General News
Italian Film Festival USA of St. Louis Kicks Off This Weekend
Which should be exciting news for those unaware we even had an annual Italian Film Festival here in St. Louis. We do, and it’s been going on for ten years now. It’s not well-promoted in general but it must be in the local Italian community because I’ve attended on the past and they always draw huge crowds (the free admission probably doesn’t hurt).
St. Louisans can enjoy the local premiere of eleven recent Italian films at this year’s Italian Film Festival USA of St. Louis. The films are shown in their original language with English subtitles at 3 venues on the campus of Washington University: Lab Sciences 300, Brown Hall and Steinberg Auditorium.
For more details such as directions, times, sponsors, and a complete schedule go to the Italian Film Festival USA site HERE
http://www.italianfilmfestivalstlouis.com/index.html
Highlights of this year’s fest include THE BEST OFFER, the latest film by Giuseppe Tornatore (CINEMA PARADISO), with Geoffrey Rush and Donald Sutherland. And two films, THE JEWEL and LONG LIVE FREEDOM, starring Toni Servillo, who had the lead role in THE GREAT BEAUTY, the winner of the 2014 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Did we mention that admission is FREE?
Italian Film Festival USA of St. Louis begins this weekend with OUT OF THE BLUE and LONG LIVE FREEDOM
OUT OF THE BLUE screens Saturday April 5th at Jerzewiak Family Auditorium on the campus of Washington University at 5:30pm
In OUT OF THE BLUE (2103), a ladies’ man with a skyrocketing career returns home to find Layla, a seventeen-year-old who claims to be his daughter. She is not alone…there’s also her grandfather. And they have come to stay!
Black () White said of OUT OF THE BLUE:
“Charming and Endearing Italian Melodrama…..deserves a thumbs up and is definitely recommended as a fun flick about family.”
LONG LIVE FREEDOM screens Saturday April 5th at Jerzewiak Family Auditorium on the campus of Washington University at 8pm
In LONG LIVE FREEDOM (2013) Enrico, the leader of the most important political opposition party, suddenly leaves for France to meet Danielle, his ex-girlfriend from twenty years ago. To cover up his unexplained absence, his wife Anna and assistant Bottini turn to Enrico’s twin brother, Ernani, a philosophy professor who was recently released from a psychiatric hospital. LONG LIVE FREEDOM is directed by Roberto Andò and based on his book Il trono vuoto.
Jay Weissberg at Variety wrote of LONG LIVE FREEDOM:
“A winking critique of Italian politics offers several pleasurable digs at the establishment…captures the Italian center-left’s complete failure at marketing, showing up the absurdity of an unbalanced man, almost like Chauncy Gardiner, achieving what no politico can do: successfully package their message.”
LONG LIVE FREEDOM was nominated for many Italian Golden Globe Awards – Best Actor (Toni Servillo), Best Actress (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi), Best Supporting Actress (Anna Bonaiuto), Best Producer, Best Sound, Best Make-Up, Best Hair Design/Styling, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects: David di Donatello; Best Director (Roberto Andò), Best Actor (Valerio Mastrandrea), Best Producer, Best Score, Best Editing: Nastri d’Argento; Best Director (Roberto Andò)
Here’s the rest of the line-up for the Italian Film Festival USA of St. Louis:
Friday, April 11 * 8:00 pm * Brown Hall 100
A world renowned antiques expert, who leads a solitary life, is appointed to oversee the sale of a beautiful heiress’ priceless art collection, and is soon engulfed by a passion that rocks his bland existence.
Saturday, April 12 * 5:30 p.m. * Brown Hall 100
Venice, the world’s most beautiful city, is invaded every day by 50,000 tourists. There are only 48,000 residents, and there are fewer every year as the city is becoming almost uninhabitable. The film shows what remains of Venetian life. A Requiem for a still grand city.
SCATTERED CLOUDS Director, Saverio Di Biagio, Romantic drama, 2011, 99 min.
Saturday, April 12 * 8:00 p.m. * Brown Hall 100
Special appearance by director Saverio Di Biagio
Sunday, April 13 * 5:30 p.m. * Brown Hall 100
Set against the background of a Roman school are the stories of an art history professor who has lost his passion for the job, a young substitute who is trying to save a rebel student, and a stern head mistress who is forced to deal with a student who has been forgotten by his mother.
Sunday, April 13 * 8:00 pm * Brown Hall 100
Luciano never misses a chance to perform for his customers in the fish market. At the urging of family, he auditions for the reality show Big Brother. From that moment on his perception of reality is never the same.
Saturday, April 19 * 5:30 pm * Lab Sciences 300
Leo is a typical 16-year-old who loves to ride his scooter and play soccer, but finds school agonizing. Then, a new teacher encourages him to follow his dreams, which include a fellow student with fiery red hair.
Saturday, April 19 * 8:00 pm * Lab Sciences 300
The founder of a conglomerate places his closest relatives and trusted managers in key positions, but they are unfit to face the challenges of today’s market and the company goes further and further into debt.
Friday, April 25 * 6:30 pm * Steinberg Auditorium
The documentary recounts the story of two women: one who leads the longest factory sit-in by women in Italy and the other who operates a cookie factory that encourages cultural growth among the workers.
Friday, April 25 * 8:00 pm * Steinberg Auditorium
Giulio leads a seemingly idyllic life with his wife and two children. But he has made a critical error that causes everything to unravel, and he discovers how thin the line truly is between well-being and poverty.
0 comments