| Cinema Italian Style 2009
http://www.myspace.com/americancinematheque
Opening Night of this series will take place at the Egyptian this Month! See BAARIA the Official Italian
Oscar Submission.
Co-presented with Cinecittà Luce
Supported by the Italian Ministry of Culture, Film Department, and the Italian Film
Commission, a division of the Italian Trade Commission, under the auspices of the Consul
General of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles, with the generous
contribution of Regione Sicilia; Cinesicilia; Apulia Film Commission; Centro Sperimentale
di Cinematografia; Sensi Contemporanei; Fay; Woolrich, Acqua di Parma and E.L.M.A.
(European Languages and Movies in America).
Join us at the Egyptian and Aero for our annual celebration of Italian cinema, which once again is packed
with exciting U.S. premieres. The series will open with Italy's official selection for the
Oscars, BAARIA, from CINEMA PARADISO director Giuseppe Tornatore. We also have new
masterpieces by some of Italy's major directors, including Michele Placido (THE BIG DREAM)
and Marco Bellochio (WIN!), and a documentary about Vittorio de Sica, one of the country's
most beloved film artists (VITTORIO D). With romantic comedies (THE BRAVE MEN), true-life
sagas (FOCACCIA BLUES), searing dramas (THE SICILIAN GIRL) and moving explorations of
contemporary relationships (DAVID'S BIRTHDAY, GIULIA DOESN'T DATE AT NIGHT, MATTER OF
HEART), there's something here for everyone!
We are thrilled to welcome directors Giuseppe Tornator,
Marco Bellocchio, Marco Amenta, Nico Cirasola. and actors Margareth Madé, Francesco
Scianna and Beppe Fiorello.
Wednesday, November 11 - 7:30 PM
Double Feature - Los Angeles Premiere!
THE BRAVE MEN (I GALANTUOMINI), 2008, Prod: Acaba Film/Rai
Cinema, Intl Sales: Coach 14 100 min. Dir. Edoardo Winspeare. Prod:
Acaba Film/Rai Cinema, Dir. Edoardo Winspeare.
Ignazio (Fabrizio Gifuni) and Lucia (Donatella
Finocchiaro) were best friends growing up in Salento, in the "heel" of Italy's
boot. Ignazio leaves home to attend law school and goes on to a career as a judge. Back
home, Ignazio becomes reacquainted with Lucia. The old friends fall in love, but soon
discover they've gone through serious life changes in this blend of drama and romantic
comedy. Trailer
| Official Website
Los Angeles Premiere! FREEDOM (TUTTA COLPA DI GIUDA), 2009, Prod: Rossofuoco, Intl
Sales:Adriana Chiesa Ent 99 min. Dir. Davide Ferrario. Young theater director Irena (Kasia
Smutniak) comes to a Turin prison to develop a performance piece with the convicts. She is
forced to tackle Christ's Passion as her subject. Irena hits a brick wall when none of the
prisoners will play Judas. So she develops another idea: present the Jesus story but
without a traitor, and without the sacrifice. "Brimming with unforced energy and
plenty of humor, 'It's All Judas' Fault' is equal parts jailhouse jukebox and religious
riff." –Variety. THE BRAVE MEN
actor Beppe Fiorello will not be in attendance as was originally announced.
Trailer | Official Website
Thursday, November 12 - 7:30 PM
Double Feature
- Los Angeles Premiere! THE SICILIAN
GIRL (LA SICILIANA RIBELLE), 2009, Prod: R&C Produzioni and EuroFilm,
Distributed by Roissy Film, 115 min. Dir. Marco Amenta. Freely derived from actual events,
the film follows 17-year-old Rita (Veronica D'Agostino), who is driven to betray her
Mafia-connected family. Seeking the truth behind her father's and brother's
assassinations, she's rejected by everyone in her Sicilian town and forced into hiding in
Rome. Nominated for a Best New Director award at Italy's 2009 David di Donatello Awards. Trailer | Official Website
Los Angeles Premiere! FOCACCIA BLUES, 2009, Bunker Lab, 78 min. Dir. Nico
Cirasola. Based on actual events in Altamura, where the opening of a huge McDonald's
piques the interest of the townspeople. Luca Digesu, owner of a little place right next to
the American interloper, decides to open a small bakery to produce his specialty:
focaccia. Surprisingly, the Altamurian baker becomes a thorn in the side of the fast food
giant. Discussion in
between films with directors Marco Amenta (THE SICILAIN GIRL), Nico Cirasola (FOCACCIA
BLUES) and actress Veronica D’Agostino (THE SICILAIN GIRL). Trailer | Official Website
Friday, November 13 - 7:30 PM
Double Feature - Los Angeles Premiere! DAVID'S BIRTHDAY (IL COMPLEANNO), Prod and Intl Distr:
Zen Zero,2009, 106 min. Dir. Marco Filiberti. A group of friends rent a beautiful summer
house on the beach, but their idyll is disrupted by the arrival of David (Thyago Alves).
David's presence disturbs Matteo (Massimo Poggio), a married psychologist; David's
solitary, enigmatic uncle is the only one who seems to understand what's going on. With
Alessandro Gassman. Trailer | Official Website
Los Angeles Premiere! MATTER OF HEART (QUESTIONE DI CUORE), 2009, Prod.
Cattleya and Rai Cinema, Intl sales: SND Group M6 104 min. Dir. Marco Filiberto. Two men
with virtually nothing in common become close friends while dealing with matters of life
and death in their hospital room, in this comedy-drama from Italian director Francesca
Archibugi. A beautiful story of friendship and life's lessons, laced with a spirit of
Italian humor and love. The Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists nominated this
movie for five awards, including Best Director, Screenplay and Actor. Discussion in between films with director Marco Filiberto. Trailer | Details
Saturday, November 14 - 5:00 PM
HOLLYWOOD ON THE TIBER (HOLLYWOOD SUL TEVERE),
2009, Prod : Cinecittà Luce and Studio Universal Intl Distr: Cinecittà Luce, 70 min.
Dir. Marco Spagnoli. Twenty years of the history of world cinema are told through images
from the Cinecittà Luce archives. Parties, premieres, awards and scandals form the core
of this documentary focusing on the era when Rome was a film capital to rival Hollywood.
Stunning black-and-white photography distinguishes this superb documentary, which features
Louis Armstrong, Lauren Bacall, Marlon Brando, Frank Capra, Brigitte Bardot, Ingmar
Bergman, Humphrey Bogart and many other cinema luminaries. Details
Saturday, November 14 - 7:30 PM
GIULIA DOESN'T DATE AT NIGHT (GIULIA NON ESCE LA SERA),This
film will not show as part of the series. The BIG DREAM will screen at 7:30 PM as a single
feature with the short:
U.S. Premiere! 15 SECONDS (15 SECONS) 2008, Prod: Sanmarco. 11 min. Dir: Gianluca Petrazzi. Cast: Jane
Alexander, Raul Bova.15 Seconds is a short against the death
penalty seen through the eyes of witnesses to an execution. The film was presented to the
European Parliament during the "European Day against the Death Penalty".
Los Angeles Premiere! THE BIG DREAM (IL GRANDE SOGNO), Prod: Taodue Film, Babe
Film, Medusa Intl sales: Film Distribution 101 min. Dir. Michele Placido. The place
is Italy, the year is 1968. Strong emotions are aroused when Laura (Jasmine Trinca) has to
choose between two men, a policeman (Riccardo Scamarcio) and a leader of the leftist
student movement (Luca Argentero). Trailer | Details
Sunday, November 15 - 5:00 PM
Los Angeles Premiere! VITTORIO D, 2009, Prod: Surf Film and LA7, 92 min. Dir.
Mario Canale and Annarosa Morri. Intl sales: Surf Film, Dirs. Mario
Canale and Annarosa Morri. Seventy years after his first film and 35 years after his
death, Vittorio De Sica's name still resonates as one of the greatest director and actor
of Italian cinema. This poignant documentary portrays the master of Italian neorealism in
a wholesome, funny and enlightening way. The film includes interviews with De Sica's
children and many directors and actors, such as Clint Eastwood, Shirley MacLaine, Woody
Allen, John Landis, Ken Loach, Paul Mazursky and Dino De Laurentiis. Trailer
Sunday, November 15 - 7:30 PM
Los Angeles Premiere! WIN! (VINCERE), 2009, Prod. Rai Cinema, Offside, Celluloid Dreams;
Distr: IFC, 128 min. Dir. Marco Bellocchio. This offbeat historical drama rests on a
little-known event, rarely mentioned in history books (and reportedly undisclosed for more
than half a century): Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini (Filippo Timi) conceived an
illegitimate son with a woman named Ida Dalser (Giovanna Mezzogiorno). The director of
FISTS IN THE POCKET proves to be as fiery as ever in his depiction of Dalser's long,
passionate struggle for recognition. Discussion following with
director Marco Bellocchio and actress Giovanna Mezzogiorno. Trailer | Details
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