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Showing posts from June, 2016

Fellini Retrospective begins in New York

  IFC Center presents “Fellini,” an 11-film retrospective of the legendary Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini, July 1-September 25 in the ongoing “Weekend Classics” program. With a signature style that combined baroque and fantastic flourishes with more earthy concerns, Fellini (1920-1993) was not only one of the twentieth century’s most beloved filmmakers, but has proven one of its most influential as well. Among numerous awards and distinctions, Fellini’s films won four Oscars, along with prizes at Cannes, Venice, Berlin and other film festivals, with Fellini himself receiving career achievement awards from Cannes in 1974 and Venice in 1985, followed by a special Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in 1993. The program kicks off with Fellini’s international succès de scandale blockbuster LA DOLCE VITA (1960), screening daily at 11:00am Friday, July 1-Thursday, July 7. An epic portrait of the dawn of tabloid culture, set in the decadent postwar Roman demimonde and starring

Interview: Vincenzo Mosca of TVCO on "My Italy" and Italian Cinema throughout the World

The 13th edition of the Italian Screenings, the only annual marketplace event dedicated solely to Italian productions is underway in Bari, located in Italy's southern region of Puglia. Organized by Istituto Luce Cinecittà, 130 professionals from 30 countries are expected to attend. The purpose is to sell Italian films to buyers throughout the world. Among those professionals is Vincenzo Mosca. He and his business partner Sesto Cifola run the world sales and production company TVCO that recently partnered with CristaldiFilm to make Italian films available throughout the world. Cristaldifilm is operated by Massimo Cristaldi and Zeudi Araya. Massimo is the son of Franco Cristaldi, a monumental movie producer and three-time Oscar winner for some of the most beautiful, timeless films ever created, including Pietro Germi's "Divorce-Italian Style", Federico Fellini's "Amarcord" and Giuseppe Tornatore's "Cinema Par

Michelangelo Antonioni: The Master of Improvisation

Nothing is what it seems.   If one had to describe the films of Michelangelo Antonioni with one phrase, that would do it. Antonioni made a career out of mesmerizing audiences with his films of complicated relationships that raise questions, but leave many of the answers to the viewer. In a 1969 interview with American film critic Roger Ebert, Antonioni described his shooting as a constant departure from the script. “I may film scenes I had no intention of filming; things suggest themselves on location, and we improvise. I try not to think about it too much. Then, in the cutting room, I take the film and start to put it together, and only then do I begin to get an idea of what it is about.” Michelangelo Antonioni was born in 1912 in Ferrara, located in the region of Emilia Romagna.   He attended college in nearby Bologna during the 1930s where he became involved in theater and painting. After graduation, he freelanced as a film critic for a local newspaper. Shortly thereafter, he

Interview: Raoul Bova on Second Chances and the New Generation of Italian Filmmakers

Actor Raoul Bova recently presented two of his films in Canada at the Italian Contemporary Film Festival and the Niagara Integrated Film Festival: Carlo Vanzina’s time travel comedy "Rewind and Reboot" (Torno Indietro e Cambio Vita) and the romantic comedy "All Roads Lead to Rome," which he presented alongside cinema legend and co-star Claudia Cardinale . Bova’s acting career spans more than two decades and it has been a joy to watch him grow and evolve as an actor. He’s not afraid to take on complex characters like Lorenzo in Ferzan Ozpetek’s  "Facing Windows" while he seems to embrace and have fun with lighter storylines like the two he just presented.    I had the great pleasure of meeting Raoul Bova in Niagara Falls where he presented "All Roads Lead to Rome" with Claudia Cardinale. He had a full schedule lined up that day with very little time for interviews, but I managed to slip in three quick questions and he was graceful eno

Director Gianfranco Pannone on his film "The Smallest Army in the World"

The history of the Vatican's Swiss Guard can be traced back to the 16th century. In 1512, Pope Julius II declared the troops "Defenders of the Church's Freedom." Since then, they have been stationed at the Vatican to protect each and every pope.   Gianfranco Pannone’s documentary “The Smallest Army in the World" (L’esercito più piccolo del mondo) explores the training that goes into preparing the Swiss boys to become soldiers of the Vatican.  Pannone begins in Switzerland where the journey commences for the young recruits. He continues inside Vatican City as they are trained and fitted for their famously colorful uniforms. The young men, who come from all walks of life, offer their thoughts on how the Catholic Church should change with the times in order to stay relevant and modern. There are tender moments in which we see Pope Francis greeting people and one scene in which he is just calmly walking by himself. Thanks to the Film Society of Lincoln Center, Lu

Interview: Director Francesco Cinquemani on His New Film "Andron"

Alec Baldwin in a scene from "Andron" Set in the 22nd century, the new sci-fi movie "Andron," follows a group of young men and women who wake to find themselves in a confined maze. At first they don't remember anything about their lives but slowly their memories return and all they want to do is find their way back into civilization. But in order to break out of this underground world, the members of the group must find their inner strength and work together. This means learning to decipher codes, and overcoming mentally and physically challenging tests all while the outside world watches through a game, placing odds on their fate.  "Andron" is visually layered with a combination of scenes shot on the Mediterranean island of Malta and computer-generated imagery (CGI). The element I enjoyed the most was the exchange between the characters. The film features a crop of beautiful, young protagonists with some pretty sharp acting chops. There are som

Matteo Persica's Biography on Anna Magnani Headed to America

A new biography by Matteo Persica is currently being translated into English and will arrive on American shores soon. I've known Persica for many years through social media, and he is passionately dedicated to preserving the memory of his beloved Anna Magnani . The biography has been well-received in Italy, so I am looking forward to the English translation. “Anna Magnani. Biography of a woman ” translated directly from the Italian title, "Anna Magnani. Biografia di una donna", was bestowed the prestigious Italian literary awards “Ferrovie dello Stato” and the national “Borgo Albori”earlier this year. Many critics consider his work the best book to this date on the actress. Through films such as Roma città aperta, l’ onorevole Angelina, L’ amore, Bellissima, La rosa tatuata, Mamma Roma, readers can relive Magnani's innate talent as well as the thoughts, feelings, joys and troubles of a woman who lived life in an attempt to stay loyal to herself. That meant embo

My Complete Interview with Edoardo Leo

Edoardo Leo (photo: ResetVFX) Starting his career as an actor, Edoardo Leo grew to be uninspired by the roles he was being offered, so he took matters into his own hands. Following in the footsteps of his film idol, Carlo Verdone, he decided to begin writing and directing as well as acting. Those efforts culminated recently in Noi e la Giulia , Leo’s 2015 film about a group of 40-somethings looking to reboot their lives. The film won a host of prizes all over the world and is truly a masterpiece. Although the success of Noi e la Giulia has taken Leo’s career to another level, he wasn’t doing so bad beforehand. Upon graduating college in 1999 where he majored in literature, Leo formed an acting troupe with his good friend Marco Bonini, with whom he still collaborates. He perfected his craft while building a solid career as a theater, TV and film actor, but found himself playing the same role over and over again. Tired of being pigeonholed as the handsome guy who saves the day, h