L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014 www.italoamericano.com L'Italo-Americano 11 A wealth of emerging Italian talents at the 39th Toronto International Film Festival dic formation in the father's library in Recanati all the way to his untimely death in cholera- stricken Naples. Italians still consider Leopardi one of their greatest intellects, and his thoughts have been said to "go beyond those of every other European man of letters, from Goethe to Paul Valéry". Schopenhauer referred to Leopardi as his "spiritual broth- er." His writings, even the early ones written in total seclusion, showed the influence of the Enlightenment and in many ways heralded the nihilism of Nietzsche, who considered him the most original poetic voice of the nineteenth century. Martone presents him as a radi- cal thinker and surprisingly mod- ern, though steeped in classical and early scientific thinking. Despite many accolades, Leopardi remained for a long time unknown in the mainstream anglophone world. After years of toil, involving a team of transla- tors in different countries, how- ever, finally the publication of the first complete English trans- lation of Leopardi's famous notebook, the Zibaldone, is now available in the full unexpurgat- ed edition. Martone is the daring director of this film of rediscov- ery of one of the lesser-known European great thinkers and poets and is confident that this publication will elicit the curiosi- ty of anglophone readers and, hopefully, lead to the translation of all Leopardi's works in many other languages. This film was created thanks to a special grant from the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage Italy 2014 Italian International Premiere Music, Giacomo Rossini, Sascha Ring; principal cast: Elio Germano, Michele Riondino, Massimo Popolizio, Anna Mouglalis; production, Palomar Spa. SENZA NESSUNA PIETÀ and BLACK SOULS as well are not to be missed. They are by Michele Alaique and Francesco Munzi, two emerging Italian filmmakers who are absolutely unafraid to deal with a variety of topics that are especially provocative. Alhaique, a well- known Italian actor and author of a number of shorts, including Il Torneo, winner of the prestigious prize Nastro d'Argento, has recently directed his first feature film, Senza nessuna pietà, shown internationally for the first time in Toronto. It is apparent that his experience as an actor has given him an insight that very few directors are blessed with. The film is a crime story and has the structure of a noir, but at some point action and love over- lap. The action takes place in a metropolis – Rome in this case – but it could be any other big city, where the criminal element thrives. The protagonist, Mimmo, interpreted excellently by Pier Francesco Favino, is a stone mason, a quiet, tireless and loyal worker. The Roman direc- tor managed to recount master- fully Mimmo's world of mob enforcer in a milieu of small-time criminality, violence, arrogance and treason. He is a strong, imposing figure, who can appear quite scary to those who do not know him. He observes the world with the eyes of a child without really taking part in daily life. He obeys superiors' orders in an unquestioning and automat- ic – almost "absent" – way. Although he is trapped in that milieu, he sees himself as not being part of it, without judging it. Tanya, interpreted by Greta Scarano, a superb stage actress, represents the turning point that overwhelms his exis- tence. When he sees the way she is mistreated and humiliated by the boss's son, he awakens from a life of immobility to discover that there are other values and feelings worth living for. Two solitudes meet (Mimmo and Greta) and their coming together becomes something unique, which skilfully avoids clichè and sentimentality. A new bond unites them and gives them the strength to break the chain that kept them passive for years, each of them in a different way. They both resurrect in themselves the capacity to rebel against a des- tiny that seems to have marked them once and for all. The direc- tor recounts Mimmo's world through his eyes, as if the camera were following the beat of his heart, turning stone to flesh. The film reflects a dark stage in Italian history both from the socio-political and economic points of view, and seems to tell us that there is always a way out, even in the most difficult predicaments. Creativity has to be free. Interestingly, the film is co- produced by actor Pier Francesco Favino in his new inclination to contribute collectively to valu- able new projects and try to launch them beyond the borders of Italy in the context of interna- tional festivals. The soundtrack of the film involves two com- posers, one Italian, Luca Novelli, the other French, Pierre Alexander Busson. This film was created thanks to a special grant from the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, and in collabo- ration with RaiCom. International Premiere Italy 2014 Italian 93 minutes colour Producers: Maurizio Piazza, Alexandra Rossi, Pier Francesco Favino; Music, Luca Novelli, Pier- Alexandre Busson; principal cast: Pier Francesco Favino, Greta Scarano, production: Lungta Film BLACK SOULS /ANIME NERE Directed by Francesco Munzi Written by talented Francesco Munzi together with Gomorrah scribe Maurizio Braucci, Black Souls (Anime Nere) is a dark mob drama centred around a family of divided souls from Calabria's Ndragheta and is based on the novel by Gioacchino Criaco. It is a fable of pride and power, of youth and experience, set in Amsterdam and Milan as well as in the small village of Aspromonte, in Calabria, a sort of Black Hole where it all began and where it will all end. It is a criminal story and yet, as the director of the Toronto International Film Festival main- tains, a "morality tale" about breaking from the inside ancient and consolidated cycles of vio- lence within the same family. It is the powerful story of three brothers: Luigi, an international drug dealer; Rocco, an apparent- ly middle-class businessman liv- ing in Milan; and Luciano, the eldest, leading in Calabria an archaic life as a shepherd, trying with determination to escape his dark and sinister past, which however is what gave his family stature and wealth. His teenage son Leo has inherited from his ancestors only resentment and a sense of vendetta. In a dimension suspended between the distant past and ultra-modern life, the characters are driven towards the archetypes of tragedy, many years after the murder of their father by a rival clan. They live a chain of lives consumed in a spiral of ruthless violence and death. This film tackles key current, anthropologi- cal and political issues and sparks a brave debate. It blends professional experience with a spirit of innovation and creativi- ty: it was bravely shot, almost as a documentary, near Reggio Calabria in Africo, one of the nerve centres of organized crime. Overcoming his initial fear and prejudice, the director discovered in the process a very complex and diverse reality. This encour- aged him to blend his profession- al actors with the local residents who spoke in their own archaic language (reminiscent of ancient Greek) and worked with the cast, adding an even more realistic touch to the whole story. The production company is Cinemaundici, founded in 1998 in partnership with Ermanno Olmi. Italy 2014 Italian International Premiere 103 minutes Music: Giuliano Taviani PRINCIPAL CAST: Marco Leonardi, Peppino Mazzotta, Fabrizio Ferracane, Anna Ferruzzo, Stefano Priolo,Vito Facciolla and Cosimo Spagnolo. LA SAPIENZA Directed by Eugene Green A French-Italian co-produc- tion not to be missed, a very spe- cial film deriving its title from the magnificent seventeenth- century Roman church Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza which was designed by the legendary Italian Swiss architect Francesco Borromini, Bernini's rival. The protagonist, Alexandre Schmid (Fabrizio Rongione) is a brilliant architect who embarks on a quest of artistic and spiritual renewal along with his wife, Alienor (Christelle Prot) also in the attempt to overcome their lack of communication and passion. They decide to start from Bissone in Canton Ticino, the birthplace of Borromini, and pro- ceed from there their outer and inner journey. In Stresa they have a happy chance encounter with young siblings Goffredo (about to start his studies of Architecture at the University of Venice) and his fragile sister Lavinia which positively upsets the whole schedule of the couple. Alexandre will continue his trav- els with Goffredo while Alienor stays with Lavinia by the lake . The trip will take Alexandre and Goffredo to Turin and Rome as they gradually become enthralled by Italy's artistic mas- terpieces. Borromini proves to be throughout the film the magical soothing shaman of the spirit, able to rekindle the inner vision of the spirit and provoke a series of life altering revelations. And all of this is due also to a pro- found independent research of Eugene Green on the Baroque period since he was a stage director. Before the Baroque period there was no contradic- tion between faith and the scien- tific exploration. During the Baroque period the scientific research went on, God was still the highest Reality but it was hidden, visible only in represen- tation. Therefore Borromini's architecture became a powerful tool to reach spiritual integrity and enlightenment. While Bernini was integrated in the social fabric of his time, Borromini was isolated, a sort of sacrificial victim necessary to reach spiritual enlightenment. Another theme which is very vividly explored in this film is cultural transmission that some- how has been neglected and interrupted. This is reached in the film through the revitalizing relationship with young people, in this case, Goffredo and Lavinia, both closer to the source of youth and inner light. The film presents sweeping panoramic shots of Rome and Borromini's architecture. Following a number of material- ist films that search for the immaterial, La Sapienza makes a plea for the preservation of histo- ry but also for the rekindling of human feelings and interaction in a world grown disenchanted and weary. Fabrizio Rongione e Ludovico Succio in a scene from "La Sapienza" Continued from page 10

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