L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020 www.italoamericano.org 20 L'Italo-Americano " This is a very special edi- tion — we have more films, more tv-shows— but mostly, this edition is dedicated to women: actresses, screen-players, direc- tors. Only 10% of all the produc- tions have women on top levels, so there are still a lot of things to do. And one of the messages of this festival is actually this: give a budget to a woman director, trust them!" Tiziana Rocca opened the fifth edition of Filming Italy with a strong and passionate speech about women, dedicated in parti- cular to those working in the film industry. The artistic director took the stage of the Harmony Gold Theater in West Hollywood to present and award this year's gue- sts: "I am very happy that the fifth edition of Filming Italy – Los Angeles is dedicated to women, not only those of in yesterday and today's Italian cinema, but to all women who fight daily for their identity, with strength and coura- ge. I always encourage women to be financially independent becau- se it is what gives you free- dom," Tiziana Rocca highlighted, "And this year I am particularly proud to collaborate with Women in Film, TV & Media Italia, an important organization supporting women's rights. Because as a female Artistic Director of festi- vals, I try to fight for equal rights and support the professional work of many female directors, produ- cers, actors and screenwriters." This year's edition honored many women, like the Academy- Award nominated actress Jacki Weaver (Silver Lining Playbook), Academy Award Best Movie nominee Jojo Rabbit, pro- ducer Chelsea Winstanley, actress Jessica Marie Garcia (Netflix's On My Block), award-winning actor Winston Duke (Black Panther). Award- winning actress Claudia Gerini (Netflix's Suburra), was this year festival's ambassador. Other highly anticipated guests included award-winning direc- tor Maria Sole Tognazzi as well as numerous Italian and interna- tional actors, directors and produ- cers who received awards during the festival. "Thank you for inviting me, it is an honor to be the ambassa- dor," said actress Claudia Gerini while receiving the Best Magazine Award from the hands of Giorgio Viaro, Director of Best Movie. "I love Los Angeles and I've been coming here since I was 25 years old. I've always worked a lot in Italy but the thou- ght of coming here and start a career in Hollywood was always in the back of my mind. A dream of mine would be being directed by Quentin Tarantino and the Cohen brothers." The IIC Creativity Award and the Empowerment Award were given to Maria Sole Tognazzi, who directed Viaggio Sola (A Five Star Life) a drama- tic film that recounts a story of choices, courage and freedom. The actress Margherita Buy won her fifth David di Donatello award for the film. The IIC Los Angeles Creativity Award is an acknowledgment of the Italian excellency in the world in every creative sector. The award is an original piece of work by iconic fashion designer Emilio Cavallini. Past recipients inclu- de Monica Bellucci, Claudia Cardinale, Gina Lollobrigida, Mario Martone, Gianfranco Rosi and Lina Wertmüller. The 2020 Filming Italy Women's Power Impact award was given to Steven Gaydos, Executive Vice-President at Variety, for his continuous efforts to highlight women's accompli- shments across the Variety platform. Another important Italian woman in Los Angeles, Valeria Rumori, director of the Cultural Institute, took the stage to remind the audience that January 20 marked the 100th birthday of Federico Fellini: "I would like to celebrate this icon of Italian cine- ma with a documentary and the exhibit Food in Federico Fellini's Drawings, organized by the Italian Cultural Institute and the Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles in collaboration with Dipartimento di Cultura - Regione Emilia Romagna and Casa Artusi, so please come and visit the Italian Cultural Insitute in Westwood," said Rumori. "The Institute presents an annual programming rich with cinema events, often in partner- ship with other institutions and Italian and local festivals, with the objective of promoting excellence in Italian productions in their arti- stic, cultural and territorial aspects. Filming Italy, this year with a greater female presence, is one of the most highly awaited appointments in Los Angeles and Southern California. The partici- pation of prestigious personalities demonstrates that our cinema is an important international referen- ce," she continued. This year also marked the col- laboration with Women in Film, TV & Media Italia. Started in Los Angeles, WIF has sustained women working in the film indu- stry and behind the camera since 1973. Today, there are WIF orga- nizations all over the world working for a more equitable industry through outreach pro- grams, incentive and legal sup- port. WIF Italia is delighted to continue this work and present two short films by the writer/directors Valentina Bertuzzi and Giulia Steigerwaldt. Both films were presented at the Festival di Roma in the section Alice in the City and represent the power of the Italian female narrative. In Delitto Naturale by Valentina Bertuzzi, the very young protagonist Alida Baldari Calabria investigates the disap- pearance of her best friend. The second short, Settembre by Giulia Steigerwalt, tells the story of a fourteen-year old girl preparing herself for her first sexual expe- rience, discovering herself without worrying about perfec- tion. Together, Filming Italy – Los Angeles and WIF Italia awarded a prize for innovative Italian cine- matic production and good hiring policies to Netflix, for their upco- ming Italian series Luna Nera. Among other awards, Vice President of the Regione Lazio, Daniele Leodori received a proclamation from the City of Los Angeles. Regione Lazio also presented the new competition Lazio Cine- International, which has already co-financed major international co-productions between cinema companies in Lazio and abroad. The competition has the objective of strengthening the competitive- ness of film production compa- nies and to endorse a closer colla- boration with foreign producers, offering more international visibi- lity to tourist destinations in Lazio. Many Italian films had their US premiere, including Il Cinema è una Cosa Meravigliosa (Cinema is a Wonderful Thing) a docufilm by Antonello Sarno dedicated to the comedic director Carlo Vanzina, who passed away last year. Other films screened during the festival were Il primo Natale (The First Christmas), a comedy directed and starring Sicilian comedians Ficarra e Picone, with Massimo Popolizio and Roberta De Mattei, where two protagonists go back in time to the birth of Jesus. L'Uomo del Labirinto (Into the Labyrinth) is a dramatic thril- ler directed by Donato Carrisi, with Toni Servillo and Dustin Hoffman, that recounts the kid- napping of a thirteen-year old and his awakening after 15 years in the hospital. Il Giorno più Bello del Mondo (The Most Beautiful Day in the World), directed and star- ring Neapolitan comedian Alessandro Siani and Stefania Spampinato, tells the story of a failing theater owner who recei- ves, as a form of inheritance from a distant relative, two children, one of them with the power of telekinesis. Cetto C'è, Senzadubbiamente, directed by Giulio Manfredonia, is the final chapter of the comedic trilogy starring Antonio Albanese as the corrupt politician Cetto La Qualunque. The TV series, Medici: The Magnificent. Power and Beauty by Christian Duguay, now in its third season, is an Italian and English language show created by Frank Spotnitz and Nicholas Meyer describing the rise of the Medici family. The fifth episode of the second season of Suburra was also pre- sented. Suburra has been the first original Italian television show distributed by Netflix and has been following the stories of poli- ticians, criminals and everyday people in Rome. "Last but not least, a special thank you to Pomellato" Tiziana Rocca concluded. "The company tonight presented two awards created specifically for two actresses supporting the theme of this year's festival: women's rights." SILVIA GIUDICI From left: Maria Sole Tognazzi, Tiziana Rocca and Claudia Gerini at Filming Italy From left: Nana Ghana, Tiziana Rocca, Rosario Dawson and HFPA President Lorenzo Soria LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY Filming Italy dedicates this year's edition to women in the industry

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