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Italy recently said goodbye to one of its most beloved filmmakers. Cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno passed away on Feb 7, 2021, at the age of 97. Rotunno was one of the most prominent cinematographers of all time. Throughout the decades, he collaborated on cinematic masterpieces with the likes of Federico Fellini, Mario Monicelli, Luchino Visconti and Terry Gilliam. The first film he worked was in 1943 as a camera assistant on “L’uomo dalla Croce” (The Man With a Cross) by Roberto Rossellini. In 1956, he made his debut as a cinematographer alongside director Carmine Gallone on “Tosca” followed by “Le notti …

The Istituto Italiano di Cultura will complete its exploration of the work of actor Luca Marinelli with a virtual screening of “Lo chiamavano Jeeg” (They Call Me Jeeg). The film follows Enzo, a misanthropic small-time crook who uses superpowers gained after falling into the Tiber River to chase down a crazy gangster called “The Gypsy.” The film will be available for viewing from 1 p.m. April 23 to 1 p.m. April 25. To register, click here.    

Walking my dog, Antonio Michelangelo Martello, has proven to be an enlightening experience. As we casually stroll through beautifully preserved Pullman. I not only have the opportunity to visit with any Pullmanites we see. I also get to take note of the changes made to Pullman’s original architecture. Since 1907, all of the residences in Pullman have been privately owned. In 1897, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the company could not own homes as that was outside of its corporate charter. As the residents purchased their homes, they were able to make changes to their properties as they liked. …

Coming up with a competitive offer for a property can be challenging. Today’s market is constantly changing and with a limited number of homes available, you need to seek professional advice and be realistic about your expectations. First and foremost, you need to choose the right real estate broker and take his or her advice. You may have previous knowledge from your own research, but in the end, you need to trust the expert. Buying a house can be an extremely emotional process. Your realtor is there to help you through the ups and downs and take some of the …

When visiting another country (and I am sure travelers will one day be able to visit Italy again), it is important to understand the ins and outs of making a purchase. Whether you are dining at a restaurant, visiting an important historical site, or purchasing a souvenir of your trip, knowing a few  words in Italian is always helpful to understand the cost. And if you like to barter, you can pepper your English with a few friendly Italian phrases to help the deal go through! How do I use the verb costare? In order to ask how much something …

The Lenten season is the perfect time to catch up on biblical epics and we have a comprehensive list to help get you started. Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1964 “Il Vangolo Secondo Matteo” (The Gospel According to St. Matthew) is considered by the Vatican to be among the best film adaptations of the Gospels. Pasolini shot the film in the regions of Basilicata and Calabria, casting his mother as Mary and many locals as extras. Spanish actor Enrique Irazoqui was cast in the role of Jesus. He was just 18-years-old when he landed the part. He had been in Rome at the …

Ten shorts by the Sicilian documentary filmmaker Vittorio De Seta are now  available on The Criterion Channel. The collection was released in recognition of the 30th anniversary of the Film Foundation, an organization founded by Martin Scorcese and dedicated to preserving cinema. In addition to the films by De Seta, The Criterion Channel is releasing a number of films during the year-long celebration that have been saved and restored thanks to this initiative. Among the Italian films in the first batch of releases are Luchino Visconti’s 1954 “Senso,” Francesco Rosi’s 1962 “Salvatore Giuliano” and 1972 “The Mattei Affair” and Sergio …

Chicago writer-director Lucia Mauro’s new documentary “I Have a Name” won Best Documentary at the 2020 Mirabile Dictu International Catholic Film Festival at the Vatican in Rome. Held under the auspices of the Pontifical Council for Culture, the festival celebrates compassionate humanitarian films. The jury selected “I Have a Name,” which focuses on efforts to help the homeless in Chicago, from close to 3,000 entries from around the world. This marks Mauro’s second Mirabile Dictu prize. She won for Best Short Film n 2015.  

Buying your first home can be a stressful event. The process can be a long one, and there are a lot of things that you need to do to prepare yourself. It can be helpful to take a bird’s-eye view so you can better prepare ready yourself for the journey ahead. First, you will have to figure out your needs, wants and budget. This will guide you through every other step of the process. It’s important to determine these things in the beginning, so you don’t waste time heading down dead ends. A home is so much more than looks …

Although the direct translation of stare is “to stay,” over the centuries stare has also taken on the meaning of “to be” with regard to one’s health. The verb stare is often used in other ways as well. For instance, with the addition of the preposition per, the “stare  per” combination conveys the meaning “to be about to.” Stare is an –are verb that has an irregular root in the tu and loro forms. In the table below, the regular conjugations of stare are given in green and the irregular forms in brown in order to make them easier to …