L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Continued from page 4 less movie screenings, auto- graphs, meetings with directors and actors, photos, charming looks, famous actresses, trendy dresses and parties. We get the same feeling we get when credits run: the movie — and we all know that's just a tale — ends, the lights go on and we walk out, back into real life. Yet, we are no longer the same as before. Something of that fic- tional world has become real, concrete, it's inside us. That screen, as ethereal as dreams, changed the cards upon the table, it seduced us, but it won't aban- don us. It sowed a story within us. The Lido, the same Lido that for 10 days between August and September becomes not only the beating heart of Venice — that lies far away and silent in the background, softening all noise — but of the world of cinema at large, from Hollywood to Cannes, from Toronto to Berlin, all of a sudden returns to its placid normality. It seems emp- tied out, but in truth, it's already working towards what's next: it creates suspense, anticipation for what has yet to come. Just like the next movie. In this last days of Summer, though, the Lido is a whirlwind of voices and flashes. It shines on its own right within the the- aters and outside, on the red car- pet. There are movies that imme- diately hit the critics leaving a mark, like Todd Phillips' Joker, with Joaquin Phoenix and Robert De Niro, while others are quickly at the heart of controversy, like Roman Polanski's J'Accuse. There are Meryl Streep and Antonio Banderas, Brad Pitt and Scarlet Johansson, Penelope Cruz and Jude Law, and Julie Andrews and Pedro Almodovar, the big names who, this year, are to collect a Leone d'Oro for their career. Certainly, there is an intense, Hollywood-like atmosphere, which'll fill fashion and gossip magazines for months. But there is also the confirmation, extreme- ly important for Venice and for Italy, to be part of a true VIP cir- cuit. There is our national film industry that shows off proud, in spite of the ups and down of the market, between the decline of Cinecittà and the rising power of local Film Commissions, which have been transforming bits of Italy into international film sets. We only need to think about Matera, this year's Euro- pean Capital of Culture, where shooting of Bond 25 ended only a bunch of days ago, or Bari, chosen for the next movie with our divine Sophia Loren. And then, there's Italian cine- ma, with its directors and actors. Starting with Mario Martone whose The Mayor of Rione San- ità — a modern reading of Eduardo De Filippo theater mas- terpiece — has been the first Italian movie running for the Leone d'Oro to be screened, receiving an eight minute long applause. Or with Paolo Sorrenti- no, the Oscar winning director of The Great Beauty, who present- ed here two episodes of his series The New Pope's second season. Then, there are the "movies dedicated to the detailed and doc- umented reconstruction of histo- ry, whether past or more recent, characterized by the clear and precise aim of giving attention to events that could be forgotten otherwise or, even worse, dis- torted by oral recollection. An excellent example of it is Marco Bellocchio's The Traitor," says Alberto Barbera. The director of the 76th Venice Film Festival underlines how there's an evident "will to reflect, and bring others to reflect, upon the present." Another relevant example is Franco Maresco's The Mafia is no Longer What it Used to Be, a grotesque vision of today's Cosa Nostra. And then, Martin Eden, inspired by Jack London's work, and directed by Caserta-born Pietro Marcello, dedicated to the economic and social ascend process set in a time in Italy when postwar consumerism had yet to change the face of society, and there was a yearning for cultural and social emancipation. There is also Gabriele Salva- tores, who won an Oscar in 1992 for his Mediterraneo, who presents hors concours Tutto il Mio Folle Amore, an on the road movie about diversity. And then, a roundup of actors and shining actresses: beautiful in their princess-like dresses, they make the fortune of fashion designers and dictate fashion and make up trends for the Fall. The madrina (or godmother) or this year's edition is Alessandra Mas- tronardi, who has just filmed the third series of international co- production Medici-the Magnifi- cent, and came to fame thanks to Woody Allen's To Rome with Love. Monica Bellucci, who enchants in red, mediterranean and statuesque. Valeria Golino, who is the only one to have won two Coppe Volpi for best actress. There is also fashion blogger Chiara Ferragni, who presents a documentary, Unpost- ed, about her 11 million dollars life as an influencer. On the inaugural red carpet, we find also Federico Fellini's muse Sandra Milo, 86, who still manages to animate the Lido the same way she did at the times of La Dolce Vita, of which she was a protagonist. But, above them all, the star of Lina Wertmüller shone brightest. The director, who just turned 91 and was the first female director to be nomi- nated for an Oscar in 1977 with Seven Beauties, just celebrated her 40th career anniversary. Her presence on Venice's red carpet honored the Film Festival, but also anticipated that of the Oscars, as the Academy of Motion Picture already announced she will receive a stat- uette for her career. The Venice Film Festival is not only a parade of stars and VIPs, nor the simple screening of works that want to impress critics and to do well at the box office; it is also a time to reflect on the value and future of the art of moviemaking. Paolo Baratta, the Biennale's president explains how "it's not only the audience that needs film festivals, the industry does, too. A Festival can promote quality without any genre prejudice, it can support new creative minds, it can keep alive the attention for formal research and experimentation, all the while endorsing cinema's commitment to tackle fundamen- tal matters of Man's human, social and political condition, in all its facets. Festivals can con- tribute to keep varied the demands and higher the quality of the market. This Festival con- firms it." Baratta also says this is the reason why "the Venice Film Festival has become a focal point in international cinema," and has an official selection of 65 titles, chosen among a total of 3,621, 1,833 of which full length movies (188 from Italy), 1,627 shorts (146 from Italy), 161 Vir- tual Reality features (11 from Italy). They come from 52 coun- tries, Afghanistan, Lesotho, Hong Kong, the US (which has 28 titles on the list). This all con- firms cinema is healthy and still wants to speak about and share emotions that are good for everyone. Beautiful Monica Bellucci, breathtaking in red (Credits: La Biennale di Venezia) Italian director Paolo Sorrentino presents two episodes of the second sea- son of his The Young Pope (Credits La Biennale di Venezia)

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