Italian Cinema Today

After honing her skills in Rome, she returned to her native region to conjure 3D worlds that bring history to life. Sara Lo Russo was raised in Potenza, the capital of Basilicata, where she attended college and majored in journalism. Upon graduating, she moved to Rome where she held a position as a news coordinator. Living outside the region allowed her to grow personally and professionally, but she longed to return home and cast a contemporary light upon her region. So she headed back to Potenza and partnered with engineer and 3D technician Michele Scioscia. With the help of the Lucana Film Commission, they founded Effenove, a film production and visual effects company. “We specialize in 3D computer graphics,” says Lo Russo. “For us, technology is a tool, not the end, and 3D allows us to add a different language to the way we talk about Basilicata and its stories.” Effenove literally means F9. As Lo Russo explains, “When Michele and I were trying to come up with a...

Cinema history is about to be made at the 73rd edition of the Venice FilmFestival coming up in September. The festival just announced the world premiere screening, in a special 40-minute preview, of “Jesus VR - The Story of Christ”, the first Virtual Reality feature-length film ever made. The 90-minute film covers all of Jesus’s life and death, from his baptism to the Last Supper to his crucifixion. Shot in Basilicata’s ancient Sassi district of Matera, the film will be released to the public in December on all major mobile and premium VR platforms. “I am beyond thrilled to be a part of this groundbreaking project. It’s as exciting a take on the story of Christ as I’ve ever seen and its production values will absolutely set a new benchmark for virtual reality,” said executive producer Enzo Sisti in a statement about the film. Sisti worked on Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” , which was also filmed in Matera. “The viewers truly feel they are there with Jes...