Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
In June, Film at Lincoln Center and Cinecittà presented “History, Italian Style,” a film series tracing Italy’s rich and complex past through an exceptional lineup of more than 30 epic classic and contemporary films. The series, which followed the 25th anniversary of Open Roads: New Italian Cinema, featured masterworks by directors including Luchino Visconti, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Federico Fellini, alongside contemporary voices like Mario Martone and Alice Rohrwacher. Audiences had the opportunity to experience historical moments, from the Risorgimento and Belle Époque to the Fascist era and its aftermath. The series opened with Bertolucci’s “Novecento,” presented in a newly restored 4K version to celebrate the film’s 50th anniversary. The 1971 epic film follows two families of different social classes through several generations, focusing on two sons: Olmo belongs to the lower proletariat, and Alfredo to the upper agrarian class of landowners. Robert De Niro, Donald Sutherland, Alida Valli and Burt Lancaster give emotion-filled, unforgettable performances.
The series was developed in collaboration with Sapienza University of Rome professor Emiliano Morreale and director Pietro Marcello and focuses on the political dimensions of Italian cinema depicting the first half of the 20th century. Using film to trace the prevailing spirit of Italian culture during this volatile period up to World War II, the program highlights earlier and lesser-explored periods that shaped the nation’s development.
Among the film shown were a rare public screening of Paolo and Vittorio Taviani’s “Allonsanfàn,” which stars Marcello Mastroianni as an aging political revolutionary questioning his commitment to the cause of liberating the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies; Visconti’s 1954 “Senso,” which stars Valli as Venetian countess torn between loyalty to her country and a dissolute Austrian officer; Fellini’s 1974 “Amarcord,” which tells the story of the director’s experience growing up during the rise of Fascism; and contemporary classics such as Marcello’s popular 2019 “Martin Eden” and Maura Delpero’s 2024 “Vermiglio.”
If you couldn’t make it to New York for the series, several films in the lineup are available on streaming platforms including the highlighted aforementioned films, which are available on Amazon. Click here for more information.
