Italian Cinema Today

An Italian box office hit and winner of six David di Donatello awards, “C'è ancora domani” (“There’s Still Tomorrow”) is actress Paola Cortellesi ’s highly regarded directorial debut. Set in the aftermath of World War II, the film paints a vivid portrait of post-war Rome, where liberation contrasts with lingering hardship.   Cortellesi stars as Delia, a woman who lives within the strict confines of her role as wife and mother, dominated by her overbearing, abusive husband, Ivano ( Valerio Mastandrea ), and his demanding, bedridden father (Giorgio Colangeli). Her greatest hope rests on her daughter, Marcella (Romana Maggiora Vergano), whose engagement to the respectable Giulio (Francesco Centorame) seems, at first, like a possible escape from the cycle of female submission that comes with being on the brink of poverty. The story takes an emotional turn when a mysterious letter awakens Delia’s long-suppressed courage, pushing her to question the so-called traditional (gender) roles t...

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...

As 2023 has drawn to a close, we look back at one event that honored a living legend. Organizers of the 80 th  edition of the Venice Film Festival, which ran August 30 – September 9, recognized several iconic artists. Tributes included a film retrospective dedicated to Gina Lollobrigida , who passed away in January.   One special recognition went to director Liliana Cavani , who was awarded a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. Now 90 years old, Cavani was there to receive her award and later presented her new film, "L'ordine del tempo,” which premiered out of competition.    Actress Charlotte Rampling, who starred in Cavani’s 1974 devastating Holocaust drama, "Il portiere di notte" (The Night Porter) , presented Cavani with the award.    Charlotte Rampling in "The Night Porter" “From the early 1960s, Liliana Cavani has been forcing us to confront the beautiful, the ugly, and the unresolved. With her relentless questioning through her documentaries and fi...

  Manuela Filomena was born in a small town in Irpinia called Ariano Irpino, located in the region of Campania. Her bringing up contributed to her choice of professions. “Like most Italian families, Sunday has always been a holiday to share with grandparents, aunts and uncles. Perhaps hearing their stories, sharing the work week, and exchanging ideas unknowingly fed my imagination and pleasure in storytelling,” she told me in a recent interview.  That pursuit led her down a long and varied path of international education, which began in England at Loughborough University where she studied art and design. During those years, she took film classes and discovered that editing was the part of the process she enjoyed most. She also developed an interest in writing. Her final project was a short film on environmental issues called “ A prayer for Earth,” which was shown at the university.   While pursuing an M.A. in film and television at the University of Suor Orsola Benincasa ...

Having made its world premiere in the Alice nella Città section of the 14th Rome Film Festival, Alessandra Mortelliti’s debut film "Famosa" was adapted from the theatrical monologue of the same name, written and performed by Mortelliti. The film follows Rocco, a lonely, misunderstood 17-year-old who lives in a small Italian town. He dreams of moving to Rome where he believes he'll have the freedom to express his artistic side. Hindered by his parents, Rocco is strengthened by his love for a classmate, his eccentric aunt, and the friendship with a girl. Stubborn and desperate, he eventually realizes his dream of moving to the big city, but finds a different reality than the one he envisioned. Check out the trailer...

Antonietta De Lillo 's 2005 film made its North American premiere that year at Lincoln Center's annual film series, Open Roads: New Italian Cinema. That's where I saw it at an afternoon screening and was mesmerized by the cinematic world that I became lost in. The film is now available to stream on Vimeo for three days thanks to the Marano Ragazzi Spot Festival. Set toward the end of the 17th century, an apparently fragile Portuguese noblewoman with great intelligence and determination strongly embraces the ideas of the revolution. Conscious of her own limitations and weaknesses, she decides to fight for the affirmation of her ideals. In attempting to bring Naples around to the revolutionary winds blowing through Europe at that time, at the age of 47, she ends up on the scaffold, and is killed along with hundreds of her collaborators under the fury of the Bourbon dynasty. This woman is Eleonora Fimentel de Fonseca, poet, writer, journalist and courageous intellectual....

Photo By LV Imagery Toronto-based filmmaker Michelle D'Alessandro Hatt followed her heart when she was young and had dreams of working in theatre. She performed onstage as an actress and behind the scenes as a playwright. Before long, cinema came calling and she was cast in independent films like  the 2015 award-winning comedy "Guess Who’s Not Coming to Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner? ,"  the 2017 dramatic short  " Friends on Facebook" and  Justin McConnell’s 2018 " Lifechanger ." As a producer, she's co-produced several theatre productions and over 50 video productions.  In 2018, she made her  directorial debut with the short film " Brave Little Army."  T he first of a trilogy, the film follows a group of girlfriends from grammar school through adulthood as they develop a bond and support each other in times of difficulty. The film has been shown at festivals all over the world, including Basilicata, Italy, the region of her family...

Born on August 21, 1956 in Tuscany, actress Laura Morante brings an effortless passion to her work and is known for delivering intense dramatic performances that make her characters unforgettable.    Morante started out as a dancer and attributes her success in acting to the self-discipline and love of rehearsal she found in dancing. She began her acting career in theater before making her screen debut in Giuseppe Bertolucci's 1981  Oggetti Smarrit  (Lost and Found). The film that brought her recognition outside Italy was Nanni Moretti’s 2001  La stanza del figlio  (The Son's Room). Morante's character deals with the devastating loss of a child, and her sensitivity to the feelings of her character was apparent as she went through so many of the painful stages of mourning a loved one.  Since she started out as a dancer, Morante found common ground with her character, Yolanda, in John Malkovich's  The Dancer Upstairs . Although she has ...

The 2017 Cannes Film Festival kicks off today. Although no Italian films were chosen to compete in the main competition, there is a strong Italian presence across the board. From Claudia Cardinale gracing the official poster to Monica Bellucci acting as Mistress of Ceremonies to Paolo Sorrentino's jury post to a restored version of Michelangelo Antonioni's Blow Up and the selection of films in other categories, there will be no shortage of Italian films for festival-goers to enjoy. One film in particular that has caught my eye is a short film made by  Emanuela Mascherini. Offline is the story of the perils of online dating and how the new  form of social interaction is sometimes exploited or used irresponsibly. There are two versions- 16 minutes and 24 minutes. Mascherini will present the 24-minute version at the Cannes Short Film Corner.   Although she is young Mascherini has an impressive resume, which boasts he...