L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 10 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015 L'Italo-Americano T he New Italian Cinema is back to the Vogue Theatre in San Francisco starting November 11 for a five days of screening. The 19th edition will put together the most interesting movies made by well known directors as Paolo Sorrentino and Nanni Moretti, as well as those f r o m a g e n e r a t i o n o f y o u n g filmmakers. Tradition and new talent, drama and comedy, the movies chosen by experts of the San Francisco Film Society will focus on the art of storytelling. We talked to Rod Armstrong, w h o i s t h e d i r e c t o r o f programming on various Film Society endeavors, including the New Italian Cinema. W h a t m a k e s t h i s y e a r ' s e d i t i o n d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h e others? This year marks one of the very few times we've shown an English-language film – Paolo Sorrentino's YOUTH – in the p r o g r a m . T h e r e i s a l s o a w e l c o m e s h i f t t o f e m a l e p r o t a g o n i s t s i n a n u m b e r o f m o v i e s , i n c l u d i n g C L O R O (CHLORINE), MY NAME IS M A Y A a n d M I A M A D R E . W e h a v e d i r e c t o r s w h o a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e w o r l d o u t s i d e o f I t a l y , w i t h MEDITERRANEA a story of A f r i c a n r e f u g e e s a n d P a o l o Sorrentino's tale of a Brit and an American relaxing at a Swiss spa. Which is the main focus of the 19th edition? As always, the focus is on up- a n d - c o m i n g f i l m m a k e r s presenting their work bookended by more established directors a n d t h e i r l a t e s t f i l m s . Thematically, the movies run the g a m u t f r o m c o m i n g - o f - a g e stories to period pieces to older protagonists reflecting on their lives and loves. Throughout, we w i l l b e p l e a s e d t o w e l c o m e s e v e r a l f i l m m a k e r s t o S a n Francisco to present their work. T h e f e s t i v a l t r i e s t o alternate big directors' movies with young, less known but as talented directors. Why is it i m p o r t a n t t o k e e p t h i s balance? The reason for the balance is two-fold — one involving the audience and one involving the n a t i o n a l c i n e m a w e a r e c e l e b r a t i n g . A t t h i s p o i n t i n movie-going history, audiences are less apt to take a chance on somewhat unknown quantities. The bigger movies can hopefully draw a large audience and whet the appetite for the language and predicaments and get people interested in what new directors have to say. The other reason is t o c e l e b r a t e t h e o n g o i n g excellence of Italian filmmaking and remind audiences that it is often the very filmmakers they see in the competition section who will later be represented in the bigger titles that bookend the series. This year's big movies are a great example, as both Paolo Sorrentino's and Nanni Moretti's early movies were presented at New Italian Cinema in years past. Any big idea for next year, when NICE will celebrate the 20th anniversary? R i g h t n o w w e ' r e c o n c e n - trating on having a great festival this year, but we're all very excited to see what 2016 brings in terms of great movies and filmmakers from Italy. The Festival will open on November 11 with Wondrous B o c c a c c i o , d i r e c t e d b y t h e Taviani Brothers: the adaptation of The Decameron features a group of young women and men who hope to escape the Black P l a g u e b y j o u r n e y i n g t o t h e countryside where they tell one a n o t h e r s t o r i e s , m a i n l y f o l l o w i n g t h e t h e m e o f forbidden love. After the Oscar won thanks to La Grande Bellezza, Director Paolo Sorrentino is back with another work full of humour and melancholy: in Youth, life, love, age, and search for happiness come together in a resort where guests contemplate beauty in its myriad forms. E d o a r d o F a l c o n e , 2 0 1 5 David di Donatello award for Best New Director, presents his comedy-drama, God Willing: y o u n g A n d r e a c o n f e s s e s h i s parents that he wants to become a p r i e s t , e n c o u r a g e d b y h i s mentor named Pietro. While Andrea's father Tommaso, an a t h e i s t s u r g e o n , t a k e s t h e announcement as a challenge, o t h e r f a m i l y m e m b e r s f i n d themselves awakened by the revelation. Io, Arlecchino by Directors Matteo Bini and Giorgio Pasotti represents a theatrical history that began in the 16th century. A heartwarming, rich film that c h a r m i n g l y r e i n v e n t s t h e commedia dell'arte for the 21st. century. Based on the fraught life of 1 9 t h - c e n t u r y I t a l i a n p o e t G i a c o m o L e o p a r d i , M a r i o Martone's Leopardi features a u n i q u e p e r f o r m a n c e b y E l i o G e r m a n o : t h e s t o r y o f t h e physically frail young man, who leads a life of the mind, devoting h i m s e l f t o a n e p i s t o l a r y friendship with scholar Pietro Giordani, several unrequited romantic interests and a feverish compulsion to write. The festival closing night w i l l p u t o n s c r e e n N a n n i Moretti's Mia Madre. The story is about a filmmaker named Margherita directing a social- realist drama about a factory sit- in. While her mother's illness leads her to confront her own past, the plot shows the burdens of balancing artistic and family l i f e w h i l e p r e s e n t i n g a c o m p e l l i n g t a p e s t r y o f o n e woman's experience. F o r i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t the schedule and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.sffs. o r g / e x h i b i t i o n / f a l l - s e a s o n - 2015/new-italian-cinema. To participate to the crowdfunding project launched by the San Francisco COM.IT.ES and to b e a s p o n s o r o f t h e N e w Italian Cinema festival, visit h t t p : / / c o m i t e s - s f . o r g / E v e n t s / N I C E - N e w - I t a l i a n - Cinema The 19th edition of NICE brings master directors and new talents to San Francisco SERENA PERFETTO SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY From the left, Rod Armstrong with Fabio Mollo, director of SOUTH IS NOTHING, at 2014 San Francisco International Film Festival. Photo by Pat Mazzera Michael Cain and Harvey Keitel in Paolo Sorrentino's Youth 650.400.4747 AdeleDS@aol.com www.AdeleDS.com BRE# 00911740 Certied Trust, Probate and Estate Specialist Expert in preparation, promotion, and negotiation! 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