Italian Cinema Today

In a moving story that spans several decades, “The Macaluso Sisters” follows five orphaned sisters born and raised in an apartment on Palermo’s outskirts. They support themselves by renting out pigeons for events, a unique and symbolic business that reflects their resourcefulness and the transient nature of their lives. Directed by Emma Dante, who adapted the script from her 2014 play of the same name, the film boasts an all-female cast that brings a unique power to the story. It unfolds in three chapters that show how the tragic events of one day haunt the sisters through childhood, adulthood and old age.   The first chapter reveals the tragedy of the youngest sister, Antonella, who dies during a beach outing. She remains a permanent presence in the household, never aging. The film returns again and again to the beauty of the day at the beach when tragedy struck. The apartment is a central character, housing the memories and rage each sister carries inside her. This exploration of...

He’s had roles in some of the biggest Italian blockbusters of the new millennium and each time, he portrayed a fearless protagonist willing to fight until the end against organized crime.  Sicilian born actor, Domenico Centamore is proud of his heritage, expressing that pride by working on films that make strong statements against the corruption his culture has had to endure. He’s had roles in  popular mafia-themed films such as I cento passi (One Hundred Steps), La mafia uccide solo d’estate (The Mafia Only Kills in Summer) and Anime nere  (Black Souls). Centamore has an impressive list of credits to his name, always portraying complex characters, some of which seem to border on insanity. His gaze is penetrating, as you can see in the clip below from I cento passi with Luigi Lo Cascio, and he sincerely gives a performance that comes straight from the soul. When we began our informal interview a few weeks ago, Centamore at first seemed a man of few words ...

Whether she's playing the supporting role like her character in " Il dolce e l'amaro" or the lead in " Galantuomini," Donatella Finocchiaro has a commanding onscreen presence that makes her unforgettable.  Finocchiaro began her acting career in theatre but quickly moved to the big screen. Her first movie role was in the 2002 drama " Angela" in which she plays the namesake role, a wife who gets involved with her husband's dangerous and illegal business of selling drugs. Although many of Donatella's characters have some involvement with organized crime, a stereotype that has been tirelessly overplayed, she is able to portray the human side of it, the way that this life and its stereotypes destroy families and dreams. She is often cast in these parts because the intensity of her acting has such a huge impact on audiences and the effect of the movie. Her characters hurt, and that pain is expressed through her dark pe...

Born in Jonia, Sicily, Franco Battiato has earned widespread admiration in Italy by exploring and creating a mystic world of sounds and images. Battiato has worked in several genres of music and has released dozens of records throughout the years. His first major cinematic achievement brought him to New York in 2004. I had the pleasure of speaking with him while he was there presenting his film, " Perduto amore" (Lost Love), at Lincoln Center. With this film, he succeeded in blending his unique vision, storytelling and music to create a movie that moves quickly and captures both the traditions of Sicily and the excitement of big-city Milan seen and felt through Battiato’s main character.  According to Battiato, " The film, in three parts, recounts the life adventures of a young Sicilian. The hero, Ettore Corvaja, turns nine at the close of the famous music competition, the San Remo Festival, in 1955. His idyllic childhood, from the mid-fifties to the mid sixties,...