Ricky Tognazzi's Portrait of a National Hero

Directed by Ricky Tognazzi, "Pietro Mennea - La Freccia del Sud" is the biographical story of athlete-turned-politician, Pietro Mennea, also known as "La freccia del sud" (Arrow of the South) for his remarkable speed as an Olympic sprinter, in particular, the 200 meter in which he held the world record for almost 17 years. His record time of 19.72 seconds, set in September of 1979, is still the European record.

"Si lo so non posso cambiarlo il mondo, però ci devo pensare" - I know that I can't change the world but I have to think that I can.- Throughout the span of his multi-faceted career as an athlete, lawyer, sports agent and member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004, Mennea was known for his staunch values and ethics. In his film, Tognazzi paints a portrait of this "Arrow of the South" as a somewhat stubborn, tenacious man with unyielding commitment, willing to make the necessary sacrifices to be the best that he could be, always seeing the glass half-full, and always looking forward to the next adventure and challenge.

Tognazzi's diverse cast includes veteran actors like his brother, Gian Marco Tognazzi as well as rising stars, Michele Connena and Elena Radonicich. American film festival buffs may recognize Vito Facciolla of recent "Anime nere" fame. In the title role is Michele Riondino, a beloved Pugliese character actor known in Italy for his work on the big and small screen, including Marco Bellocchio's "Bella addormentata" and one of my personal guilty pleasures, the Italian soap opera, "Incantessimo."

The series is scheduled to air in the United States on RAI International April 3 and 4. For more information, visit RAI Uno's blog at.. http://rumors.blog.rai.it/2015/03/23/in-arrivo-su-rai1-pietro-mennea-la-freccia-del-sud/

Comments

The Anthology Film Archives Presents: The Italian Connection: Poliziotteschi and Other Italo-Crime Films of the 1960s and '70's

June 19 – June 29 Influenced both by 1960s political cinema and Italian crime novels, as well as by French noir and American cop movies like "Dirty Harry" and "The French Connection," many Italian filmmakers in the late-60s and early-70s gradually moved away from the spaghetti western genre, trading lone cowboys for ‘bad’ cops and the rough frontier of the American west for the mean streets of modern Italy. Just as they had with their westerns, they reinvented the borrowed genre with their inimitable eye for style and filled their stories with the kidnappings, heists, vigilante justice, and brutal violence that suffused this turbulent moment in post-boom 1970s Italy. The undercurrent of fatalism and cynicism in these uncompromising movies is eerily reminiscent of the state of discontent in Italy today. ‘The Italian Connection’ showcases the diversity and innovation found in the genre, from the gangster noir of Fernando Di Leo’s "Caliber 9" ...

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...

A Conversation with Actor Mirko Frezza of David di Donatello Winner "Il più grande sogno"

The 2017 David di Donatello award show, which took place on Monday, was an exciting event that celebrated many great contemporary talents of Italian cinema. I was fortunate to have seen most of the nominees. Among my personal favorites is Michele Vannucci's Il più grande sogno simply because it is based on one of the most inspiring, beautiful stories I've ever heard, and the person behind that story is as authentic and down-to-earth as they come. The film won the 3 Future Award, which is determined by the public. With Director Michele Vannucci and Actor Mirko Frezza I first saw Il più grande sogno last September when it premiered at the Venice Film Festival. I didn't make it to Venice, but thanks to a great online platform called Festival Scope , which offers a handful of premieres to be screened on the web, I felt like I was there. The film itself blew me away, and then when I realized it was based on a true story, I knew t...

The Sweetness and Genius of Giulietta Masina

Fellini and Masina on the set of "La Strada" As open-hearted and sunny as Federico Fellini was dark and complex, they were perfect counterpoints during a half-century of marriage and professional collaboration. Nicknamed a “female Chaplin” and described by Chaplin himself as the actress who moved him most, Giulietta Masina confronted the tragedy of her characters with an eternal innocence and enthusiasm that gave Italians hope in the most challenging of times. Born in 1921 in San Giorgio di Piano, a commune north of Bologna, Masina was the oldest of four children born to a father who was a music professor and violinist and a mother who was a grade-school teacher. Her parents sent her as a child to live in Rome with her widowed aunt while she attended school there. As Masina took an early interest in gymnastics, her aunt saw in her a passion for performing and encouraged her to pursue acting. So after high school, Masina attended Rome’s La...

Mario Martone's new biopic 'Fuori' explores author Goliarda Sapienza's life and work

A new biopic by Mario Martone that delves into a pivotal period in the life of the late Italian writer and actress Goliarda Sapienza premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May. "Fuori" recounts Sapienza's brief incarceration at Rome's Rebibbia prison in 1980 for stealing jewelry after falling on hard times. The film speaks to her life following her release from prison, focusing on her friendship with two young women, including Roberta, a habitual criminal and political activist. Through this bond, Sapienza experiences a personal rebirth and resumes writing, which she had abandoned for about five years following the rejection of her 700-page novel. Valeria Golino stars as Sapienza, with Matilda De Angelis and singer-songwriter Elodie portraying the women she befriends. Born in 1924 in Sicily, Sapienza is internationally recognized for her novel "L'arte della gioia" ("The Art of Joy"). She played a significant role in the neorealist fi...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog