Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from September, 2015

Basilicata: Terra di Cinema - Michele Placido Pays Tribute to Carlo Levi

On Friday, 18 September 2015, an event dedicated to the work of author Carlo Levi will kick off a year-long program of events in Aliano, a commune of Matera. Actor/director Michele Placido will take the stage in honor of Levi, performing excerpts from several of his works including “Cristo si รจ Fermato ad Eboli“ (Christ stopped at Eboli), which of course was later made into an iconic film by Francesco Rosi. Fellow actors Raffaele Nigro and Rocco Brancati will share the stage with Placido along with local theater actors and musicians.   Michele Placido Michele Placido is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to cinema. He is a celebrated movie star and respected director whose career has spanned over five decades with countless films and international blockbusters. Placido’s family origins go back to Rionero in Vulture, a town located in the northern part of Basilicata. My family is also from that town and I have visited several times. Furthermore, Placido is a descendent of t

Interview: Documentary Filmmaker Vicki Vasilopoulos on 'Men of the Cloth'

Men of the Cloth is a portrait of three Italian master tailors who confront the decline of the apprentice system as they navigate their challenging roles in the twilight of their career. The film unravels the mystery of their artistry and reveals how their passionate devotion to their Old World craft is akin to a religion. Italians Nino Corvato, Joe Centofanti and Checchino Fonticoli are master tailors who have spent a lifetime perfecting the skills necessary to construct flawless custom-made suits for their clients in New York City, Philadelphia and Penne, Italy. Now in the twilight of their career, they fear that their Old World knowledge will vanish with them. Enter Joe Genuardi, a tailoring apprentice who reflects the resurgence of popular interest in artisanal craftsmanship as an alternative to corporate mass production, providing hope for the future of this craft. Filmmaker Vicki Vasilopoulos tells us all about her journey from the idea of making this film to the impact sh

72nd Venice Film Festival: Interview- Actor Paolo Mazzarelli from 'Italian Gangsters'

Italian Gangsters - Like we’ve never seen them before Whether it’s the Camorra of Naples, the ‛Ndrangheta of Calabria or Cosa Nostra of Sicily, we are accustomed to seeing cinematic stories of organized crime running rampant in the south of Italy. Director Renato De Maria changes things up and presents us with a highly entertaining account of organized crime that plagued Italy’s northern city of Milan during the difficult years following World War II.   In a wildly creative, innovative film that the Hollywood Reporter describes as “Director Renato De Maria’s most entertaining film to date”, Italian Gangsters focuses on a group of notorious bandits and crime bosses that emerged from the rubble of post-war Italy, when Milan was just about leveled. These bandits came from struggling, working class families, many belonging to the Communist party, and openly opposed to the wartime fascist ideology. Utilizing archival news footage, newspaper clippings, scenes from feature films by

Italian Winemaking on the Big Screen

Art imitates life in the film, The Duel of Wine . A sequel to  The Ways of Wine , Charlie Arturaola, a real-life sommelier revisits his character who experienced a fall from grace since the original film. This time around, Charlie has to work his way back up to regain his respected name and the forgiveness of his wife. A portrait of self-discovery with a sharp element of comedy, “The Duel of Wine” is a thought-provoking love letter to the land, passion and art of winemaking- and wine-drinking for that matter. The lively scenes along with the beautiful soundtrack and locations will reel you right into this decadent world. The film has been called “a fictionalized documentary” as it mirrors the life of this charismatic wine aficionado. But don’t let the comedy element fool you. Charlie Arturaola is a renowned expert in everything that has to do with wine. He is the president of the Miami based Grappolo Blu Inc. where he lectures, conducts educational tastings, acts as an expert app

All Roads Lead to Basilicata.. A Conversation with Director Antonello Faretta

Antonello Faretta's  Montedoro is the story of Pia Marie Mann whose journey to find her birth mother led her to Craco, a deserted town in the heart of Basilicata.  Born in Potenza in 1973, Faretta has been making films for years, but he first came under our radar in January during the Rome screening of his documentary, Nine Poems in Basilicata.  A couple months later, Montedoro made its North American premiere at the Atlanta Film Festival and this filmmaker from Basilicata, along with his partner Adriana Bruno and their protagonist Pia Mann, were thrust into the spotlight, forever changing their lives. With Montedoro, Faretta captures the immortality of a land that has been raped and pillaged through time by invaders and Mother Nature alike but continues to stand steadfast in all its splendor and eternal natural beauty. Its inhabitants are natural-born warriors whose rich history can be seen in the contours, shadows and expressions of their faces. Their eyes gaze throug