Tag Archives: Jeannine Guilyard

Giulio Bertelli’s debut feature, “Agon,” was selected for the Museum of Modern Art’s annual New Directors/New Films festival. The 55th edition took place at MoMA in New York from April 8-19. Set against the lead-up to the fictional Ludoj 2024 Olympic Games, “Agon” follows three female athletes as they prepare for and compete in rifle shooting, fencing and judo. The film immerses the women in the political, social, technological and physical pressures of elite sports. Drawing inspiration from Joan of Arc, Cleopatra, and Russian cavalry officer Nadezhda Durova, “Agon” offers a contemporary exploration of the contradictions in sports: originally designed for wartime …

Fans of the Italian poliziotteschi cinematic movement of the 1960s and 1970s should not miss a compelling documentary currently available on Amazon Prime, which chronicles this influential subgenre of Italian cinema that has achieved cult status worldwide. “Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the ’70s” offers an in-depth look at films that may initially appear to be Italian versions of French noir or American crime classics like “Dirty Harry” and “The Godfather,” but in reality, provide a lens into the social issues that plagued Italy during the decade — such as the rise of the Cosa Nostra …

Gianfranco Rosi’s acclaimed documentary “Sotto le nuvole” (Below the Clouds) is set to open at Film at Lincoln Center on March 6. The film, which won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival and was featured in the New York Film Festival’s Main Slate, explores life in an area of Naples situated between Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields (Campe Flegree), an active volcanic caldera. Rosi, known for his immersive portraits of communities in crisis, turns his lens on archaeologists uncovering ancient artifacts and dealing with the aftermath of tomb raiders, emergency responders strained by constant threats, and …

The Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) and Cinecittà marked the 100th anniversary of Carlo Rambaldi’s birth in December with a special retrospective celebrating his distinguished career. Rambaldi, an Italian special-effects artist who won three Oscars, is known for his work on “King Kong” (1976), “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977), “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” (1982), and “Dune” (1984) as well as many Italian films, including those he made with frequent collaborator Dario Argento. The event was part of a worldwide celebration supported by Italy’s Ministry of Culture. The retrospective showcased 15 films from Rambaldi’s career, including six …

People across the globe were shocked and saddened to hear about the death of actress Diane Keaton on Oct. 11. Keaton had a way of connecting with audiences of every walk of life and Italians were among her biggest fans. Keaton captivated Italian audiences with her lively personality and immense talent, but she became even more popular when she played Sister Mary in Paolo Sorrentino’s 2016 HBO series, “The Young Pope.” In the show, Sister Mary is a hip American nun who raised the orphaned Lenny Belardo, aka Pope Pius XIII, played by Jude Law. Sorrentino spoke to Keaton’s dramatic …

Just as the Venice International Film Festival wrapped up in September with the Best Actor prize awarded to Toni Servillo for his role in Paolo Sorrentino’s “La grazia,” the Toronto International Film Festival began with 10 Italian films making their North American premiere. Among them was Pietro Marcello’s much anticipated “Duse,” which was featured in the festivals Centerpiece program. The film follows the last years of Italian stage actress Eleonora Duse who was active in the later part of the 1800’s until 1909 when she retired from acting. “The choice to focus on the last years of her life came …

Fourteen contemporary Italian films took center stage at the 24th annual Open Roads: New Italian Cinema series, hosted by Film at Lincoln Center and Cinecittà from May 29 to June 5. The event featured several North American premieres along with a delegation of filmmakers who introduced their works and engage in discussions. The series kicked off at the Walter Reade Theatre with Francesca Comencini’s “The Time it Takes,” a film that explores her experiences growing up with her father, Luigi Comencini, a prominent director of the commedia all’italiana genre. Following the screening, the film’s star, Fabrizio Gifuni, participated in a …

The 2025 Cannes Festival has concluded, leaving a buzz around the Italian biopic “Fuori,” directed by Mario Martone. The film, which premiered at the festival, delves into a pivotal period in the life of the late Italian writer and actress Goliarda Sapienza. “Fuori” recounts Sapienza’s brief incarceration at Rome’s Rebibbia prison in 1980 for stealing jewelry after falling on hard times. The film speaks to her life following her release from prison, focusing on her friendship with two young women, including Roberta, a habitual criminal and political activist. Through this bond, Sapienza experiences a personal rebirth and resumes writing, which …

In her 2023 documentary “We Are Art Through the Eyes of Annalaura,” Naples-based multimedia artist and filmmaker Annalaura di Luggo embarks on a creative journey to construct an interactive multimedia art installation in the shape of a giant eye. Di Luggo’s project is not just about art; it also tells the stories of four young individuals who have overcome personal challenges. These young people have found a path out of darkness, reclaimed their self-esteem, and discovered new value in life. She explains that the name of the multimedia installation — Occulus-Spei — was inspired by the Latin words “Colloquium,” which …

Directed by the Italian filmmaking duo Massimo D’Anolfi and Martina Parenti, “Bestiaries, Herbaria, Lapidaries” is an encyclopedic documentary that features non-human protagonists, offering reflections on humanity. The film is divided into three segments, each approximately 40 minutes long, focusing on a single subject: animals, plants, and stones. In this tripartite format, each segment pays homage to a specific genre of documentary filmmaking. The first volume, “Bestiaries: Cinema Invents New Cages,” is a found-footage exploration of animals and their representation throughout cinema’s history. The second segment, “Herbaria: The Cure,” is an observational documentary about the world’s oldest botanical garden, founded in …