Italian Cinema Today

Matilde Gioli and Matteo Martari in a scene from 2Night When she answered a casting call, Matilde Gioli’s just wanted to make a few extra bucks to support her university education. Months later, she was offered a starring role in one of Italy’s most successful contemporary films. Born in Milan in 1989, Gioli studied at Beccaria High School and then graduated in Philosophy at the State University. “I never thought of becoming an actress. When I was at university, I worked various jobs. I was 21 years old. One day my mother found an announcement: they were looking for extras for a film by Paolo Virzì. So I went to audition. I did not expect anything," she explained in a recent interview with Forbes Magazine in Italy. She didn’t hear anything for four months. Then one day, she received word that Virzì wanted to meet her for a another audition. “The following day, he offered me the role of Serena Ossola in the film Human Capital . From there my career started.” Matilde G...

Based on a novel by American writer Stephen Amidon, "Human Capital" is a story of intricate emotions and human qualities. Its characters are complicated, fragile and flawed. They struggle to succeed, to find their passions, to love, to leave, to stay and to live. Yet within each of them is a longing for stability and normalcy, to live life to the fullest while being cradled in the love and support of the people closest to them. The film begins at the breakdown of a banquet when one of the servers is run off the road while riding home on his bicycle. What follows is a series of chapters in which director Paolo Virzì vividly takes us through the lives of several key players directly or indirectly involved in the accident. This analysis uncovers the secrets and struggles of the story’s characters. The film offers a side of Italian society that we don’t often see in Italian films released in the U.S. Virzì sheds light on Italy's high society of CEOs, financial advisors, ...

The cast of "Human Capital" Starting today, Paolo Virzì’s latest film, "Human Capital," begins showing at theaters across the country. The Wikipedia definition of human capital is- the stock of knowledge, habits, social and personality attributes, including creativity, embodied in the ability to perform labor so as to produce economic value. Well, the film, which was adapted from American writer, Stephen Amidon’s book pretty much covers all these attributes. The story begins after a cyclist is run off the road. That incident sets the stage for a rollercoaster ride of drama, egos, greed, opulence and destruction. The director’s visual expression of the novel has drawn incredible performances from his actors. Virzì has a history of empathizing with his characters to really get into their heads, which in turn leads to complete transformation, and it helps to have some of the most talented contemporary Italian actors, such as Fabrizio Bentivoglio , Valeria Gol...

On Day 5 of our week-long series, 7 Days - 7 Women, in which we are profiling seven strong, talented women working as filmmakers, writers or visual artists, we take a look at the career of actress and director, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. Valeria Bruni Tedeschi is a familiar face and respected actress in Italy. Until now, Americans haven't had the chance to see her work. But the tides are changing and Bruni Tedeschi is slowly but surely making her way to North American shores. Born in Torino in 1964, Bruni Tedeschi comes from a talented, affluent family. Her sister is the model, actress, singer and former first lady of France, Carla Bruni. Her mother, Marisa Borini is a concert pianist and her father, Alberto Bruni Tedeschi is a classical composer, while her grandfather, Virginio Bruni Tedeschi, founded the giant Italian tire manufacturing company CEAT in the 1920's. Bruni Tedeschi left Torino at a young age and grew up in France. Her family left Italy in the 70's to escape...