Paolo Virzi's latest film hits American theaters

The cast of "Human Capital"

Starting today, Paolo Virzì’s latest film, "Human Capital," begins showing at theaters across the country.

The Wikipedia definition of human capital is- the stock of knowledge, habits, social and personality attributes, including creativity, embodied in the ability to perform labor so as to produce economic value. Well, the film, which was adapted from American writer, Stephen Amidon’s book pretty much covers all these attributes. The story begins after a cyclist is run off the road. That incident sets the stage for a rollercoaster ride of drama, egos, greed, opulence and destruction. The director’s visual expression of the novel has drawn incredible performances from his actors. Virzì has a history of empathizing with his characters to really get into their heads, which in turn leads to complete transformation, and it helps to have some of the most talented contemporary Italian actors, such as Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Valeria Golino, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi and Fabrizio Gifuni interpreting those roles.

Q&A at Open Roads: New Italian Cinema film series

Paolo Virzì

Born in the northern seaside town of Livorno in 1964, Paolo Virzì has become one of the most respected and innovative directors of his generation. He is known for utilizing the classic film genre, Commedia all’italiana, which was created by iconic filmmakers like Mario Monicelli and Pietro Germi, and is reflective of Italian pop-culture. It’s a way in which Italians could laugh and make fun of themselves a bit even in the darkest of days. It was especially popular in the years following World War II when Italians really did need some comedy relief.

"Caterina va in città" is a great example of Virzì’s interpretation of this style of filmmaking with the namesake character, new to a school, just trying to fit in, faces growing pains and peer pressure while her parents are total train wrecks just trying to get by themselves. This recipe makes us laugh hysterically while feeling sorry for poor Caterina, hoping she could meet a least one sincere friend. It certainly helped Virzì to have veteran actors like Sergio Castellitto, Sergio Rubini, Margherita Buy and a guest appearance by TV Host, Maurizio Costanzo to pull off this Commedia all’italiana more than half a century after it was born. What’s so unique about Virzì’s work is the thin line of comedy and tragedy upon which he balances, and again this was very apparent in this 2003 film.

With Virzì in NYC

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Virzì several times at various film festivals. He is a real people person, asking just as many questions as the person interviewing him. He strikes me as someone with the curiosity of a child always looking to explore and discover something new. This quality undoubtedly makes him the successful, resourceful director that he has become.

If "Human Capital" is playing at a theater near you, I highly recommend seeing it. You will also be treated to an enchanting soundtrack written by his brother, Carlo. The siblings are a filmmaking team upon which dreams are made.

Click here to watch the film’s trailer and to find a theater in your area.

Comments

Anna Foglietta: Actress and Activist with Old School Elegance

One look at actress Anna Foglietta in her any of her roles, and the Golden Age of Italian cinema comes to mind. Among Italy’s most sought-after actresses today, Foglietta brings to the table a classic eloquence of yesterday while representing Italy’s modern woman. Born in Rome in 1979, Foglietta began her career in 2005 with a role in the RAI television series La squadra . Her character Agent Anna De Luca had a two-year run on the series as she was transitioning to cinema with Paolo Virzì’s 2006 ensemble project 4-4-2- Il gioco più bello del mondo . Since then, she has become one of Italy’s most diverse actresses, transforming herself into interesting, layered characters for comedies and dramas alike. Aside from a small part in Anton Corbijn’s 2010 film The American starring George Clooney, Foglietta’s work began reaching mainstream American audiences in 2015. As Elisa in Edoardo Leo’s 2015 comedy Noi e la Giulia , Foglietta showed her funny side playing a goofball pregn...

Eric LoPresti: Fusing art and tech

Known for contemporary landscapes that fuse art and technology, Eric LoPresti is a Brooklyn-based artist with a strong sense of Italian identity. “My father’s family emigrated from Sicily via Ellis Island in 1905, which might explain a deep connection I still feel with that incredible Italian landscape,” LoPresti explains. Before attending graduate school at the Maryland Institute College of Art, he studied sculpture at several schools in Europe, including one in Greppocorgno near Perugia in the region of Umbria, under the guidance of the Boston-based sculptor Vincent Ricci. “For me, this was a transcendent experience — my first time in Italy — and a chance to connect with the Italian modernist tradition,” he says. Since then, he has focused on painting landscapes and other natural subjects, many of them inspired by the vast deserts of the Columbia Plateau in Washington State. The COVID lockdown was a particular productive period for LoPre...

Golden Age Masterpiece: Luchino Visconti’s 1957 “White Nights”

Photo Credit: Archivio Luce Cinecittà Luchino Visconti’s 1957 film, “White Nights” (“Le notti bianche”), offers a thoughtful and poignant exploration of themes such as loneliness, desire and emotional vulnerability. Based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novella of the same name, it transports the tale from 19th-century St. Petersburg to a dreamy mid-20th-century Italian setting. While Visconti remains largely faithful to Dostoevsky’s narrative, his characteristic style infuses the film with emotional depth, striking visuals, and a focus on class and societal constraints. The story follows a young man named Matteo, played by Marcello Mastroianni, who lives a solitary life in a small Italian town. One evening, he encounters a beautiful young woman named Natalia, portrayed by Austrian-Swiss actress Maria Schell, who is also feeling isolated. Although she is initially reluctant, Natalia eventually confides in Matteo about her love for a man who has promised to return and marry her, but he ha...

The Timeless Talent of Stefania Sandrelli

On screen since the tender age of 14, she has captivated audiences for more than 50 years with a compelling combination of strength and vulnerability. She achieved stardom at just 14 years old playing the angelic cousin of a love-struck Marcello Mastroianni in Pietro Germi’s “Divorce Italian Style.” More than half a century later, she is still going strong and remains one of Italy’s most esteemed actors. Stefania Sandrelli was born on June 5, 1946, in Viareggio in the province of Lucca in northern Italy. As a child, she studied music and dance. Then in 1960, she won a beauty pageant and was featured on the cover of Le Ore magazine. Her purity captivated the country and shortly thereafter, movie offers began pouring in. Just one year later, she made her cinema debut in three feature films: Mario Sequi’s Gioventù di notte , Luciano Salce’s The Fascist, and Pietro Germi’s Divorce Italian Style . She instantly became a star and before long was a key figure in Italy’s legend...

"Ennio" — Portrait of a Genius

Though he wasn't a filmmaker, his name is inextricably bound with Italian cinema and some of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters. Known for his longtime collaborations with directors Giuseppe Tornatore, Sergio Leone, and Quentin Tarantino, Ennio Morricone created the soundtracks for Italian classics like "Cinema Paradiso" and "Malena" and American films like "The Hateful Eight," for which he won an Oscar, and "The Untouchables." Now, we have a deeply moving documentary that immerses us in the life and music of this modest genius. Written and directed by Tornatore, "Ennio" traces Morricone's path to becoming a renowned composer, focusing on his work on numerous films. It features archival and original footage, poignant interviews with Morricone conducted between 2015 and 2016, and heartfelt conversations with his peers and collaborators. The film spans Morricone's 80+ years in music, from trumpet lessons at six years old to ...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog