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Showing posts from May, 2019

Dustin Hoffman and Stefania Sandrelli Star in Pietro Germi's 'Alfredo, Alfredo'

Browsing Amazon, I stumbled upon a rare find-  Pietro Germi's 1972 film Alfredo, Alfredo starring Dustin Hoffman and Stefania Sandrelli. The film stars a very young and handsome Dustin Hoffman and equally stunning Stefania Sandrelli. Hoffman is Alfredo Sbisà, a down-to-earth, shy guy who falls in love with the beautiful Maria Rosa (Stefania Sandrelli). The film begins with Alfredo (Dustin Hoffman) and (Stefania Sandrelli) as they meet with a lawyer to finalize their divorce. As Alfredo contemplates the spell that Stefania has cast on him, he tells their story through a sequence of flashbacks beginning on the fateful night they met. Little by little, Maria Rosa reveals her controlling, jealous tendencies, which Alfredo believes marriage will solve. But after the two marry, life gets more chaotic and ultimately becomes unbearable. During a rare night out with his best friend, Alfredo meets Carolina (Carla Gravina), the polar opposite of Maria Rosa. They fall in love and sudde

A Conversation with Chef-Turned-Director Luigi Diotaiuti

“I am from Basilicata, Italy, and I owe my entire career to this magical region.” With those words begins the charming documentary short, The Beauty of Basilicata . Washington, D.C.-based chef-turned-director Luigi Diotaiuti brought together the worlds of food and film to document the origins of a special dinner he prepared at the James Beard Foundation. The documentary —  which follows his quest to find the best of the region’s products, like peppers from Senise, cheese from Moliterno and beans from Sarconi — also shines a spotlight on his non-profit, Basilicata Way of Living . It was presented at the Lucania Film Festival in Basilicata.  Diotaiuti is one of six children. His town of Lagonegro is nestled in the mountains of Basilicata in the province of Potenza, where his family grew their own crops and raised farm animals. “The only items we bought at the store were sugar, salt and coffee,” Diotaiuti explains. “The day started when the sun came up. First, I had to milk and ten

Filmmaker Gio Crisafulli to Present New Film at the Harlem International Film Festival

New York-based Filmmaker Gio Crisafulli of Zio Ciccio Cinema will present his short film Chevere con Salsa at the Harlem International Film Festival on Saturday May 18th.  The film follows Yesenia (Melinette Pallares), a disgruntled Washington Heights native, on the hottest day of the summer as she struggles to keep her cool navigating the sexual politics of her home, the city streets, and her dating life. After having her morning thrown into a frenzy by her mother, Criselda’s (Jackie Almonte), nagging, she escapes the confines of her oppressive home to the more carefree demeanor of her best friend Carlos (Pascal Arquimedes). Together, they venture down St. Nicholas in search of Dominican shaved ice to cool off, only to find themselves in a heated debate about the toxic masculinity in their culture, the gentrification of their hood, and Yesenia’s dating habits.  Yesenia’s own one-sided beliefs get called into question when Carlos sheds light on her contradictions as well as the nu

Matteo Garrone's Latest Short film for Campari

GRUPPO CAMPARI Following up his 2018 short for Campari, The Legend of Red Hand,  Matteo Garrone's latest, Entering Red , marks the 100th anniversary of the famed Negroni cocktail. Starring Ana de Arma and Lorenzo Richly, the film "traces the journey of the evolution of a woman who, through a series of experiences related to mysterious events, goes through a process of development that will lead her to become a more self-aware individual. [Actress] Ana [de Arma]'s path is a journey of discovery into the world of Campari, an elegant world, a dreamlike and at the same time glamorous dimension," explained Garrone in a recent interview with  Forbes .  Check it out.. In case you didn't catch it, here is the 2018   The Legend of Red Hand..

A Tranquil Hideaway in Francis Ford Coppola’s Ancestral Town

Francis Ford Coppola’s resort Palazzo Margherita is located in Bernalda, the town of his family’s Italian origins. The resort's enchanting grounds boast a private cinema room, robust herb gardens, a family-style dining room run by local culinary experts and a Romanesque private swimming pool surrounded by a walled garden. Since beginning our series “Basilicata: Land of Cinema” back in 2015, I've visited Bernalda twice and spent a weekend at Palazzo Margherita , which I found to be an extraordinary utopia of culture, food and cinema. The town itself has an atmosphere of wonderment. As you explore the narrow streets lined with well-kept homes and charming churches, you get the feeling of being transported through time. With distant views of the Ionian sea, it truly feels like an untouched corner of paradise.  My much-anticipated stay at Palazzo Margherita was like something out of a dream. Everything is so beautiful and articulately maintained. The regional food

A Review of 'Endgame' - The Russo Brothers Do Not Disappoint

In all my years of movie-watching, I had only seen one Marvel film and it was because I was writing a story about one of the cast members. But that changed when last year, I was a recipient of a grant from the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum to finish my documentary film, Return to Lucania . When I realized how much Joe and Anthony Russo give back to the Italian American community, I thought the least I could do is support their films. I went out right away and saw The Avengers and was blown away by the combination of a beautiful, dramatic story and mind-blowing CGI. So when Endgame  was released, I waited until the weekend had passed and caught a weekday matinee. Having just read an insightful review that my friend Curt Markham posted on Facebook, I was very eager to see the film. After seeing it, I can say that I agree with just about everything he wrote in his review and as I have been encouraging him to get his work published beyond Facebook, I thought I'd take th

Director Anton Evangelista Talks About His Film 'Il Signor Jackson'

Born in Matera, Italy and raised in New York, filmmaker Anton Evangelista is about to take his films full circle.  A longtime filmmaker in New York City, Evangelista has made six films over the years that have been screened at festivals throughout the world. His latest, Il Signor Jackson was funded by the The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA) and the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum, and was a co-winner in their competition. The film documents the life of Edward Jackson, a former professor and Italophile who grew up in the Bronx around Italian families. Assimilating into their culture on a professional level, Edward was faced with obstacles and prejudices that with his love and passion for the Italian culture, was able to overcome. The film is an ode to dreams, resilience and nostalgia.  Il Signor Jackson  has a number of screenings coming up that will take the filmmaker and his subjects back to their beloved lan