Italian Cinema Today

One of the masters of commedia all’Italiana, he had a talent for deconstructing complex behaviors while maintaining his sharp sense of humor. Born in 1914 in northern Italy but with an affinity for the South, director Pietro Germi emerged as a leading filmmaker toward the end of the neorealist period and was instrumental in creating the commedia all’Italiana genre. What made his films unique was his ability to grapple with the social issues that were dominating Italy at the time, posing questions that needed to be asked, but in a way that was entertaining, clever, funny and visually beautiful. The 1954 film Mid-Century Loves is a 52-minute gem that contains five short tales of love directed by Pietro Germi, Mario Chiari, Roberto Rossellini, Antonio Pietrangelo and Glauco Pellegrini. Each vignette is a decadent piece of cinematic perfection with richly detailed sets, regional music and spectacular cinematography.  Germi’s segment, War 1915-18 follows the struggles of a ...

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...

London-based, Basilicata native Luca Nappa took the top prize at the Rhode Island Film Festival in the section "Voyages of Discovery" for his short film Warriors of Sanità. Fresh off the Giffoni Film Festival where it won the Rai Cinema Channel Award, the film is set in the Sanità district of Naples and tells the story of two children, Francesco and Vincenzo, who believe they have found a mutant with magical powers. The main interpreters of the film are Francesco Capaldo, Vincenzo Quaranta, Loredana Simioli and Saeid Haselpour. The Rhode Island Film Festival is one of the American festivals affiliated with the Academy Awards, which are among the prerequisites for an Oscar nomination. The film was  produced by Diego D'Ambrosio for Uncoso Factory and London Film School. - Jeannine Guilyard

It was recently announced that documentary filmmaker Francesco Patierno will present his latest work "Camorra"  in the Sconfini program of the 75 th  Venice Film Festival, which runs August 29 – September 8. The film has been described as “a striking historical and socio-anthropological portrait of the Campania’s regional capital and of the organized crime that afflicts it.”  Patierno spent months researching the treasures of Rai Teche archives and uncovered a number of period films, many of which were previously unpublished. Born in Naples in 1964, Patierno studied architecture before discovering his passion for filmmaking. He worked as a creative director for an ad agency producing video clips and commercial spots for RAI. Then in 1996, he tried his hand at filmmaking with a short film called " Quel giorn o"   (That Day). The compelling 10-minute film premiered at the 53 rd Venice Film Festival and was shown at more than 50 film festivals worldwide....

Among the diverse selections of the 75th Venice Film Festival is an adaptation of a short fiction by Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa.  Il Banchiere Anarchico (The Anarchist Banker) is the story of a banker who engages in a revealing conversation about why he  considers himself an anarchist even though he doesn't possess the obvious traits. Published in 1922 and set in a Lisbon café, the conversation takes place between a wealthy banker and his friend as the two have a friendly but passionate exchange about the qualities of a true anarchist. The wealthy banker stands by his claim that he is the only true anarchist left and makes a compelling and at times surprising argument to back his belief. I spoke with the creator of the film, Giulio Base for some insight into this story and why a piece of literature written nearly a century ago is still very relevant today. Let's just start at the beginning. Why did you want to adapt this story for the screen? I love Pessoa...

I recently stumbled upon the photography of silent film actress Tina Modotti and it's absolutely mesmerizing. Modotti was born in 1896 in the northern Italian city of Udine and  immigrated to the United States in 1913. She headed to San Francesco where her father had arrived earlier. There, she became involved in the performing arts and landed parts in plays, operas and silent films. Modotti was ahead of her time and a true working woman on the move. During the course of her life, she worked as a photographer, model, actress and political activist. She moved to Mexico City in the early 1920s and dedicated her life to political activism where she eventually joined the Mexican Communist Party. Her life thrived in Mexico City and her close circle of friends included artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera and Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Modotti died at the age of 45 of congestive heart failure while on her way home in a cab. Neruda wrote the epitaph for her grave stone: ...

Leonardo Guerra Seràgnoli's LikeMeBack   Switzerland's Locarno Film Festival, with its signature outdoor venue, has always been a sure spot for Italian cinema, and a huge supporter of new talent. The 71st edition is no different. Check out this great lineup of contemporary Italian films. (S)WORDS by Federico Di Corato: Pardi di domani: Concorso internazionale DULCINEA by Luca Ferri: Signs of Life THE GUEST by Duccio Chiarini: Piazza Grande JUST LIKE MY SON by Costanza Quatriglio: Fuori Concorso LIKEMEBACK by Leonardo Guerra Seràgnoli: Concorso Cineasti del presente MENOCCHIO by Alberto Fasulo: Concorso internazionale MY BELOVED ENEMY by Denis Rabaglia: Piazza Grande MY HOME, IN LIBYA by Martina Melilli: Fuori Concorso ORA E SEMPRE RIPRENDIAMOCI LA VITA by Silvano Agosti: Fuori Concorso The first edition of the Locarno Film Festival opened on August 23, 1946 with a screening of Giacomo Gentilomo's O  Sole  Mio . The 2018  edition  will carry on...

Antonio Albanese is one of contemporary Italy's most versatile actors. Having portrayed characters in just about every situation one can find himself in, Albanese has proven that he could bring that level of diversity to writing and directing as well. His latest directorial effort is the comedy  Contromano , which deals with the ever so relevant subject of  immigration. Albanese directs himself in the role of Mario Cavallari. A man set in his ways, Mario is confronted with the prospect of a new boss. When a Senegalese sock vendor further upsets his daily routine, Mario searches for a solution and ends up being forced to step out of his confort zone and face life head on. Albanese recently presented the film at Canada's Italian Contemporary Film Festival. He addressed the film's relevance during this important moment in Italian history as the country's newly elected officials are taking controversial steps to control the number of clandestine immigrants seeking ...

Letizia Lamartine's  Saremo giovani e bellissimi The Venice International Film Critics’ Week (SIC) is an independent and parallel section organized by the National Union of Italian Film Critics (SNCCI) during the 75th Venice International Film Festival (29th August – 8th September, 2018).  The program will open with  Toni D'Angelo's short film  Nessuno è innocente  starring Salvatore Esposito,  and will include a selection of seven debut films in competition and two special events out of competition, all presented in world premiere screenings. The selection is curated by the General Delegate of the Venice Critics’ Week Giona A. Nazzaro together with the members of the selection committee Luigi Abiusi, Alberto Anile, Beatrice Fiorentino and Massimo Tria. The 2018 official selection includes: Competition A kasha / The Roundup by Hajooj Kuka (Sudan, South Africa, Qatar, Germany) Adam und Evelyn / Adam & Evelyn by Andreas Goldstein...

If you’re an aficionado of international cinema, then chances are you have seen the films of Marco Tullio Giordana. His work is not for the faint of heart. It is dramatic, in your face and often reflects the brutality of society and the prices one must pay to hold on to his or her values. Giordana’s most successful films outside Italy are One Hundred Steps (I cento passi) and The Best of Youth (La meglio gioventù). One Hundred Steps is the true story of Peppino Impastato, a Sicilian activist who spoke out against the mafia. He paid the ultimate price for his activism and to this day, is regarded as a beloved hero among Sicilians. The Best of Youth was originally a television mini-series but was so well-received, it was edited down to six hours for a theatrical release. Not many films could hold an audience for six hours, but I saw the film in a regular theater in upstate New York, not at a film festival, and people were laughing, crying and enjoying the emotional rollercoaste...

With the news of another refugee child found dead today in the waters of the Mediterranean, humanitarian efforts are needed and appreciated more than ever. One movement that is contributing to children throughout the world, especially those affected by the Syrian War, is Every Child is My Child , an association that began shortly after the bombing of a children’s hospital in Aleppo. The association is run by a group of Italian celebrities, which include Anna Foglietta, Edoardo Leo, Veronica De Laurentiis, Marco Bonini, Paola Cortellesi, Valerio Mastandrea and many others. The goal is to bring attention to the plight of children not only in Syria but across the world as they have become refugees and try to integrate into the culture of different countries. Actors Andrea Bosca and Anna Foglietta participated in a press conference to talk about the movement at the Casa del Cinema in Rome. There, I asked them about the latest mission of Every Child is My Child . Foglietta explaine...

Actress Lucia Mascino presented Francesca Comencini’s " Stories of Love that Cannot Belong to This World"   at the 18th edition of the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Open Roads: New Italian Cinema. Adapted from Comencini's book, the film offers an intimate look at how one woman deals with the end of a relationship. Although many would not have the same seemingly desperate reaction, it's the delusional or even hopeful motivation for which she stayed that we can all understand on some level.  The film follows Claudia (Lucia Mascino) and Flavio (Thomas Trabacchi), two very different people but deeply in love nonetheless. Their tumultuous, passionate relationship is driven by powerful feelings, but they are simply not good for each other. Their sincere love, affection and attraction keep them emotionally and physically attached and unable to leave even though they often argue. However, an indifferent comment made by Claudia is Flavio's last straw and he...