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Showing posts from April, 2016

Marking the anniversary of Italy's Liberation- April 25, 1945 with the film "Anzio"

Everywhere you turn in Italy, there is history. Every town you visit has its own story just waiting to be told. Every step you take has been taken for thousands of years. So when I visited the seaside town of Lavinio (near Anzio and Nettuno) and noticed a memorial stone written in English, I knew that I was about to learn something fascinating. The stone reads as follows: THE 6TH (BANFFSHIRE) BATTALION THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES ON THE ANZIO BEACHHEAD 22 JANUARY – 4 JUNE 1944 BYDAND The Battle of Anzio began in January of 1944 when Allied Forces landed on the shores of neighboring seaside towns, Anzio and Nettuno. “Operation Shingle” was aimed at defeating German forces in the area. Initially, the attack was a surprise and the allied forces were able to move inland. But shortly thereafter, the German forces regrouped moving every available troop to higher ground, which provided a clear view of the allied positions. What followed wa

Interview: Director Cristian Piazza on his Documentary Film "Waiting"

The New York City Independent Film Festival has outdone itself this year in making its Italian selections. From full length to documentary to short, there is a wonderful diversity to the Italian films that will be presented this year. Click here for the festival’s complete list of Italian films. I was thrilled to see a documentary in the lineup that I have been following for a while now on social media. Cristian Piazza’s “Waiting” is the story of three Italian Immigrants aiming for a second chance at life in New York City.  Floriano Pagliara is a Professional Boxer looking for self-validation. After a crushing defeat back in Italy, he needs to regain his confidence. So, he finds a new trainer and gets a shot at a World Title against an American Champion. And a new adventure begins. Paolo Buffagni is a former actor without any musical instruction. He reinvents himself as an Opera Singer at 30 after moving to New York. With little support for his new venture, he is constantly

Checco Zalone Opening the 2016 Edition of the ICFF in Toronto

With Checco Zalone at the ICFF press conference in Toronto Updated 6/2016- Checco Zalone and his director Gennaro Nunziante were the talk of the town in Toronto, Canada recently during the screenings and opening gala of the Italian Contemporary Film Festival. Theaters across Canada were packed with audiences taking in the duo's latest brilliant collaboration, "Quo vado?", which is being touted as the highest-grossing Italian film in history. With box office earnings of €52.1 million in the first 12 days, the film beat out "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" . Now, it's touring the festival circuit throughout the world and people all over the globe are getting the chance to see just why Italian audiences came out in droves to see this film.   Checco Zalone   The infamous character known as Checco Zalone was born Luca Pasquale Medici in the southern Italian city of Bari in 1977. He attended a local high school and then studied Law at l'Università d

The Italian Selection of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival

"La santa che dorme" Below is a list of the Italian films that were named this morning in the lineup of the 17th Edition of the Cannes Film Festival. Pericle il Nero di Stefano Mordini: Un Certain Regard La Santa che dorme di Laura Samani: Sélection Cinéfondation Il Silenzio di Farnoosh Samadi, Ali Asgari: Compétition des courts métrages L' Ultima spiaggia di Thanos Anastopoulos, Davide Del Degan: Séances Spéciales

Tribeca Film Festival to Feature the latest Italian Masterpiece - "Perfetti Sconosciuti"

I read a quote about Paolo Genovese’s “Perfetti sconosciuti” (Perfect Strangers) -   “Un film che rimane impresso, prima nella pancia e poi nella mente.” –A film that remains first in the stomach and then in the mind. That sums up how you will feel upon watching the film. If you’re a filmmaker, you will take it one step further by asking yourself, "Why didn’t I think of that?” This is a universal story, a testament to the times in which we live. If I was limited to one word in reviewing this film, it would be, genius. That word covers just about every aspect of the film from the writing to the directing to the acting to the lighting to the set design to the wardrobe. Each person, every detail made “Perfetti Sconosciuti” a true masterpiece. I watched it several times before I attempted to write this. The first time, I just read the subtitles. The second time, I focused on the performances and then I watched it again to pay attention to the production details such as the war

Documentary Filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi to Chair Cannes Jury

According to a report by Cineuropa , documentary filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi will chair the Oeil d'or jury at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. The Oeil d’or Award was instigated in 2015 by Scam (the Civil Society of Multimedia Authors) and Julie Bertuccelli, with "the active involvement of the Cannes Film Festival " and in conjunction with the Ina . The accolade serves to single out the best documentary presented in all of the various selections at Cannes (the 69 th edition of which will take place from 11-22 May 2016) and will this year be handed out by a jury chaired by Italian director Gianfranco Rosi (winner of the Golden Lion at Venice in 2013 for Sacro GRA   and the Golden Bear at Berlin in February for Fire at Sea .

Matera Film School: Workshop with Cinematographer Daniele Cipri

Deadline to register: 15 April - http://www.lucaniafilmfestival.it/matera-lucania-film-school/

A Look at the Career of Legend Lina Wertmüller

Update: On December 9, 2021, Lina Wertmüller passed away at the age of 93. Whether you’re referring to her name, her look or her style of filmmaking, Lina Wertmüller stands out in a crowd. Born in Rome in 1926 to a family of Swiss aristocrats, Wertmüller was a rebel at heart. She ignored her father’s pleas to study law and instead enrolled in film school. That choice would eventually land her at the Academy Awards as the first woman director nominated for an Oscar.   After graduating from school, Wertmüller played a variety of roles in the movie business. From acting to writing plays to directing, she worked with a number of influential artists during those years including Federico Fellini, Marcello Mastroianni and her future muse, Giancarlo Giannini. In 1962, she landed a career-changing job as an assistant director on Fellini’s 8½ and the following year, made her directorial debut with The Lizards (I basilischi). The film was shot along the border of the southern Italian regio

Interview: Cinematographer Michele D'Attanasio on "Veloce come il vento"

“I’m a hopeless case, and there aren’t many actual hopeless cases around these days”. Strong words from Stefano Accorsi's latest character, Loris De Martino, a drug addict struggling to overcome his demons. Directed by Matteo Rovere, Veloce come il vento hits Italian theaters today, and critics are already praising Accorsi's performance, proclaiming “Stefano Accorsi as you’ve never seen him before.” Based on a true story, Veloce come il vento is set in Imola, located in the region of Bologna, home of the epic race car track where infamous competitions were held, including the Formula One and Italian Grand Prix. The film portrays the conflicts of one family whose history in the business of racing is long standing and complex. Giulia De Martino, played by Matilda De Angelis, is a 17-year-old responsible for taking care of her family since her mother up and left. A novice racecar driver, she is struggling with carrying on the family name of racing champions while trying to

Documentary on the Family of Francis Ford Coppola getting International Attention

Update May 12, 2016 "The Family whistle" will be shown at the 69th Cannes Film Festival on May 19 in the "Classic" section. The Lucana Film Commission will be on hand to present the film along with the director Michele Russo. According to Paride Leporace, the director of the Lucana Film Commission, the film is "an 'epic that from Augustine to Carmine - reaches the last generation of the Coppola family to Sofia through the genius of Francis Ford Coppola, the most famous and influential living testimonial of Basilicata. The film features photography by Basilicata-born Ugo Lo Pinto, who for this work has just won the Indie Spec Best Cinematography Award at the Boston International Film Festival. Furthermore, historical documentaries made in Lucania by Cinematheque. - American Zoetrope and Cultural Ulysses have proved once again, that Basilicata is a land of Cinema internationally recognized." Directed by Basilicata-born filmmaker Michele Russo, &q

The Italian Films of the NYC Independent Film Festival

"Fucking World" The NYC Independent Film Festival is coming up at the end of April. There are about a half dozen Italian films. Check out the diverse selection. “The Friend” (L'amico) -Director’s name not announced yet April 28 Buy Tickets “Fucking World” by: William Mussini 2-minute Experimental Film April 29 Modern man lives his life (day) in just under a minute and thirty seconds. Lives frustration, joy and sense of incompleteness jumping from one emotion to another, from a knowledge gap to a lack filled by media messages. As a final gesture kills the world carrying the ransom that frees him from the daily derailment. Buy Tickets   "Not Without Me" (Non senza di me) by Brando De Sica April 27 A very possessive father imposes to his son a life devoid of independence. Buy Tickets "Rocco Has Your Name" (Rocco Tiene Tu Nombre) by Angelo Orlando -Spanish film by Italian-born director May 1 It's a typical

The New Generation of De Sica

Recently through social media, I've discovered there's a whole new generation of De Sica filmmakers on the rise. Both grandsons of the great Vittorio De Sica , Andrea and Brandon are making films on both sides of the Atlantic. Andrea De Sica's father was the composer Manuel De Sica, who worked on a number of films, including Michele Soave's 1994 dark comedy "Cemetary Man". He passed away in 2014. Andrea De Sica made his first short film in 2007 and has been quite prolific in his work ever since. He has spent the last few years directing television series. Just recently, it was announces that he was awarded funding by to make his first feature film. Cineuropa announced a few weeks ago that De Sica's new project "I figli della note" (The Children of the Night) was the only Italian movie selected during the latest Eurimages  conference granting support for film production. Shooting began in early March in South Tyrol, located in the northern Ita