L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2014 www.italoamericano.com 6 Edoardo Ponti: "Let me tell about the journey with mom Sophia" "If this is the prce you have t o p a y , i t ' s n o t a s b a d a s i t looks, it's a very small price": Edoardo Ponti, son of actress S o p h i a L o r e n a n d p r o d u c e r C a r l o P o n t i , h a s n e v e r b e e n s c a r e d b y t h e f i g l i o d ' a r t e stereotype. Once taken the chal- lenge of learning and working hard, he could prove he had earned the given chance of com- ing from a well-known family. We talked to Edoardo after the successful opening of the New I t a l i a n C i n e m a i n S a n F r a n c i s c o , w h e r e " H u m a n Voice", the movie with Sophia as solo character, was screened. Have you ever thought of anyone else for that role? When an actor shows con- summate passion for a project, it means that an important part of the character speaks to him. When we cast a movie, we don't cast it about how the actor looks like but whether or not the soul of the actor aligns the soul of the character. I knew, from the very beginning, this was the right role for my mom. H o w w a s i t l i k e t o w o r k with your mom? What matters in such jour- neys is to be able to tell the same story. Despite the artistic challenge, we both wanted to do so. The thing I am most proud of - regarding my mom's perfor- mance - is how current her per- formance is. This is not the per- formance of an actor of another era, this is a performance of today. She applies her brilliance, her sensitivity, and her passion within the current context. What do you think of the overall experience? It's unforgettable. Imagine if y o u w o u l d w o r k w i t h y o u r mom… It's an experience on o n e l e v e l , m o t h e r a n d s o n embarking together on an artis- tic journey, as actor and director telling the same story. She tried the role for six weeks before starting. How did that time turn out to be so precious? My mom is a very instinctive actress, she has never trained to become one and the problem, in a piece like "Human Voice", is that, if you don't prepare and you don't carve the character's emotions, after a few minutes, the movie gets boring. We need- ed six weeks to create the jour- ney of up and down feelings: we wanted to carve those colours of e m o t i o n s o f a w o m a n w h o w a n t s t o f i g h t f o r h e r m a n , before the slow realization he is lying and the final desperation. H o w d i d t h i s e x p e r i e n c e c h a n g e t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between you and her? We've always been so close that it is just another confirma- tion of how great our relation- ship is. Did you watch the movie together? Of course we did. My mom felt this would have been the last role of her career. But the truth is, after she watched it, she got the courage, the inspiration, and the energy to say: "I may have a bunch of roles left". She is a vulnerable actress: when she takes on a role, she never knows if she is going to succeed and that's what makes her magic. When she saw what she did and what she can still do in those conditions, she decided to chal- lenge herself more…which is fantastic! I was proud as if she was my daughter. Why do you think she still inspires many? She was able to conserve her feet on the ground despite the enormous success that would make other people go crazy. She w a s n e v e r m o t i v a t e d b y a n y kind of vanity, despite her beau- ty. She is an actress, but she is a mother and a woman first. She is just a great woman who hap- pens to act, that's what she is. Can you find three words to describe her? Either Sophia Loren or my mom can't be defined with three SERENA PERFETTO words. W h i c h o f h e r q u a l i t i e s w o u l d m a k e a n a c t r e s s a s good as her? It's very important not to believe your hype. Actresses are s u r r o u n d e d b y p e o p l e w h o m a k e a l o t o f m o n e y o u t o f them. People who make them b e l i e v e G o d g a v e t h e m t h e world. The more you believe so, the more you become dependent on those people and the more y o u l o o s e y o u r s e l f i n t h e process. H o w d i d y o u r m o m a n d your dad influence you? They have the same quality: the enthusiasm of taking an idea and turn it into reality. I remem- ber my father once saying "The movie business is just great. You can create something out of nothing. You see a person on the street, he gives you a certain look, and you come up with an idea for a movie". It's incredi- ble. When I do something, I prepare 150%, when I walk on set I know what I want, what I need, and how to express it. That's my mother. The advantage and the dis- advantage of being a "figlio d'arte"… W e w e r e n ' t p a r t o f t h e Hollywood life, we lived a sep- arate life, we really had a home. What I saw in my family is that this job is a craft that only later c a n b e c a l l e d ' a r t ' . W e a r e c r a f t s m e n , t h e m o m e n t y o u think you are doing something artistic you enter a very danger- ous zone. What I learnt from them is the work ethic. The dis- advantage is that you are judged on your parents' success more than on your own achievement. It took me three years before people started seeing what I am good at. How is the Italian cinema changing? My favourite Italian director is Matteo Garrone but I also l i k e P a o l o S o r r e n t i n o , A s i a Argento, Paolo Virzì. I think no good movies can come unless you like cinema and they all do. American HBO has influenced the Italian TV and, thanks to it, the bar has been raised over the world: it has created new inter- est and new love for good sto- ries. Director, writer and producer Edoardo Ponti with his mother the actress Sophia Loren Edoardo Ponti with Sophia Loren at the AFI Fest. Photo courtesy Kika Press Dec. 3, Wed. - Berio in New York. Sarah Cahill and Adam Tendler Play Luciano Berio. Warming Up with Luciano Berio- The brilliant young pianist Adam Tendler, visiting from New York, joins Sarah Cahill in a warm-up concert featuring Luciano Berio's piano compositions before they perform the same pro- gr am a w eek later at the I talian A cad emy in N ew York. Organized by: Berkeley Arts Festival, 2133 University Avenue, Berkeley. Info at http://www.berkeleyartsfestival.com Dec. 4, Thurs. - The Art of the Costume, Drawings of Selected Opera Costumes from Teatro di San Carlo by AAU students, who made exquisite drawings of each other wearing these histo- rical costumes, jewels and other accessories. Opening reception: Thursday, 4 December, 6-8 PM; Info http://www.iicsanfranci- sco.esteri.it or (415) 788-7142. Dec. 5, Fri.- An evening with Michelle Longega Wilson, An 8- year-old Amazon best-selling Italian-American Author. Bring your children for an entertaining and inspiring evening of fun. Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco Info http://www.iic- sanfrancisco.esteri.it. For information: (415) 788-7142 . Dec. 6, Sat.-Madonna Del Lume Annual Christmas Party at Fior d'Italia Restaurant (2237 Mason St., San Francisco). 11:30am-4pm. Adults, $60 p.p., Kids, $20 p.p. No host bar. RSVP by Dec. 1st to Antonia Sanfilippo Ferretti (650) 296- 9925. F or inf or mation: A ntonia ( 650) 29 6 - 9 9 2 5 , Ro s e Cannizzaro (415) 474-9995 or email mdlnewssf@yahoo.com Dec. 9, Tues.-Dionisio's Sculpture Exploration: A lecture by international artist Dionisio Cimarelli. In this lecture, Dionisio will comment on his progress in the field of sculpture and drawing from the early 1980s to the present. Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco Info http://www.iicsanfrancisco.este- ri.it. For information: (415) 788-7142. Dec. 10, Wed. BAIA will celebrate the upcoming holiday sea- s on w it h a s p ecia l ed itio n o f th e m o n t h ly a p erit iv o. Taste delicious Italian food and Prosecco glasses to celebrate in style! 6pm to 9pm at Monroe @ 437 Broadway St, San F r ancis co. I nf o at h ttp ://lin k . b aia-n etw o r k . o rg /ev en ts / event/listUpcoming Dec. 17, Wed. - Cinema and Jazz: Gianni Amico Three short films about jazz by Amico and Maccioni. Come and see three short films about jazz by and about the film director, documen- tary filmmaker, screenwriter and cultural promoter Gianni Amico (1933-90), a unique and eclectic figure in Italian cinema. I talian Cultural Ins titute o f S an Francisco Info http://www.iicsanfrancisco.esteri.it. For informa- tion: (415) 788-7142

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