Italian Cinema Today

Documentary filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi will premiere his much-anticipated latest film at the upcoming 82nd Venice International Film Festival , which runs August 27 - Sept. 6. "Sotto le nuvole" (Below the Clouds)  takes a deep dive into the rich history and culture of Naples and the area surrounding Mount Vesuvius. There has not been much information revealed but so far, we know that the film will focus on themes similar to those explored by Rosi in his previous works, such as the examination of Roman culture in "Sacro GRA" (2013) and Lampedusa's refugee crisis in "Fuocoammare" (2016).  The film's synopsis reads, “The land around Vesuvius is a vast palimpsest. On the surface, underground and even beneath the sea of the modern city of Naples and its surroundings, the memory of history is etched into tunnels, walls and fissures, the remains of women, children and men — statues, buried cities. Only thin layers separate contemporary and ancient life, an...

Gianfranco Rosi's acclaimed documentary "Fuocoammare" (Fire at Sea) will be released in the United States on October 21.  The film, which won the prestigious Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, provides a poignant exploration of the European migrant crisis through the eyes of 12-year-old Samuele. Living on the island of Lampedusa, Samuele's daily life consists of school, slingshot shooting, and hunting. Despite his seemingly ordinary activities, he is surrounded by the sea and the harrowing stories of countless migrants who risk their lives to reach the island. Lampedusa has become a symbolic border of Europe, traversed by thousands of migrants over the past two decades in their quest for freedom. The documentary captures the stark contrast between Samuele's childhood innocence and the grave realities faced by those seeking refuge. The U.S. dates are as follows: New York Film Festival New York NY October 7 - October 8, 2016 Chicago Film Festival October 2...

Gianfranco Rosi, the acclaimed filmmaker and 2013 Golden Lion winner for "Sacro Gra," is set to delve into the story of Lampedusa, an island known for the tragic arrival of migrants, in his upcoming film. The project, produced by RAI Cinema, Cinecittà Luce, and Avventurosa, in collaboration with the French company Les Films d'Ici, aims to capture the essence of the island and its inhabitants. "I want to tell the story of the island of Lampedusa and its inhabitants beyond the tragic arrival of migrants, whose presence will however be felt, like an echo," Rosi said. Initially considering a short film, Rosi realized the complexity of the island's narrative required a more extensive exploration. "In the beginning, I thought of doing a short, but after two surveys, I thought it would be impossible to condense into ten minutes—stories that were going to tell the story of an island," he said. Rosi plans to relocate to Lampedusa in September to fully immer...

Antonio Albanese and Gianni Amelio, Photo by Claudio Iannone For the first time ever, the Italian films screened at the Venice International Film Festival will be featured in a film series in Beirut, Lebanon. The film event “Venezia Cinema a Beirut,”organized by the Biennale di Venezia with the Italian Institute of Culture in Lebanon, will run from February 20 through February 25, 2014. According to Labiennale.org, four Italian films from the Official Selection of the 70th Venice Film Festival will be presented at the Metropolis Empire Sofil – Acharafieh in Beirut. The event will open with "L’intrepido" by Gianni Amelio . The following day, audiences will be treated to Emma Dante 's "Via Castellana Bandiera" with the star Elena Cotta, winner of the Coppa Volpi for Best Actress, on hand for a discussion. Monday's screening on February 24th will feature "La prima neve" by Andrea Segre, and the closing film will be the Golden Lion winner, ...

Grande Raccordo Anulare  History was made at this year's Venice Film Festival as the jury, led by Director Bernardo Bertolucci, awarded the prestigious Golden Lion Award to Gianfranco Rosi for his documentary "Sacro GRA." This marks the first time in the festival's history that a documentary has taken the top honor. "Sacro GRA" explores the lives of several individuals affected by the Grande Raccordo Anulare (GRA), a 42-mile highway encircling Rome. The film's subjects include a young paramedic, an elderly man living with his daughter, a family dealing with their son's DJ obsession, a botanist studying parasitic palms, a disgruntled fisherman, and an aristocrat renting his mansion to film crews. Despite their diverse backgrounds, the GRA serves as a common thread connecting their stories. The documentary has sparked curiosity and debate, with some critics noting its lack of a clear plot or definitive point of view. However, it resonated strongly ...