L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 44 L'Italo-Americano A(nother) Spring in the pandemic? The Italian Cultural Institute got us covered with food, culture, and literature virtual events T his Spring, wher- ever you are, there's a program full of events launched by the Italian Cultural Institute in San Francisco that can be fol- lowed on your laptop or streamed through your TV, safe at home. From food to arts, to literature, there are many opportunities to stay connected and active virtually while we follow guidelines to avoid the spread of covid-19. T h o s e w h o l o v e I t a l i a n culture know though that the t e a m a t t h e I I C i n S a n Francisco has really never stopped. After an incredible 2020, running events virtu- ally, redefining program- mings and settings, they are now super excited and keep giving us opportunities to learn, listen, read, or simply enjoy a moment of relax, in good company. A s m a n y o t h e r I t a l i a n institutions and organiza- tions in and outside of Italy, the IIC in San Francisco has b e e n c e l e b r a t i n g D a n t e A l i g h i e r i a n d h i s D i v i n e C o m e d y , b y p r o m o t i n g From the dark forest to P a r a d i s e . A j o u r n e y t h r o u g h D a n t e A l i g h i e r i ' s D i v i n e Comedy in thirty-three languages. The audiobook allows you to listen to a wide s e l e c t i o n o f t h e p o e m i n many languages, a unique opportunity to dive into the mystery of Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise, walking with Dante and his guide Virgil t h r o u g h t h e f i r s t c i r c l e s , before heading to Heaven, where Dante finally meets Beatrice, the woman that inspired him and his poetry. I n A p r i l , t h e r e a r e t w o main events to honor Dante, seven hundred years after h i s d e a t h . T h e f i r s t o n e , Botticelli and Dante: the drawings for the Divine Comedy, is a Zoom webinar with Dr. Dagmar Korbacher, Director (Kupfersti-chkabi- nett, Berlin State Museums), a n d D r . F u r i o R i n a l d i Curator (Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco). The con- versation will touch Sandro Botticelli's cycle of ninety- three drawings illustrating D a n t e ' s D i v i n e C o m e d y . Considered one of the great master's most mysterious endeavors, the cycle sees seven leaves preserved in the Biblioteca Apostolica at the Vatican and a group of 85 sheets that was bought for the Kupferstichkabinett of the Royal Museum in Berlin b y d i r e c t o r F r i e d r i c h L i p p m a n n i n 1 8 8 2 . D r . D a g m a r K o r b a c h e r w i l l explain the journey of these drawings, while Dr. Furio R i n a l d i w i l l t a l k a b o u t Botticelli's evolution as a painter and draftsman. The program, set to happen on April 21st at 11am PT, is pre- sented by the IIC in collabo- ration with the Legion of H o n o r M u s e u m , t h e Kupferstichkabinett of the Berlin State Museums, and t h e I t a l i a n C o n s u l a t e General of San Francisco, w i t h o p e n i n g r e m a r k s b y C o n s u l G e n e r a l L o r e n z o Ortona. I n M a y , t h e I t a l i a n Cultural Institute and the Consulate General of Italy in S a n F r a n c i s c o w i l l h o s t a n o t h e r w e b i n a r o n t h e i n s p i r a t i o n t h a t D a n t e Alighieri has been giving to modern readers, now able to express their social condition and their desire for equality a n d f r e e d o m . D e n n i s Looney, Ron Jenkins and Nicole Pagano will discuss the African-American writ- ers' responses to the Divine Comedy in the 19th and 20th century, and the diverse the- a t r i c a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f D a n t e ' s p o e m h e l d i n U S jails. The event will be mod- erated by Valerio Cappozzo, A s s o c i a t e P r o f e s s o r a n d D i r e c t o r o f t h e I t a l i a n Program at the University of Mississippi, on May 12th at 6pm PT. Another moment of cele- bration is the Cineday al femminile, a series of pro- ductions directed by Italian f e m a l e f i l m m a k e r s . Dedicated to Italian Director Cecilia Mangini, who passed away this year at the age of 9 3 , t h e s e r i e s h o n o r s a woman that is considered a p i o n e e r i n t h e i n d u s t r y , w h i l e t r y i n g t o s h o w t h e world Italy's postwar pover- ty, women's condition, and the roots of fascism. Starting in February, the Institute chose women and movies that marked Italian cinema over the last decade. Among them, a documentary direct- ed by Francesca Mazzoleni on life and resistance within a local community in Rome, the story of a woman in her 50s struggling with self-con- fidence and independence, and the story of two women who are exploring the chal- lenge of living as a couple. The series will end in June a n d m o r e i n f o o n h o w t o watch the movies online can be found on the IIC website. Starting this week, anoth- er woman will take us on a journey about food and Italy, one of the most favorite duos ever. Italy by ingredient is made by eight cooking class- es over Zoom, where chef instructor and food writer Viola Buitoni presents an overview of Italian foods, with a focus on ingredients and their origins, their histo- ry, and the cultural context while she uses them to cook. Chef Viola will bring to the table her family tradition, as well as her expertise running workshops, teaching Italian cooking, and sharing knowl- e d g e w i t h e v e r y o n e s h e meets. You'll enjoy the spot- light on each month until D e c e m b e r , f r o m p a s t a t o burrata, to balsamic vinegar and pecorino, prosciutto, grana padano, and polenta. Aren't you hungry already? From food to literature, CAFFÈ LETTERARIO is now a well established group of virtual reading that has been going on for the last months. The fourth book of the series is Il libro delle c a s e , a n d w i l l s e e t h e author Andrea Bajani joining the virtual crowd for ques- tions and thoughts about the story in the book. The book r e v e a l s t h e l i f e o f a m a n , including his friendships, his marriage, the discovery of sex, the love for poetry, while walking through the changes in our lives in the last fifty years, from the perspective o f a m a n ' s h o u s e . I f y o u enjoy reading Italian books, that's also the opportunity to get yours at Libreria Pino, who is offering a 15% dis- count to all members of this CAFFÈ LETTERARIO. All events can be found at the Italian Cultural Institute w e b s i t e h t t p s : / / iicsanfrancisco.esteri.it or on their social media channels, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. SERENA PERFETTO SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY You can enjoy Viola Buitoni cooking classes on Zoom (Photo: Istituto Italiano di Cultura)

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