In The Spotlight
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Short Stories
Long and Short Trip (Shlomi Ron – 2010)
The magic of cinema as you know can sometimes inspire you to tell your own stories. Here is a short story I wrote a few years ago as a tribute, a tad futuristic, to a particular masterpiece by director Alberto Lattuada. Can you... -
Comedy
Boccaccio ’70: Renzo e Luciana (Mario Monicelli – 1962)
With the global success of Fellini’s 1960 La Dolce Vita, Cinecitta’ the glorious studio in Rome continued the theme of love in modern times, featuring four leading directors: Mario Monicelli, Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti ... -
Documentary
Open Roads 2011: Fughe e approdi – Return to the Aeolian Islands (Giovanna Taviani – 2010)
Quick, what comes to your mind when you think about the word “island?” It’s not a coincidence the word swings between two opposing associations: on the positive end, it offers exotic escape, away from it all repose, while on th... -
Drama
L’eclisse – Eclipse (Michelangelo Antonioni – 1962)
With the spirit of experimentalism Antonioni was known for as exhibited in this film that serves part of his existential trilogy – I figured we could try a new post format today. Interested? Well read on. The following paragrap... -
Drama
Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion – Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto (Elio Petri – 1970)
Qualunque imposizione faccia su di noi, egli è servo della Legge e come tale sfugge al giudizio umano -Kafka Whatever imposition is brought upon us, it is served by the law and as such escapes human judgment -Kafka [youtube wid... -
Comedy
Mafioso (Alberto Lattuada – 1962)
It’s that great excitement you get when you come across a truly rewarding film by a director you have never seen much of his work, when everything seems to work exactly how you’d want it to be. And Mafioso by Neorea... -
Drama
The Outcry – Il Grido (Michelangelo Antonioni – 1957)
Rejection, alienation, and total abandonment staged in a bleak winter in the Poe valley with constant use of gray landscapes, barren trees, foggish rain and lots of mud all the actors negotiate their way in – provide an a... -
Drama
Golden Door – Nuovomondo (Emanuele Crialese – 2006)
The latest film by director Emanuele Crialese (who also did 2002 Respiro) is a fine example of modern Italian cinema at its best – amazing photography, supported by clever screenplay and pounding soundtrack that will keep...
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Short Stories
Long and Short Trip (Shlomi Ron – 2010)
The magic of cinema as you know can sometimes inspire you to tell your own stories. Here is a short story I wrote a few years ago as a tribute, a tad futuristic, to a particular masterpiece by director Alberto Lattuada. Can you... -
Comedy
Boccaccio ’70: Renzo e Luciana (Mario Monicelli – 1962)
With the global success of Fellini’s 1960 La Dolce Vita, Cinecitta’ the glorious studio in Rome continued the theme of love in modern times, featuring four leading directors: Mario Monicelli, Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti ... -
Documentary
Open Roads 2011: Fughe e approdi – Return to the Aeolian Islands (Giovanna Taviani – 2010)
Quick, what comes to your mind when you think about the word “island?” It’s not a coincidence the word swings between two opposing associations: on the positive end, it offers exotic escape, away from it all repose, while on th... -
Drama
L’eclisse – Eclipse (Michelangelo Antonioni – 1962)
With the spirit of experimentalism Antonioni was known for as exhibited in this film that serves part of his existential trilogy – I figured we could try a new post format today. Interested? Well read on. The following paragrap... -
Drama
Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion – Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto (Elio Petri – 1970)
Qualunque imposizione faccia su di noi, egli è servo della Legge e come tale sfugge al giudizio umano -Kafka Whatever imposition is brought upon us, it is served by the law and as such escapes human judgment -Kafka [youtube wid... -
Comedy
Mafioso (Alberto Lattuada – 1962)
It’s that great excitement you get when you come across a truly rewarding film by a director you have never seen much of his work, when everything seems to work exactly how you’d want it to be. And Mafioso by Neorea... -
Drama
The Outcry – Il Grido (Michelangelo Antonioni – 1957)
Rejection, alienation, and total abandonment staged in a bleak winter in the Poe valley with constant use of gray landscapes, barren trees, foggish rain and lots of mud all the actors negotiate their way in – provide an a... -
Drama
Golden Door – Nuovomondo (Emanuele Crialese – 2006)
The latest film by director Emanuele Crialese (who also did 2002 Respiro) is a fine example of modern Italian cinema at its best – amazing photography, supported by clever screenplay and pounding soundtrack that will keep...
Films Shown at Recent Italian Film Festivals
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Open Roads 2014: Via Castellana Bandiera – A Street in Palermo (Emma Dante – 2013)
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ItalianDocsOnline 2014: i fantasmi di San Berillo – The Ghosts of San Berillo (Edoardo Morabito – 2013)
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Open Roads 2013: Handmade Cinema (Guido Torlonia – 2012)
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Open Roads 2013: Il Riscatto – The Redemption (Giovanna Taviani – 2013)
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Open Roads 2013: E’ stato il figlio – It was the Son (Daniele Cipri – 2012)
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From 2012 Rome’s International Film Festival: L’insolito ignoto – Vita acrobatica di Tiberio Murgia (Sergio Naitza – 2012)
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From 2012 Rome’s International Film Festival: L’Isola Dell’Angello Caduto – The Island of the Fallen Angel (Carlo Lucarelli – 2012)
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Open Roads 2011: Il mio domani – My Tomorrow (Marina Spada – 2011)
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Open Roads 2010: Passione (John Turturro – 2010)
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Open Roads 2011: Fughe e approdi – Return to the Aeolian Islands (Giovanna Taviani – 2010)
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Open Roads 2011: 1860 I Mille di Garibaldi (Alessandro Blasetti – 1934)
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Master Class with Marco Bellocchio – Taormina Film Festival
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Open Roads 2014: Via Castellana Bandiera – A Street in Palermo (Emma Dante – 2013)
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ItalianDocsOnline 2014: i fantasmi di San Berillo – The Ghosts of San Berillo (Edoardo Morabito – 2013)
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Open Roads 2013: Handmade Cinema (Guido Torlonia – 2012)
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Open Roads 2013: Il Riscatto – The Redemption (Giovanna Taviani – 2013)
Regional Focus
rome

La Grande Bellezza – The Great Beauty (Paolo Sorrentino – 2013)
This movie is a portrait of the lifestyle and human attitude that is typical of Roman society: decadent, indolent and insolent – if you allow me to express these words also in English. Sorrentino gives us fantastic, charm...
sicily

Il cammino della speranza – The Path of Hope (Pietro Germi – 1950)
Right from the opening scene where you see the village women all veiled in black waiting patiently outside the mine for their husbands who refuse to come up to avoid the mine closing – you see direct similarities with another N...