Italian Cinema Today

UPDATE (JULY 17, 2025) Now in its sixth year, the Rochester Global Short Film Series is a celebration of world cinema. The first edition was held in Rochester, New York in March of 2020 just before the world paused for the global pandemic. We have come a long way since then! We pride ourselves in providing a platform for the voices and perspectives of independent filmmakers. Home of Eastman Kodak and nicknamed "The World's Image Center", Rochester has a long history of supporting the performing arts. It is the birthplace of numerous renowned artists including Oscar-winning actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Oscar-nominated actor John Lithgow, Oscar-nominated actor Robert Forster, actress Kristen Wiig and soprano Renée Fleming.  Silent film star Louise Brooks spent the last years of her life in Rochester writing her memoir, “Lulu in Hollywood.” Known for her independent spirit and displeasure with pretentiousness, she is one of the influences behind the event. The other influe...

"The Sled" (La Slitta) by director and actress Emanuela Ponzano is set for its second showing  in Los Angeles. The film was previously featured at the Los Angeles New Filmmakers Festival. It is slated for a theatrical release from September 15 - 21  at the Regent Theatre on Broxton Avenue . This marks the first American theatrical release for the film, which has been screened at more than 100 international film festivals and has racked up nearly 40 awards. Shot in Basilicata, "The Sled" follows Alfred, a child who lives with his family in the woods near an isolated village in the mountains of Italy. His parents have strong prejudices against immigrants. Bored and unhappy, they often quarrel, and they pay little attention to their son and usually disregard his needs for attention and affection. One day, wishing to get away from this oppressive atmosphere, Alfred disobeys his father’s strict orders for him to stay at home and he leaves the house to go and s...

The Bella Basilicata Film Festival will take place 24 October through 2 November in its quaint namesake town, Bella. Located in the provence of Potenza, the town will host some of the most talked about films made by Lucani in the past year. The festival's mission is "to provide quality and excellence in all cinematographic expressions in independent cinema, in gender production, the work of established authors, in that emerging filmmakers, in research and experimentation." Among the films in the lineup featured here on Italian Cinema Today are.. The Prince of Venusa by Silvio Giordano La Slitta by Emanuela Ponzano Lo Scambio by Salvo Cuccia La ricerca della forma. Il genio. by Vania Cauzillo For more information, visit the festival online at  http://www.bellabasilicatafilmfestival.com .