L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 www.italoamericano.org 8 SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY F or many years, she has rep- resented both the soul and the s trength of Italian womanhood: for this reason, the A merican audience not only knows her as an actress but also loves all her roles, as a hilarious comedian as well as a strong, passionate, and yet vulnerable woman. S o me of the mos t famous Anna Magnani's movies are now coming to the Bay Area for a rich schedule of events starting late September. Nevertheless, the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMP- FA) announced a unique series of movies , called "A N N A MAGNANI: ETERNAL SOUL OF ITALIAN CINEMA". An interesting title for an actress that, as explained by Associate Film Curator Kathryn MacKay, has been able to "bring a unique combination of exuberance, empathy, and intelligence to the parts she played, and transcend- ed the stereotypical female roles that were, and for the most part still are, the norm." We talked to BAMPFA new Associate Film Curator in order to discover more about Anna Magnani and understand how, seventy years after Roberto Rossellini's Rome Open City introduced her to international audiences, her per- formances remain as radical and arresting as when her films were first released. Why did you choose Anna Magnani as main character of one of the BAMPFA series? Anna Magnani was a remark- ably talented performer and absolutely one of a kind, she has a riveting screen presence and is unlike any other actress before or since. We are fortunate that the Istituto Luce Cinecittà has made a number of 35mm film prints available to screen in North America, so it's an oppor- tune time to revisit Magnani's work at BAMPFA. Many of the films we will be showing in the series are difficult to see in any form and rarely screened in the US. It is fascinating to watch Magnani's performances over the decades of her career, our series includes films from 1934 to 1972. and is also a great way to see the works of a broad spec- trum of great film directors. Just to name a few the series includes films by V ittorio D e S ica, Roberto Rossellini, Luchino Visconti, Jean Renoir, Pier Paolo Pasolini, George Cuckor and Sidney Lumet along with many others. Wh ich k in d of reaction would you expect from the audience? I think the audience at BAMPFA is going to enjoy the series and discovering or redis- covering her talents through the range of films we are showing. I think the unique quality of Magnani's performances and the variety of films offered will encourage the audience to keep coming back to see the films in the ideal conditions offered by the Barbro Osher theater Why do you think is impor- tan t for p eop le to w atch Magnani's movies? I think M agnani' s perfor - mances are important because s he repres ents the kinds of SERENA PERFETTO "Anna Magnani, The Eternal Soul of Italian Cinema": BAMPFA Film Series Celebrates the Brilliant Actress women who are rarely depicted in cinema even today. She brings a depth and profundity to her characters, her women seem real, not ideal. I think that the way she can be powerful and vulnerable at the same time is fascinating. In many of her roles, she exudes an appealing sexy kind of confi- dence and you see her become beautiful not because she looks like a model but because her intelligence and passion are so compelling. She is also a great comedian and brings humor and wit to her performances even in very serious roles. Which aspects about Italy do you think they represent the most? I think these films are really a w indow into many different aspects of Italian life and culture. Most of the films in the series are about working class charac- ters trying to make the best of the situations in which they find themselves, but all the films are really very different. I do find it interesting how the films she made in the US depict Italian immigrant experiences. Even outside of Italy, Magnani is pro- foundly Italian. If you could choose, which movie would you suggest the viewers to watch? It is so difficult to choose and I think everyone will have differ- ent favorites. But having said that, the two films that were real discoveries for me are Angelina (L'onorevole Angelina) by Luigi Zampa from 1947 in w hich M agnani plays a s omew hat reluctant activist fighting for bet- ter living and working conditions in the slums outside Rome. It is inspiring and funny and not very well known outside of Italy. I would also encourage people to come and see Sidney Lumet's The Fugitive Kind from 1960. That film is based on a play O rpheus D es cending by Tennessee Williams who was a great friend and admirer of Magnani. She won an Academy Award for her role in the film The Rose Tattoo which Williams wrote with Magnani in mind. The Fugitive Kind, with both Marlon Brando and Magnani is a devastating look at small town life in a community poisoned by racism and violence. "Anna Magnani: The Eternal Soul of Italian Cinema" Series goes from September 24 through December 4, 2016. For the full program and ticket information, visit http://bampfa.org/program/ anna-magnani-eternal-soul-ital- ian-cinema BAMPFA Associate Film Curator Kathryn MacKay (Ph: Eric Glavin) Anna Magnani playing in "Bellissima" Movie Anna Magnani in Pasolini's movie "Mamma Roma" (1962)

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