L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS (Riccardo va All'Inferno, Il R a c c o n t o d e i R a c c o n t i , Indivisibili and Pinocchio). I n H o l l y w o o d ' s m o s t famous night, which took place across five locations, w i t h t h e s t r i c t e s t a n t i Covid-19 precautions and also in the striking Art Déco frame of the Union Station, o n e I t a l i a n - A m e r i c a n triumphed in the documen- taries section: Anthony Giacchino. His father's f a m i l y h a i l s f r o m S i c i l y (Caccamo) and his mother's from Abruzzo (Casoli). He a l r e a d y w o n a n E m m y Award and his brother, a composer, was awarded in 2010 for his sountrack for the movie Up. This year, Giacchino won the statuette for Colette, directed and produced along with Alice Doyard. The documentary focuses on trust, courage and the value of memory, but also on the importance of fighting together for the common good: it tells the s t o r y o f t h e F r e n c h Resistence, with the testi- m o n y o f C o l e t t e M a r i n - Catherine, who was depor- t e d i n a n a z i c a m p a n d miraculously survived. There was also a moment dedicated to the artists who lost their lives in the past 12 months: here, three great Italians were remembered: composer Ennio Morricone, a Roman just like photo- graphy director Giuseppe Rotunno, and Neapolitan producer Alberto Grimaldi. But the Academy, this year, hasn't been as generous as we hoped. In the end, how can we hide our disappoint- ment? Losing when you're a step away is not worth the Oscar, even if it's always something to be proud of. L a u r a P a u s i n i ' s s o c i a l p r o f i l e s d e f i n e h e r " Grammy, Latin Grammy, Golden Globe Winner and Oscars nominee from Italy." That's where she tells the most about herself, between Instagram and Facebook, a direct line with millions of f a n s f r o m a l l o v e r t h e world: her posts are always written in two languages, but are often translated in up to five. On social media, Laura shared the moment of her nomination, which s h e r e c e i v e d , s c r e a m i n g w i t h j o y , w h i l e o n h e r couch, at home; her depar- ture to California, with all the responsibility of "repre- senting Italy;" her recor- ding of Io sì/Seen for the Oscars' pre-show, shot on the terrace of the Museum o f C i n e m a , d e s i g n e d b y R e n z o P i a n o . T h e n , h e r elengant black dress on the red carpet and lastly, empty handed, a burger at the end of the night, almost to say "well, it's fine anyway." The acknowledgements note she had prepared in case of victory, remained folded into a pocket, but she published it– again on her social media – while Italy w a s w a k i n g u p : " H a v i n g been part of such a special project as The Life Ahead w i t h E d o a r d o P o n t i a n d Sophia Loren was for me one of the greatest gifts that life could give me. Having sang "IO SI'" on the stage of t h e A c a d e m y i s a d r e a m t h a t I c o u l d n e v e r h a v e thought would come true even more in such a historic ceremony/edition. Thank you @theacademy! I thank Diane Warren, for our song and for all the achievements, first of all the G o l d e n G l o b e , i t w a s a n i n c r e d i b l e e x p e r i e n c e t o work together! T h a n k s t o B o n n i e G r e e n b e r g a n d N i c c o l ò Agliardi! Thanks Palomar, thanks Netflix, I always felt at home with you. I return to Italy happy to have lived a unique expe- rience, born from an impor- tant message that I fully share, and for the great pas- sion that, after twenty-eight years, I still have for music, that is not only my job, but is my life. I go back to Italy happy to welcome (see) my little girl, who is waiting for me and with whom will cele- brate after the first week of distance in our lives. But I will tell you…the dream of a night.... incredible!" Indeed, singing on the roof of the Dolby Theatre, w h i l e t h e s u n s e t s o n Hollywood, must have been incredible, "unforgettable." Wearing that golden suit d e s i g n e d f o r h e r b y P i e r Paolo Piccioli, the creative director at Valentino, with Diane Warren – author of the original English lyrics of the song and nominated to 12 Oscars in her career –on h e r r e d p i a n o , a n d a n o r c h e s t r a o f a l l w o m e n musicians, all dressed in red, playing along with her, must have been incredible. So incredible that, while taking her red carpet pictu- re, in her long, beautiful black dress, she said, emo- tionally "If you're in doubt, don't wake me up." In the end, it had to be the most beautiful of all dreams for an artist born in the contry- side of Emilia, and became famous all over the world. She waited her big day with the excitement of a teenager w h o w a n t s t o " k e e p o n d r e a m i n g . " P a u s i n i i s a w o m a n w h o , a t 4 6 , j u s t doesn't seem to have lost any of her original enthu- siasm, even if she's been on stage for 30 years and sold 70 million records in the w o r l d . 2 2 6 P l a t i n u m Records, the only Italian s i n g e r a n d s o n g w r i t e r representative of Italy's tra- ditional's musica melodica (but with influences span- ning from latin music to pop and rock, all the way to swing and dance), to have won the most prestigious prices: Grammy Awards, Latin Grammy Awards and A G o l d e n G l o b e , w i t h I o sì/Seen. The song was composed by Diane Warren, its Italian version the work of Pausini and Niccolò Agliardi, for E d o a r d o P o n t i ' s L a V i t a D a v a n t i a S é / T h e L i f e Ahead, interpreted by the majestic Sophia Loren, back on set at 86. When she won the Golden Globe, Pausini said: " All my gratitude and a p p r e c i a t i o n g o e s t o t h e marvelous Sophia Loren. It's been a honor to give my voice to your character and s e n d s u c h a n i m p o r t a n t message of welcoming and sharing." In fact, she cele- b r a t e d t h e I t a l i a n m o v i e d i v a , o f w h o m s h e i s " a huge fan," in several occa- sions. In the video "An icon o f c i n e m a , I t a l y a n d t h e world: simply Sophia," shot in three languages, the sin- g e r e x p l a i n s t h a t h e r respect and admiration for t h e a c t r e s s d o n ' t s i m p l y s t e m f r o m h e r a r t i s t i c career, but also from her p e r s o n a l c h o i c e s , w h i c h always showed "a woman with a strong character." Just like in this movie -- which Edoardo Ponti brou- ght also to the 16th Los Angeles Italia Film 2021 (inaugurated with a con- c e r t - t r i b u t e t o E n n i o M o r r i c o n e ) - - w h e r e h e r touching performance beca- m e s y m b o l o f h u m a n i t y , tolerance and generosity, of "our right not only to love, but of being all loved." With this motivation, Loren was a w a r d e d t h e N a s t r o d i Platino, a prize created ad h o c f o r h e r b y t h e S i n d a c a t o G i o r n a l i s t i Cinematografici Italiani ( A s s o c i a t i o n o f I t a l i a n Movie Journalists), twenty y e a r s a f t e r h e r A c a d e m y Honorary Award, and more than half a century after her first Oscar, won in 1962 for La Ciociara. But also Io sì/Seen can say to be special, unique and to have reached a goal that'll remain unattainable to everyone else: it was the first song entirely sung in Italian to be nominated at t h e O s c a r s . " A w h o l e - Itailian reason to be proud," Laura Pausini said. Continued from page 4 Laura Pausini on stage. Her experience at the Oscars was fulfilling, even if her song didn't win the statuette (Photo: Fabio Diena/Dreamstime)

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