screen appearance happened in 1979, when he appeared in "Masoch" by Franco Brogi Taviani.     Two years later, he starred alongside Isabelle Huppert in "Lady of the camellias" by Mauro Bolognini. He has also worked with Ameri

"The Trouble With Angels" - Ray Caesar Solo Exhibition Underway in Rome and Torino

Dorothy Circus Gallery opened its 2014 schedule with the long-awaited solo exhibition by Ray Caesar titled, “The Trouble with Angels”. The exhibition opened last week at the Dorothy Circus Gallery in Rome, where it will be on display until April 6th 2014. Alongside with new artworks in edition of 20, made ​​specifically for the gallery that represents him exclusively for Italy, will be displayed also 5 brand new unique edition pieces, the renowned single varnished collected by Madonna and other great collectors. The 18 works on display, including editions and unique editions, will create a rich overview of the dreamlike, enigmatic and seductive universe of Ray Caesar, who for years amazed us for the richness of his imagination, full of renovated psychic scenarios and technically stunning details. As a skilled tailor, Caesar dresses his angels of seductive harmonies, inspired by the memory of his times and of his personal desire, sewing puzzles and mysterious symbols among de

Rare Italian Short Film Shown at Berlin Film Festival

In the first edition of our annual series, Cinema & Cibo, the spotlight is on "I Maccheroni ," a 12-minute short film made in 1959 by Raffaele Andreassi, which was selected for the culinary section of the 64th Berlin Festival. "I Maccheroni" was shot in the beautiful seaside town of Gargano, located in the southern region of Puglia. The story celebrates the culinary ritual of Sunday sauce. However, sadly on this Sunday,  a poor family cannot afford to follow the tradition, so a little boy must find a solution. The Abruzzo-born director, Raffaele Andreassi is best known for his 1969 film, "Flashback," which recounts the wartime experiences of a German soldier. Andreassi started out as a journalist and made numerous documentaries and short films. In 1960, he was awarded the Silver Berlin Bear for his short film " I vecchi ." He passed away in 2008 at the age of 84. "I Maccheroni"  was definitely one of his lower key projects. 

Martin Scorsese Presents Current Film as "Work In Progress"

Martin Scorsese at 64th Berlin Film Festival "Untitled New York Review Of Books Documentary" directed by Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi was presented on February 14th at the 64th Berlinale Special, where it was shown as a work in progress, followed by a discussion with the filmmakers and key contributors. "For over 50 years, 'The New York Review of Books' has been one of the most interesting and sophisticated magazines on culture and politics, with content by outstanding writers and thinkers. In their wonderful documentary, Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi reveal the inner workings of the publication and its legendary editor, from its birth during the 1963 New York Times’ newspaper strike, through its continued relevance in today’s digital universe. We're very pleased that we'll be closing this year's Berlinale Special with this highlight," says Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick. Robert Silvers in  Untitled New York Review Of Bo

The Work of Calabrese Photographer Alfredo Valente on Exhibit in New York City

Alfredo Valente by Raphael Soyer, ca. 1940 "Black and Beautiful" is the current exhibition at Manhattan's Keith De Lellis Gallery. The exhibit celebrates African-American portraiture by more than two dozen acclaimed photographers, including Calabria-born photographer, Alfredo Valente. Singer, painter, photographer, art collector, dealer, cultural administrator, Alfredo Valente (1899-1973) was among the most cultured of the camera artists who chronicled Broadway. Born in Calabria, Italy, trained as a fine artist and also as an opera singer, he came to the United States in 1927. For several years he sang in public, a career that culminated in a not too successful performance of "Aida" in 1930 with the Civic Opera. Valente's career as a visual artist went better. In 1931, he became the photographer for the Group Theater, the experimental repertory company organized by Harold Clurman, Cheryl Crawford and Lee Strasberg. His images evoked the seriousn

La Grande Bellezza of Sabrina Ferilli

The 2015 Rome Premiere of "Io e Lei" Sabrina Ferilli has been gracing Italian screens, big and small, since the mid-80s. With her recent role in Paolo Sorrentino's international blockbuster, "La Grande Bellezza" (The Great Beauty), audiences throughout the world are getting the chance to see why she is one of Italy's most beloved treasures. Born in Rome in 1964, Sabrina Ferilli is the daughter of Giuliano Ferilli, the former leader of the Communist Party of the Lazio Region. Ferilli attempted to study her craft at Rome's Experimental Center of Cinematography, but later decided to abandon her studies and dive right into her career. Time has proven that she made the right choice. With dozens of movies to her credit, Ferilli has appeared on television and on the big screen, becoming a household name in Italy. Ferilli is the very portrait of Italian beauty with her infamous figure, long brown locks and dark eyes. But as cliched as it may sound, s

A Conversation with Horror Film Actress and all-around Renaissance Woman, Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni

She's been called the "Queen of Scream" and it's a nickname well-deserved. Coralina Cataldi -Tassoni was born in New York City in 1971. She comes from a creative background, to say the least. Her father was a stage director in the opera world and her mother, an opera singer. Cataldi -Tassoni has followed in those footsteps as a true renaissance woman. She's an accomplished visual artist and singer. But she is best known for her haunting roles in the films of Lamberto Bava and Dario Argento, two of Italy's most notorious horror film directors. Cataldi -Tassoni is a self taught actress who gained much of her experience as a child performing on stage, at times alongside her father. She spent her childhood traveling with her family between Italy and New York City. Her father had an opera company in New York, so whenever a role came up for someone fitting her age bracket, he would call on her to participate. She was just a child when she landed her first sin

Emma Dante wins the Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award

Italian director, Emma Dante recently won the Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award at the 37th Göteborg Festival for her film, "Via Castellana Bandiera" (A Street in Palermo). Dante costars in the film alongside Alba Rohrwacher and Elena Cotta.  The story follows two women who are shut inside their cars in a silent duel on Via Castellana Bandiera, a narrow side street in Palermo. The two women who were each driving in opposite directions meet accidentally on this one-lane street. One of them must back out of the street to let the other through, but the stubborn women refuse to give way to each other. Regardless of the hot Palermo sun or the short-tempered men surrounding the cars, neither of these women will budge, even resisting food, water and sleep.   The unique plot and top notch performances have made this film a festival hit all over the world, earning its share of awards along the way. Watch a clip..

Spotlight on Italian films in Culinary Program at the 64th Berlin Film Festival

“We like it hot… but don’t let it burn” is the motto of the Culinary Cinema. “The use of fire and our ability to cook distinguishes us from all other living beings. Yet fire also poses a threat to future generations, for global warming has reached dangerous levels. Let’s do something about it, and leave no stone unturned,” says Festival Director Dieter Kosslick. Fifteen films in this series about food and the environment will be presented. Following the 7.30 pm screenings, star chefs Daniel Achilles, Matthias Diether, Michael Kempf, Tim Raue and the Roca brothers will each serve a meal inspired by one of the films in the “Gropius Mirror” restaurant, an elegant tent lined with mirrors. The Italian films set to be screened are... the documentary, "I Cavaliere della Laguna" (see trailer above), by Walter Bencini, about a fishing cooperative on the coast of Tuscany; Raffaele Andreassi's 1957 film, "I maccheroni" which is set in the Pugliese town of Garga