L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano F all is just a few months away and, with it, Bay A rea res idents look towards the arrival of a new season, awaiting w ith happy anticipation the annual Marin Italian Film Festi- val. This year, L'Italo Ameri- cano was again fortunate to con- nect with the Festival's director of 42 years, Commendatore Lido Cantarutti, to explore this year's film lineup. The Festival originally began as an informal, one-time only presentation of Italian movies in a college lecture hall and has since grown over four decades into a perennial favorite in the San Francisco Bay Area. When asked why he started the festival, Cantarutti replied, "When I was able to see some of the great classic films that had come out of Italy I thought, 'Oh my goodness, these are really great films.' I thought how won- derful to possibly share this with other people by making more of these films available to Bay Area audiences." What makes this beloved fes- tival so enduring? "The festival is not just watching a flat movie on a screen. It's a whole emo- tional experience. It is a festival of cultural immersion." At least once a year, the Com- mendatore travels to Italy, espe- cially to Rome and Milan. He explains that the major part of obtaining the films for the festi- val is best accomplished in per- son. "In Italy it is very important to have a good connection with the people you are dealing with. They need to know and trust you. The rapport in Italy is everything. It is gold. If you don't have it you have nothing." L'Italo Americano asked Commendatore Cantarutti to describe this year's films. "I think we have a nice mix of shows: five comedies, two dra- mas and even one "whodunit." One of the dramas called Friends by Chance (Tutto quello che vuoi), is a delightful story about a bond of friendship that surpris- ingly develops between an eighty-something retired poet and a young street youth.   "The 'whodunit', which fea- tures the capable acting of Giuseppe Battiston, has the intriguing theme of prosecco. It is about where prosecco is pro- duced, the people who produce it and the competition among the owners, and some of the mystery surrounding the relationships in the community. CATHERINE ACCARDI tered, but who gets a new dri- ving assignment: transporting a coffin to the Ukraine for burial. Saturday, November 3, 2018 (Closing Night) - Friends by Chance (Tutto quello che vuoi) This highly praised film, by director and screenwriter Francesco Bruni (Inspector Montalbano and Human Capi- tal), traces the unlikely relation- ship between an elderly poet and a cocky young man, in a story told with grace and sensitivity. The 42 nd anniversary of the Italian Film Festival will take place from September 22 to November 3, 2018 at the Marin Center Showcase Theatre, in San Rafael. More information will be available on the Marin Italian Film Festival website at http://www.italianfilm.com,and at the Marin Center website at https://tickets.marincenter.org/e ventperformances.asp?evt=30 "We also have a truly delight- ful light romantic comedy, From Naples with Love (Troppo napo- letano) featuring the charming experience of a young boy falling in love with a new class- mate. This film, as the title sug- gests, is actually spoken in Neapolitan, which further adds to its charm, in my opinion.  Plus, it tells the story not only of the young boy's first crush, but also, through a very clever story-line, how the boy facilitates his widowed mother finding love! All of the films are of first-rate quality, and all will surely be entertaining for our audience."  All films are in the Italian (original) language with English subtitles. All films are suggested for mature audiences. The eight feature films are summarized below. Saturday, September 22, 2018 (Opening Night) - Let Yourself Go (Lasciati andare), Let Yourself Go is an enter- taining comedy featuring the great Toni Servillo (Viva la lib- ertà and The Great Beauty) that invites us to live our emotions without being inhibited by the opinions of others. Sunday, September 23, 2018 -It's the Law (L'ora legale), The popular comedians Ficar- ra and Picone, star in a story about a mayoral election that responds to rampant civic rule- bending and inefficiencies with the election of a new mayor who promises order and legality. Saturday, September 29, 2018 -It's All About Karma (Questione di Karma) This is a surprising comedy about friendshipand finding the common humanity between two vastly different men. Sunday, September 30, 2018 -From Naples with Love (Troppo napoletano) A thoroughly charming Neapolitan comedy, featuring parallel stories of young love and newly found love. Saturday, October 6, 2018 - The Last Prosecco (Finché c'è prosecco c'è speranza) A thriller about relationships in the land of Prosecco, the effervescence of the bubbles, and the conflict between greed and respect for the land. Saturday, October 13, 2018 - Holding Hands (La tenerezza) Acclaimed director Gianni Amelio (Porte Aperte, Lameri- ca) recounts the powerful story of a father and his unloved chil- dren, set in the heart of Naples. Saturday, October 27, 2018 –Easy (Easy- un viaggio facile facile) An endearing road movie about Isidoro, or Easy, whose career driving go-karts has fal- A screen capture of the movie Friends By Chance. Courtesy of Commendatore Lido Cantarutti A screen capture of the movie Easy. Courtesy of Commendatore Lido Cantarutti SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY The Marin Italian Film Festival returns for its 42nd year

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