CINEMA ITALIAN STYLE 2018
CIS 2018
Cinema, fashion, food excellence and social commitment will be protagonists at the 14th edition of Cinema Italian Style, the Los Angeles showcase for the best Italian movies of the year, supporting the Italian entry to the Academy Awards® 2019 – Best Foreign Language Film, DOGMAN, the return of director Matteo Garrone to the gritty underworld milieu of GOMORRAH, as he follows a dog groomer (Cannes Best Actor winner, Marcello Fonte) whose side business as a cocaine dealer puts him in league with a brutal thug (Edoardo Pesce). The screening will be held at the historical Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and is part of the official AFI FEST 2018 presented by Audi program.
In a week full of events, the Los Angeles audience will have the opportunity to be immersed in Italian culture by discovering 8 of the best movies of the year, selected by Artistic Curator Laura Delli Colli with American Cinematheque’s Director of Programming Gwen Deglise, at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, together with directors and actors.
First-time feature directors Damiano and Fabio D’ Innocenzo deliver a superbly crafted crime drama in BOYS CRY as a pair of young friends on the margins of Rome get in over their heads when they become enforcers for a local boss. The Sicilian mafia figures into THE STOLEN CARAVAGGIO but only tangentially: much of the action takes place in the movie industry as a screenwriter and his ghost writer try to spin a tale about the purloined painting. Mystery also courses through Ferzan Ozpetek’s NAPLES IN VEILS as a medical examiner in that coastal city discovers the corpse of a lover at her mortuary – only to spot him alive and well shortly thereafter.
In Gabriele Muccino’s heart-warming ensemble dramedy THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME, three generations converge in Ischia, an island close to Capri, to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of founders of the family, and discover how difficult it is to live with one another when they are unexpectedly
stuck there for days. The title of Riccardo Milani’s LIKE A CAT ON A HIGHWAY refers to the short lifespan of a young romance, but as the hilarious film shows, it can create enduring connections between very different families. Famed actress and HONEY filmmaker Valeria Golino returns with a story of mismatched brothers drawn together by fatal illness in EUPHORIA.
Recent scandals provide the inspiration for two eye-opening dramas. Director Paolo Sorrentino reunites with his THE GREAT BEAUTY star Toni Servillo for LORO, a biopic of disgraced ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and his rapacious entourage. Cristiana Capotondi stars as a woman who takes a stand against sexual harassment in the workplace in Marco Tullio Giordana’s NOME DI DONNA.
The series also includes the shorts BISMILLAH by Alessandro Grande and MAGIC ALPS by Andrea Brusa and Marco Scotuzzi.
Cinema Italian Style is introducing a student short film contest. Students from Santa Monica College, University of Southern California, Chapman University, and New York Film Academy Los Angeles were prompted to create shorts, under 5 minutes, inspired by, or paying homage to classic Italian cinema. The short films will be screened between November 15th and November 17th, preceding the feature film(s). Three finalists will be chosen by audience ballot to move forward to the final round. In the final round, the CIS ’18 Contest Finalist Committee, will select the first, second and third place winners from among the finalists. The winning short will be screened ahead of the closing night film on November 18th.
As in every year, the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles will support Cinema Italian Style, hosting a series of initiatives that will enrich the program at the American Cinematheque theatres. On November 14th, the photographic and multimedia exhibition La Dolce Vitti, dedicated to the Italian star and actress Monica Vitti, will be inaugurated in the elegant spaces of the Institute on Hilgard Avenue.
Other events across Los Angeles will explore the link between cinema and cuisine, as part of worldwide events organized for the third edition of the EXTRAORDINARY ITALIAN TASTE – Italian Cuisine in the World Week.
Cinema Italian Style, created in 2004 by Gwen Deglise, Dennis Bartok (American Cinematheque) and Camilla Cormanni (Luce Cinecittà), is co-presented by the American Cinematheque and Luce Cinecittà, under the auspices of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles, the Italian Trade Agency and the Italian Cultural Institute. Supported by The Leading Hotels of the World.
PROGRAM
November 13rd
The day begins with a morning press conference to introduce the talent delegation from Italy to the Los Angeles press. Confirmed talents include: director Valeria Golino (Euphoria), actor Marcello Fonte (Dogman) and actress Sabrina Impacciatore (There is no place like home). Additional confirmations will be communicated as dates approach.
The red carpet ceremony will start at 5:00 pm, at the Egyptian Theatre, followed at 5:30 pm by the screening of Dogman by Matteo Garrone, the Italian Entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 91th Academy Awards®, in partnership with AFI FEST 2018 presented by Audi.
November 14th
In the evening, Cinema Italian Style 2018 will present the photographic and multimedia exhibition La Dolce Vitti, curated by Istituto Luce Cinecittà and dedicated to Monica Vitti, the legendary Italian actress best known for her starring roles in films directed by Michelangelo Antonioni during the early 1960s.
From November 15th to 18th
Screenings of some of the best Italian films of the year at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, introduced by Italian directors and actors. Schedule will follow in the next few days.
Short Film Contest for students: Short films, inspired by, or paying homage to classic Italian cinema, will be screened between November 15th and November 17th, preceding the feature films. Three finalists will be chosen by audience ballot to move forward to the final round. In the final round, the CIS ’18 Contest Finalist Committee, will select the first, second and third place winners from among the finalists. The winning short will be screened ahead of the closing night film on November 18th.
SCREENINGS
November 13-18, 2018 at the Egyptian and Aero Theatres
Co-presented with AFI FEST: Italy’s Official Oscar® Submission! DOGMAN, 2018, Magnolia Pictures, 102 min. Dir. Matteo Garrone.
This riveting underworld drama from Matteo Garrone (GOMORRAH) centers on Marcello (Cannes Best Actor winner Marcello Fonte), a humble dog groomer, a loving single father and, to make ends meet, a petty coke dealer. Among his customers is Simone (Edoardo Pesce), a thug who terrorizes his run-down Naples neighborhood – and wants Marcello’s help to commit a robbery. A fable of good and evil colored by dark humor and surreal touches, DOGMAN earned 8 Nastri d’Argento awards. “DOGMAN unfolds its relatively straightforward story with both thrilling style and serious moral force: it’s a sensation judged on either bark or bite.” – Robbie Collin, The Telegraph .In Italian with English subtitles.
Discussion following with actor Marcello Fonte.
Double Feature: THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME (A CASA TUTTI BENE), 2018, Indie Sales, 105 min. Dir. Gabriele Muccino. “This movie is about everything: life, our existences, about how difficult it is to live with anyone, from your partner to your children and finally your parents … how hard it is to be fair,” notes Gabriele Muccino of this appealing ensemble dramedy, which follows a string of U.S.-set English-language films (including THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS) by the director. The setting here is an island off the Italian coast, where an extended clan has reunited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of grandparents Pietro and Alba; when a storm traps them for two days, three generations struggle to sort out long-simmering family issues. In Italian with English subtitles.
THE STOLEN CARAVAGGIO (UNA STORIA SENZA NOME), 2018, Rai Com, 110 min. Dir. Roberto Andò.
As this immaculately crafted drama begins, top screenwriter Alessandro Gassmann, bereft of inspiration, turns to ghost writer Micaela Ramazzotti for his latest project; the script she provides him involves a priceless stolen artwork. But the tale turns out to be more true-to-life than the painting’s Sicilian mafia thieves would like, complicating things for both scribes. Adding to the multi-layered story, Jerzy Skolimowski costars as the director of the film within this film. In Italian and English with English subtitles.
Program begins with Cinema Italian Style’s short film contest: the short CHEF-D’OEUVRE FILM D’ART directed by Chris Armienti (University of Southern California USC School of Cinematic Arts), preceding THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME; the short DEPARTURE directed by Sungho Chun (New York Film Academy), preceding THE STOLEN CARAVAGGIO
Discussion between films with THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME actress Sabrina Impacciatore.
Double Feature: EUPHORIA (EUFORIA), 2018, True Colors, 115 min. Dir. Valeria Golino.
Familiar to American audiences as an actress, Valeria Golino (HONEY) adds to her directorial resume with this drama, which screened in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section. High-flying entrepreneur Matteo (Riccardo Scamarcio) and schoolteacher Ettore (Valerio Mastandrea) are siblings whose very different lives converge after Ettore is diagnosed with a terminal illness; taking charge of his brother’s treatment, Matteo tries to hide the truth from all involved. Jasmine Trinca gives a poignant turn as the woman with whom Ettore has fallen in love. In Italian with English subtitles.
BOYS CRY (LA TERRA DELL’ABBASTANZA), 2018, The Match Factory, 96 min. Dirs. Damiano and Fabio D’Innocenzo.
Twin brothers Damiano and Fabio D’Innocenzo earned a Nastri d’argento award for Best Debut Director with this superbly crafted crime drama. Matteo Olivetti and Andrea Carpenzano star as Mirko and Manolo, best friends living on the margins of Rome who accidently run someone over. When they discover the man was an informer marked for death, the two use the incident to impress the local mafia … and wind up getting more than they bargained for. “What makes the film so fascinating to watch is that the psychology of the boys keeps bubbling to the surface organically, making it easy for audiences to understand the thought processes behind their (frequently not advisable) actions.” – Boyd van Hoeij, The Hollywood Reporter. In Italian with English subtitles.
Discussion between films with EUPHORIA director Valeria Golino, followed by Cinema Italian Style’s short film contest: the short LA FINTA FAMIGLIA directed by Roee Myzel (University of Southern California USC School of Cinematic Arts), preceding BOYS CRY.
LIKE A CAT ON A HIGHWAY (COME UN GATTO IN TANGENZIALE), 2017, True Colors, 98 min.
Dir. Riccardo Milani. The lifespan of a teen romance may be as short as that of a cat on a highway, but it’s long enough to spark this hilarious and affecting look at love across class boundaries. When a young man and woman get engaged in Rome, it fosters an unusual friendship between the daughter’ rich father (Antonio Albanese) and the son’s poor mother (Paola Cortellesi). This delightful crowd-pleaser won Nastri d’Argento awards for Best Comedy Film and for the lead performances of Albanese and Cortellesi. In Italian with English subtitles.
NAPLES IN VEILS (NAPOLI VELATA), 2017, True Colors, 113 min. Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek.
This enigmatic, intricately plotted thriller stars Giovanna Mezzogiorno as Adriana, a medical examiner whose falls for a guy (Alessandro Borghi) at a party only to discover his corpse at the mortuary days later. As the police begin to focus on her, Adriana spots the young man in the subway – is it a ghost, or something else? Adding to the atmosphere are Gian Filippo Corticelli’s lush cinematography (Nastro d’Argento award) and Pasquale Catalano’s evocative soundtrack – the film’s titular city rarely seemed more beautiful, or mysterious, on screen. In Italian with English subtitles.
NOME DI DONNA, 2018, Celluloid Dreams, 90 min. Dir. Marco Tullio Giordana.
Nina Martini (Cristiana Capotondi) leaves Milan for the little town of Brianza in search of a better life for herself and her daughter. She finds work at a prestigious retirement home but something is not right there – something her female colleagues have come to accept but that Nina will take a stand against. With its topic of sexual harassment on the job, NOME DI DONNA couldn’t be more timely, and director Marco Tullio Giordana earned a Special Nastro d’Argento award from the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists for this compelling drama. In Italian with English subtitles.
Program begins with Cinema Italian Style’s short film award ceremony.
LORO, 2018, IFC Films, 150 min. Dir. Paolo Sorrentino.
Director Paolo Sorrentino reunites with his THE GREAT BEAUTY star Toni Servillo to peer behind the curtain of recent Italian politics. Billionaire media mogul Silvio Berlusconi (Servillo) was first elected to lead the Italian government in 1994 and his lengthy, corruption-ridden tenure as resulted in a tax-fraud conviction, so there’s more than enough material for a juicy biopic but as the title – which translates as “them” – suggests, this film is less focused on the ex-prime minister than on his sycophantic retinue. Released in two parts in Italy, the film won four Nastri d’Argento awards including Best Screenplay and Best Actress (Elena Sofia Ricci). “Sorrentino’s mastery of the unexpected visual shock is deliciously in evidence from the moment the title appears.” – Jay Weissberg, Variety. In Italian with English subtitles.
Program begins with the shorts BISMILLAH (2018, 14 min., Dir. Alessandro Grande), Italy’s Official Oscar® Submission – Short Film, and MAGIC ALPS (2018, 15 min., Dir. Andrea Brusa and Marco Scotuzzi).
FILMS
DOGMAN
LORO
EUFORIA
NAPLES IN VEILS
THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME
BOYS CRY
UNA STORIA SENZA NOME
LIKE A CAT ON A HIGHWAY
NOME DI DONNA
CIS EXHIBITION 2018
La Dolce Vitti
The photography exhibition, organized by Istituto Luce Cinecittà in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles, depicts Monica Vitti’s life, style and films illustrating in detail the actress and woman adored in Italy and abroad.
The exhibition’s title La Dolce Vitti recalls the timeless classic Italian movie (La Dolce Vita by Fellini). Monica, as did Fellini’s movie, has left an indelible mark on Italian history and society.
The exhibition includes photographs from several public and private archives and interesting stories told by great artists from both past and present (Giancarlo Giannini, Dacia Maraini, Michele Placido, Dino Risi, Ettore Scola, Alberto Sordi, Steno, Enrico Vanzina).
Monica Vitti reveals herself through her memories, thoughts, book extracts, and her singular raspy voice.
In chronological order, the exhibition examines the various stages of her artistic career. It begins with her drama school education and her start in theater and television. It proceeds with her dubbing, her work with Michelangelo Antonioni and the international cinematic success that followed, which was the turning point of her career. The exhibit continues with her incredible acclaim as a comedian in the movie La ragazza con la pistola (The Girl with a Pistol) and her entrance into the club of the best Italian comedians.
The outcome is a portrait of an actress with strong artistic training. She is considered to be a woman with two temperaments. Indeed, drama and comedy co-inhabit her. Her dramatic nature enables her national and international success thanks to the anguished characters created for her by Antonioni. On the other hand, her comic appeal and instinctual and innate talent are perhaps more suited to her extroverted personality. Undeniably, she will become a star of “la Commedia all’italiana”.
During her extensive career, Monica Vitti has embodied the roles of distinct women: working class or bourgeois, emancipated or submissive, simple or complicated, loyal or unfaithful, women searching for freedom and independence. She flawlessly interpreted these characters thanks to her collaboration with great directors such as Carlo Di Palma, Luigi Magni, Mario Monicelli, Dino Risi, Salce, Ettore Scola and Alberto Sordi.
The exhibition presents Monica Vitti as the image of a contemporary woman and everlasting beauty.
People love Monica Vitti’s elusive modernity, irony and intelligence. She is loved now more than ever. Even today, years after her retirement, her absence has paradoxically turned into a constant presence.
The exhibit will be on view through February 15, 2019 and is curated by Nevio De Pascalis, Marco Dionisi and Stefano Stefanutto Rosa.
CINEMA ITALIAN STYLE STUDENT SHORT FILM CONTEST
November 15th – 18th at Aero Theatre
Students from Santa Monica College, University of Southern California, Chapman University, and New York Film Academy Los Angeles were prompted to create shorts, under 5 minutes, inspired by, or paying homage to, classic Italian cinema.
The short films will be screened between November 15th and November 17th, preceding the feature films. Three finalists will be chosen by audience ballot to move forward to the final round.
In the final round, the CIS ’18 Contest Finalist Committee, will select the first, second and third place winners from among the finalists. The winning short will be screened ahead of the closing night film on Sunday, November 18, 2018, during the Cinema Italian Style 2018 Film Festival and win a 4-day trip to Rome and a private guided tour of the Luce Cinecittà Studio.
CIS SHORT FILM CONTEST PROGRAM
CIS SHORTS 2018
Sunday November 18th at Aero Theatre – 7.30 PM
BISMILLAH – 2018
MAGIC ALPS – 2018