Screenwriter and director Cesare Zavattini was truly ahead of his time when he organized the 1953 film compilation “L’amore in città” (Love in the City), a collection of seven short film essays directed by Zavattini, Dino Risi, Michelangelo Antonioni, Carlo Lizzani, Francesco Maselli, Federico Fellini and Alberto Lattuada. The New York Times did a beautiful article on the collection in 2014 referring to Zavattini as “a pioneer of documentary fiction (sometimes called ‘hybrid cinema’), in which non-actors essentially play themselves, dramatizing their particular situations.” With the exception of Fellini’s short, in which he narrates something that happened to him but …

I recently discovered a treasure trove of documentaries on art produced by the BBC. Subjects range from Michelangelo’s “David” to Sandro Botticelli’s “La Primavera” to Piero della Francesca’s “The Resurrection.” The documentaries are presented in 26 episodes and are part of a series that aired on the British television network. Making my way through them, the one that has impressed me the most is Episode 20 on Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” The documentary reveals the creation of the masterpiece between 1495 and 1498, its almost immediate deterioration and the many restorations it’s undergone throughout the centuries. The film …

She has worked with a few masters of contemporary Italian cinema and she is just getting started. Angelica Cacciapaglia was born in Ponte dell’Olio in the region of region Emilia-Romagna and grew up in Milan in a family of artists. Her childhood was spent cultivating a passion for acting. She studied her craft at the Teatro Libero di Milano and employs the Voice Craft method, a technique that maximizes one’s vocal talents. After high school, she moved to Rome and attended a number of acting workshops, studying under the direction of the New York Film Academy’s Anna Maria Cianciulli, and …

Carlo Levi’s name is synonymous with the novel and film, “Christ Stopped at Eboli,” but in Italy, he was highly regarded as a visual artist, and one of his most celebrated paintings is “Ritratto di Anna Magnani” (Portrait of Anna Magnani). Created in 1954, the dramatic oil-on-canvas painting benefits from the close friendship between the two. Levi thoroughly captured her intensity and spirit. Gaze into her eyes and you immediately see that she’s deep, not much for small talk, passionate, and that she loves very hard.” Levi painted it with a wavy brushstroke that was typical of the style he …

Heartbreaking images from the war in Ukraine have been dominating the news. Near the beginning of the war, the country’s leader, President Zelenskyy, made a video in front of a stunning historic building in Kiev. As compelling as his message was, I couldn’t help but notice the majestic structures behind him. So, I did some research and found an interesting Italian angle. One of the official presidential residences, the building is called the House of Chimaeras, and is a masterpiece of Art Nouveau architecture. It was built in the early 1900s by Polish architect Władysław Horodecki for his own use …

Italian cinema lost one of its most iconic stars on Feb. 2 with the passing of Monica Vitti at the age of 90. She suffered from dementia and hadn’t made a public appearance in nearly 20 years, but her acting prowess and simple-yet-stunning beauty will echo for generations to come. Born Maria Luisa Ceciarelli in Rome on Nov. 3, 1931, Vitti pursued acting as a teenager. She started in amateur theater before her formal training at Rome’s National Academy of Dramatic Arts. Shortly after graduating in 1953, she toured Germany with an Italian acting troupe and then returned to her …

Pier Paolo Pasolini continues to be one of the most relevant filmmakers in world cinema. This month, he is being honored for his centennial year. Born on March 5, 1922, in Bologna, the renowned poet, filmmaker and intellectual would have turned 100 next month. We’ve discussed Pasolini’s 1964 film, “Il Vangelo Secondo Matteo” (The Gospel According to St. Matthew) many times in this blog and in the printed edition of the magazine. It’s become an annual tradition in my household to watch the film during the Lenten season. What continues to amaze me is how the film stays so relevant. …

There have been countless cinematic interpretations of thebooks of the Bible, but few have stood the test of time. One that qualifies as a classic is Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1964 “Il Vangolo Secondo Matteo” (The Gospel According to St. Matthew). Considered by the Vatican to be among the best film adaptations of one of the Gospels, Pasolini’s 1964 film was shot in the regions of Calabria, Puglia and Basilicata. In an interview with RAI television while on location in Matera, Pasolini talked about the reasons for shooting there. “I chose two or three places in Basilicata. One is Barile, a …

If you’re looking for a movie the whole family can watch during the holidays, look no further than Sean Cisterna’s 2019 “From the Vine.” The film follows the adventures of Marco Gentile (Joe Pantoliano) an Italian-born Canadian living in Toronto who is experiencing an intense midlife crisis as he questions the ethics of his job and the purpose of his life. Just as he’s about to give a much-anticipated presentation to the shareholders of his company, he decides not to go through with it. Instead, he resigns and buys a one-way ticket to Italy, much to the chagrin of his …

The cinepanettone genre of Italian cinema emerged in the 1980s with Carlo and Enrico Vanzina’s 1983 “Vacanze di Natale” (Christmas Holidays), a slapstick comedy set on the ski slopes of Cortina d’Ampezzo in northern Italy. The film follows two families of different classes whose worlds intertwine while on vacation. Among the all-star cast are Christian De Sica and Stefania Sandrelli. The film did remarkably well at the box office and set an annual precedent for films featuring outrageous situations set at resort-type locations during Christmastime. De Sica continued as the main protagonist pairing up with actor Massimo Boldi. The term, …