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Showing posts from February, 2015

Silvio Muccino's "Le leggi del desiderio" in Italian Theaters Today

“We were writing a romantic comedy, but I missed the link with the present. I found it thanks to the Internet: that’s where I found the American life coach Anthony Robbins’ videos. He was someone who had never been portrayed in our cinema. But where does the mask end and the man begin?” This is what Silvio Muccino wonders in his new movie  Le leggi del desiderio (lit. The Law of Desire) , written (with Carla Vangelista), directed by and starring him as the motivational trainer Giovanni Canton, alongside Nicole Grimaudo , Carla Signoris and Maurizio Mattioli (read the news ). Muccino jr’s third movie as a director (another upcoming release is the new movie by his brother Gabriele, Fathers and Daughters ) starts in fact as an exploration of a modern trend (“The life coach tells you how to dress, what to eat, what to buy. In times of crisis, people need someone to show them the way. They used to be called Shamans, today their realm is the internet”) and evolves like a classic romanti

Italian Indie Sensation -Levante- Announces US Debut

Italy, Summer '13 and the country's airwaves are dominated by the sound of an indie-pop anthem from an unsuspecting rising star.  The song "Alfonso" by Levante , a 26 year old singer-songwriter still working as a café barista, has unintentionally tapped into the mood not only of her own generation, but of a nation in crisis and understandably unenthusiastic about the typical Latin-Dance beach fare on offer.  The video, which features the artist as a frustrated protagonist in a high-fashion party shouting out the song's hook Che vita di merda , becomes a YouTube sensation in Italy approaching 2 million views — numbers typically unrealized by all but homegrown superstars — and becomes a powerful social media meme.  Levante's debut album "Manuale Distruzione" (Destruction Manual) enters in the Top 10 of the Italian charts in March 2014 and within one year the indie sensation is supporting headlining heroes Negramaro on their summer soccer stadium tou

Galleria Marconi di Cupra Marittima presenta Equilibrismi

Franco Anzelmo's  Equilibrismi (Acrobatics)  Curated by  Dario Ciferri The third installment of the art expositions,  Being twenty will open   at Marconi Gallery in Cupra Marittima on  February 28 at 6 p.m.  The exhibition is organized by Marconi Gallery and Marche Centro d'Arte, and curated by Dario Ciferri, also author of the critical text. Acrobatics is the third appointment of the series of exhibitions Being Twenty which will continue at Marconi Gallery through the entire 2014-2015 exposition season. “Franco Anzelmo's figures are concentrated on a delicate, physical, psychological and or ideal acrobatics. Suspended and surprised in a moment of amazement, observation or research, they stand with the delicate balance between outside and inside, between earth and sky, in a complex but fascinating path. Anzelmo seems to be interested in the research of a center of gravity trying to tell the man and his variations. Acrobatics  catches t

Costume Designer Milena Canonero

Update: January 31, 2017 It's just been announced that Milena Canonero will receive the Golden Bear homage at this year's Berlin Film Festival. Born in Torino, Italy, Milena Canonero studied art, design history and costume design in Genoa. She then moved to England, where she began working in small theatre and film productions. While designing for commercials in London, she met many film directors. Her first major film work as a costume designer was in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971). She worked with Kubrick again in Barry Lyndon (1975), for which she won her first Oscar, together with Ulla-Britt Söderlund. Her second win was for Chariots of Fire (1981), directed by Hugh Hudson. Canonero has also designed the costumes for several stagings directed by Otto Schenk, such as Il trittico (Puccini, Vienna State Opera 1979), As You Like It (Shakespeare, Salzburg Festival 1980), Die Fledermaus (Strauss, Vienna State Opera 1980), Andrea Chénier (Giordano

Documentary Explores Ecosystem of Lagoon in Orbetello

Taking a look back at one of my favorite films of 2014, a documentary presented at the 64th Berlin Film Festival... “We like it hot… but don’t let it burn” was the motto of the Berlin Film Festival's  2014's Culinary Cinema  section, which featured three very diverse Italian films. What did they have in common? Food and wine, of course.  I caught up with Walter Bencini, director of the documentary film, I Cavaliere della Laguna (The Knights of the Lagoon). The film explores the delicate ecosystem of a lagoon in the Tuscan village of Orbetello. Bencini's cameras follow a group of fishermen as they talk about their camaraderie, challenges and the respect they have for the art of fishing. The film highlights how the environment has changed through the years and how the technique of fishing has evolved to keep up with those changes.  An Italian translation of each answer is included with each question. What was your personal inspiration to tell this story? 

Massimo Troisi: Forever in our Hearts

"Ci mancherai tanto, Massimo" - "We will miss you so much, Massimo" is the headline on one of the many websites dedicated to the memory of the great Italian screen comic Massimo Troisi. Born in San Giorgio a Cremano, outside Naples, Troisi became involved in theater, co-founding with friends Lello Arena and Enzo Decaro the comedy troupe I Saraceni at just 17-years-old. Within a few years, the troupe, later re-named La Smorfia, became so well known, they were invited to appear on various national TV variety shows. In 1981, Troisi co-wrote, directed, and starred in his first feature film, the hugely popular "Ricomincio da tre" (I'm Starting from Three) and a new style of Italian comedy was launched. The story follows the dark-eyed, handsome Troisi. As he exuded an extraordinary sense of innocence on screen, there was a relaxed quality to his work on this film- the absolute opposite of the style of his close friend and fellow comic Roberto Be

American Filmmaker tells the Story of Sacco and Vanzetti

The year was 1920. The climate for Italian immigrants in America was tumultuous. Prejudice was running rampant and the frustration of immigrants was mounting. For southern Italians, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, that prejudice, that deep-rooted hatred of a certain group of people, took them away from their families and eventually cost them their lives. Sacco and Vanzetti came to America for the same reason as most of our ancestors did; to find a better life, to walk on the streets paved with gold. As it's been stated, not only weren't the streets paved, the immigrants were the ones who did the paving. The men felt the working class in America was treated unfairly and so they became involved with Italian anarchist Luigi Galleani, an advocate for violence in the name of politics. During that time, Italian anarchists were on the government's watch list and considered dangerous enemies. Sacco and Vanzetti were no different. The two had associations with those accuse

Rudolph Valentino: The First Italian-American Heartthrob

Part I of the PBS Special "The Italian Americans" featured the Southern Italian-born actor, Rudolph Valentino. While reading about his life and career, I stumbled upon this fascinating bio written for IMDB.. IMDb Mini Biography By: Hala Pickford  Born in 1895 to a French mother and Italian father Rudolph Valentino grew up in Italy. His father died while he was young, and his mother spoiled him. He did poorly in school, and eventually ended up studying agriculture. After a stint in Paris he returned to Italy broke. Many times Valentino referenced something he did being the cause of being sent away. His journey to New York City took place just under 9 months before Jean Valentino would be born.   In New York City Valentino met with his Padrino (Godfather) Frank Mennillo who helped him secure a job and a place to live. Eventually Valentino was hired as a taxi dancer (someone who danced with various women in a café for 10 cents a dance). A good looking and gifted

"Cinema saved my life" - A Portrait of Claudia Cardinale

Update May 9, 2016 It's just been announced that Claudia Cardinale will present her latest film, "All Roads Lead to Rome" in Niagara Falls, Canada on June 18, 2016 at the Niagara Integrated Film Festival   connecting with Canada's annual Italian Contemporary Italian Film Festival . In these times of reality television, internet streaming and 15 minutes of fame, there are few legends living among us. Actress Claudia Cardinale is one of those few. A truly unique and special person, Cardinale was born in Tunisia in 1938 to Sicilian parents. Her maternal grandparents were originally from the Sicilian island of Trapani, but settled in La Goulette, Tunisia, where there was a large Italian community. Her early life seems something of a fairytale but success brought its share of problems. As a young girl, Cardinale attended elementary school in the ancient city of Carthage. Her first cinematic experience came when she participated in the making of a short film with her