Film

The story and landscape of Lucania are in the spotlight during the month of April. A rare, uncut version of Francesco Rosi’s 1979 film “Christ Stopped at Eboli” is being shown at the Film Forum in New York City’s West Village. The screenplay was adapted from the book by Carlo Levi, a doctor, writer and painter from Torino who was exiled to the southern region of Lucania (today, Basilicata) because of his political beliefs. The year was 1935 and Benito Mussolini’s Fascist Party was in power. Levi was forced into exile due to the silencing of those who spoke out against fascism. …

Dustin Hoffman and Toni Servillo in Two acting legends are teaming up for an upcoming Italian film. Dustin Hoffman and Toni Servillo are currently in Rome shooting Donato Carrisi’s “L’uomo del labirinto” (Into the Labyrinth), the follow up to his successful 2017 feature debut, “La ragazza nella nebbia” (The Girl in the Fog). Shooting began on March 18 and is expected to last for seven weeks. The firm centers on a young woman, played by Valentina Bellè, who wakes up in a hospital bed with a broken leg. Disoriented and unable to remember anything, she finds herself in a room …

Today’s social media platforms bring us into contact with so many interesting people. Some compel you to want to know more about them beyond the photos and interesting content they post. One of those people is Tommaso Cartia. What sets him apart from others, beyond his interesting posts, is his support for his fellow journalists. Although he is always working and posting his own intriguing projects, he always takes the time to acknowledge others and their projects, showing a genuine interest in their work. In this day and age of self-promotion and selfies, this is a unique and endearing quality. Cartia’s family is from Scoglitti, a …

  Among the diverse selections of the 75th Venice Film Festival is an adaptation of a short fiction by Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa. Il Banchiere Anarchico (The Anarchist Banker) is the story of a banker who engages in a revealing conversation about why he considers himself an anarchist even though he doesn’t possess the obvious traits. Published in 1922 and set in a Lisbon café, the conversation takes place between a wealthy banker and his friend as the two have a friendly but passionate exchange about the qualities of a true anarchist. The wealthy banker stands by his claim that …

  Actress Lucia Mascino presented Francesca Comencini’s “Stories of Love that Cannot Belong to This World” at the 18th edition of the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Open Roads: New Italian Cinema. Adapted from Comencini’s book, the film offers an intimate look at how one woman deals with the end of a relationship. Although many would not have the same seemingly desperate reaction, it’s the delusional or even hopeful motivation for which she stayed that we can all understand on some level. The film follows Claudia (Lucia Mascino) and Flavio (Thomas Trabacchi), two very different people but deeply in love nonetheless. Their …

Three contemporary Italian filmmakers will present their films at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, which is underway, including Laura Bispuri, Susanna Nicchiarelli and Marco Proserpio.     “Daughter of Mine” Laura Bispuri’s “Daughter of Mine” (Figlia mia) delves into the complex world of adoption as a mother develops a curiosity and affection for the child she gave up a decade ago. Angelica (Alba Rorhwacher) was young and poor when she gave birth to Vittoria. Tina (Valeria Golino), married and financially secure, was willing and able to take the burden off Angelica’s hands. Ten years later, Vittoria emerges sheltered and protected …

On April 9, 2018, the American premiere of Francesco Lama’s documentary film “I Siciliani” will take place in New York at the Casa Italiana Zerilli Marimò of New York University. Additionally, Lama will present his book “The Sicilians,” which includes the DVD, the screenplay of the movie and photos. The next day, Lama will hold a masterclass at Montclair University in New Jersey and on April 11th, there will be a meeting with the Federation of Sicilians in New Jersey. “I Siciliani” is one man’s story about exploring the people, stories and traditions of Sicily. He talks with people of …

  There is a strong presence of Italian cinema at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, which is underway. In addition to Italy’s six films, Italian actress Matilda De Angelis was named one of European cinema’s shooting stars. The following films will be shown during the festival: “Boys Cry” by Damiano D’Innocenzo and Fabio D’Innocenzo: Panorama Section “Daughter of Mine” by Laura Bispuri: Competition “The Happy Prince” by Rupert Everett: Berlinale Special “Land” by Babak Jalali: Panorama Section “Lornello and Brunello” by Jacopo Quadri: Culinary Cinema “Lobster Dinner” by Gregorio Franchetti: Short films in Generation Kplus Devoted to children and …

  The region of Basilicata will be featured this weekend in the PBS show “Dream of Italy.” Host Kathy McCabe explores the stunning landscapes and culinary traditions of the ancient region also known as Lucania. McCabe tours the ancient Sassi of Matera, the towns of the Dolomite Lucani and meets up with Francis Ford Coppola at his resort Palazzo Margherita. Located in Bernalda, the town of Coppola’s Italian origins, McCabe strolls through the resort’s enchanting grounds with the great maestro of cinema and talks with local culinary experts about the pure, locally produced food. Since beginning our series “Basilicata: Land of Cinema” …

  Today kicks off the first complete retrospective in New York in more than a decade dedicated to the work of filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni. Presented with Luce Cinecittà, Rome, and featuring nearly 40 35mm prints and digital preservations, the lineup includes the renowned trilogy of “L’Avventura,” “L’Eclisse,” and “La Notte,” starring Monica Vitti as well as a diverse collection of films spanning his varied four-decade career. Antonioni made a career out of mesmerizing audiences with his films of complicated relationships that raise questions but leave many of the answers to the viewer. In a 1969 interview with American film critic …