Italian Cinema Today

Tommaso Ragno in a scene from "Nostalgia" A seasoned character actor, his performances reflect the diversity and intensity of his stage training as well as his knack for comic timing. Born in 1967 in the region of Puglia, Tommaso Ragno grew up in the north of Italy and studied acting at the Paolo Grassi School of Dramatic Arts in Milan. In 1988, he appeared in his first stage production, which was directed by Mario Martone, a filmmaker who would have a huge impact on his work.    Ragno continued perfecting his craft, building a distinguished career as a theater actor for a decade before his gradual transition into film. During those early years, he worked with renowned directors on productions ranging from Shakespeare to Eduardo De Filippo.   Though he built an impressive theater resume, he was destined for success beyond the stage. His first screen role came in 1997 in Davide Ferrario’s “Tutti giù per terra” (All Down to Earth), followed by parts in various television se...

“Vera & Giuliano” “I knew Fellini , Antonioni , Pontecorvo. It was a period of good people, good writers and very good directors.” A pioneering director himself, Giuliano Montaldo is one of the last living greats from Italy’s cinematic Golden Age. At 92, he’s as active as ever, and the pandemic hasn’t slowed him down. Donning his mask, he was one of the first in line when Italy reopened its movie theaters. Born in Genoa in 1930, Montaldo moved to Rome as a teenager to follow his dream of working in cinema. While attending film school, he was discovered by director Carlo Lizzani. Taking Montaldo under his wing, Lizzani cast him alongside Gina Lollobrigida in his 1951 war drama “Achtung! Banditi!” and then nurtured him as an assistant. Montaldo worked on a string of films with Lizzani, including his acclaimed 1952 murder mystery “Ai margini della metropoli” (At the Edge of the City) , starring Giulietta Masina . Montaldo then assisted director Gillo Pontecorvo while continuing to ta...

Actor Pierfrancesco Favino is no stranger to American audiences. In addition to the Italian blockbusters that have made it to our shores, including Gabriele Muccino’s  The Last Kiss , Roberto Ando’s  The Confessions , and Ferzan Ozpetek’s  Saturn in Opposition , he’s had significant parts in numerous American productions. Among them are Ron Howard’s  Angels and Demons , Spike Lee’s  Miracle at St. Anna  and a stint as Christopher Columbus in  Night at the Museum . He even gave us a  tour of Rome via his Vespa   for CBS This Morning during the papal conclave of 2013. In every character that he becomes, Favino brings his signature humility and grace making his characters vulnerable yet strong in their convictions and above all, unforgettable. His latest film made its American premiere at the 57thNew York Film Festival in October and is Italy’s entry for the Academy Awards. Directed by Marco Bellocchio  Il Traditore  (The Traitor...

I just discovered the Barilla spots by Gabriele Salvatores and Pierfrancesco Favino.. and I have to say that I really love them. Upon further research, I learned that this tradition of borrowing the talents of Italian cinema for Barilla commercials goes way back to the 60's and includes artists like Federico Fellini and Mina. The new spots feature Favino in everyday stories, which highlight the features of Barilla's new products. Filming began   in May of last year at Barilla's   headquarters in Parma , and  t he campaign hit the airwaves in September . I stumbled upon a spot when I was searching for something completely unrelated. What a nice surprise! Here are a few of the spots, plus one of Fellini's from the 80's. You can see more by going to YouTube and searching Pubblicità Barilla Pierfrancesco Favino.

Born in Naples in 1958, Riccardo Zinna truly is a jack of all trades. He's a natural born artist who does it all.   He's an actor, musician and visual artist with no formal training.   Yet, he has risen to the top of his game in each of his artistic fields. He credits his mother's passion for life and her support and confidence in him to live his life freely and do what makes him happy.   Zinna is best known in Italy as a television and film star. He has done many supporting roles in high profile films such as Gabriele Salvatores ' thriller, Io non ho paura and Nanni Morretti's , Caro diario . However, he’s proven that he can carry the lead role as well. He did so with great success in Toni D'Angelo's 2008 breakout hit, Una Notte . The story centers on a group of old friends who were brought together by the sudden death of one of their comrades. Zinna takes on the role of a musician who gave up on his dream for a more realistic career in finance. He ...

Anna Falchi was born Anna Kristiina Palomaki, on April 22, 1972, in Tampere, Finland. Her mother, Kaarina Palomaki Sisko, is Finnish, while her father, Benito "Tito" Falchi, is from Romagna, Italy. Growing up in Italy, Anna was a tomboy, and had a fervent imagination. She is known mostly for her prolific career in modelling. However, she tried her hand at acting and landed a role in one of my favorite Italian comedies, Nessun messaggio in segreteria . I consider it my one of my favorites because it brought together so many amazing, talented filmmakers during a time when they were all just starting out. Those filmmakers, Pierfrancesco Favino, Valerio Mastandrea, Luca Miniero and Paolo Genovese are now huge names in contemporary Italian cinema, so it's great to look back and see their work in a low-profile film completely different from the bigger-budget stardom they now know.   Watch the trailer . Anna Falchi started her career as a...

A Scene from Ron Howard's "Angels & Demons" As cardinals from around the world meet in Rome for a conclave to elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church, we revisit a movie of a similar topic. Although dark in nature, Ron Howard's 2009 thriller, "Angels & Demons" will transport you to Vatican City and take you through the spectacular sites and monuments of Rome. Adapted from the popular series by Dan Brown and costarring Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino , the film takes us on a scenic tour of the Eternal City and showcases art and historical details that even the keenest eye could have missed. The story follows the characters as they set out on the "Path of the Illuminati", to four symbolic destinations in Rome, each associated with one of the elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. They are also sites known for their blending of pagan symbolism and Christianity, something I never noticed in Rome until reading the book a...