Film

  Cinema history is about to be made at the 73rd edition of the Venice Film Festival coming up in September. The festival just announced the world premiere screening, in a special 40-minute preview, of “Jesus VR – The Story of Christ,” the first Virtual Reality feature-length film ever made. The 90-minute film covers all of Jesus’ life and death, from his baptism to the Last Supper to his crucifixion. Shot in Basilicata’s ancient Sassi district of Matera, the film will be released to the public around Christmastime on all major mobile and premium VR platforms. “I am beyond thrilled to …

  The 73rd Venice International Film Festival will be held from August 31 to September 10, 2016. It is directed by Alberto Barbera and organized by the Biennale chaired by Paolo Baratta. The complete lineup was released last week, revealing a strong selection of Italian films that includes restored classics from yesterday, contemporary filmmakers of today and the young independents of tomorrow. One film in particular has grabbed my attention. In the Special Program selection, you will find a documentary film that takes an in-depth look at a life of incarceration from the perspective of the incarcerated. Director Ambrogio Crespi …

  The 13th edition of Italian Screenings, the only annual marketplace event dedicated solely to Italian productions is underway in Bari, located in Italy’s southern region of Puglia. Organized by Istituto Luce Cinecittà, 130 professionals from 30 countries are expected to attend. The purpose is to sell Italian films to buyers throughout the world. Among those professionals is Vincenzo Mosca. He and his business partner Sesto Cifola run the world sales and production company TVCO that recently partnered with CristaldiFilm to make Italian films available throughout the world. Cristaldifilm is operated by Massimo Cristaldi and Zeudi Araya. Massimo is the son of Franco Cristaldi, a monumental movie producer and three-time Oscar winner for some …

  By teaching a teenage boy how to win over a girl, a crusty bookstore owner learns to resolve his own romantic troubles. This is the story of “The Bookstore”, the charming, thought-provoking comedy by Alberto Diamante, which is in the lineup of Canada’s Italian Contemporary Film Festival. The film at first seems like a light comedy with an upbeat soundtrack, witty dialogue and characters coming and going. However, once the story plays out, the characters reveal their insecurities and true apprehensions about pursuing their dreams and their fears of failure. Alberto Diamante is multitalented. He wrote the screenplay, directed …

  Born in the historic seaside city of Crotone, Calabria, actor Stefano Grillo is about to reach North American shores. “Quo vado?” is Checco Zalone’s box office record-breaking film and it is opening this year’s edition of the Italian Contemporary Film Festival in Canada. Grillo plays the part of Don Michele Vannucci, the pastor in a fictitious village in Calabria, called Castrovizzo. Don Michele Vannucci is a priest who fights against organized crime and because of this, ends up being transferred elsewhere. The focus of “Quo vado?” is on Checco Zalone (Luca Medici aka Checco Zalone). Born into a life of relative comfort and privilege among …

  The 16th edition of Open Roads: New Italian Cinema kicks off today, showcasing Italy’s contemporary filmmakers and their unique perspectives of the social issues facing their country. Co-organized with Istituto Luce Cinecittà in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute of New York, this year’s lineup is diverse. Maria Sole Tognazzi’s “Io e lei” (Me and Her) opens the series on Thursday. The Tognazzi cinema dynasty is thriving right now with four prolific offspring of the great Ugo Tognazzi: actor/director Ricky; actor Gian Marco; Norwegian producer/director Thomas Robsahm; and the youngest, director Maria Sole. I happened to be in Italy when …

  It’s just been announced that Film Movement distribution company will release the Taviani Brothers’ “Wondrous Boccaccio” on DVD June 21. From the dramatic music of the opening credits to the last frame of film, “Wondrous Boccaccio” is a poetic, surreal and yes, wondrous escape back in time. Based on stories written in the 14th century by Giovanni Boccaccio in “The Decameron,” the film depicts the dark ages of Tuscany during the plague when gravediggers couldn’t keep up with the demand. Iconic filmmakers, Paolo and Vittorio Taviani live up to their reputation by creating an atmosphere of loss, tragedy, fear, …

  Beginning today, the Film Society of Lincoln Center along with Istituto Luce Cinecittà will honor the distinguished career of Italian cinema icon Anna Magnani. “La Magnani,” an all-celluloid retrospective, will feature 24 works shown on 35mm or 16mm film. The series will take place at Lincoln Center in New York City, May 18 – June 1 leading right up to the much anticipated “Open Roads: New Italian Cinema.” Born in Rome in 1908, Anna Magnani became a highly respected Academy Award winning actress, but her beginnings were anything but glamorous. Magnani grew up in poverty. She was raised by …

  I read a quote about Paolo Genovese’s “Perfetti sconosciuti” (Perfect Strangers) – “Un film che rimane impresso, prima nella pancia e poi nella mente.” –A film that remains first in the stomach and then in the mind. That sums up how you will feel upon watching the film. This is a universal story, a testament to the times in which we live. From the writing to the directing to the acting to the lighting to the set design to the wardrobe, each person, every detail makes “Perfetti sconosciuti” a true masterpiece. I watched it several times. The first time, …

  The power of movies has proven itself time and time again throughout history. Cinema often mirrors the plights of society or recounts life-changing events. Such is the case with Peter Miller’s new documentary film, “Projections of America.” My first encounter with Miller happened in 2006 when I reviewed his beautiful documentary for Fra Noi, “Sacco and Vanzetti,” the heartbreaking story of two Italian immigrants executed for a crime they unlikely committed. Since then, I have remained in contact with Miller on social media. I saw that he was promoting his most recent film, so I had an idea to …