Film

The cinepanettone genre of Italian cinema emerged in the 1980s with Carlo and Enrico Vanzina’s 1983 “Vacanze di Natale” (Christmas Holidays), a slapstick comedy set on the ski slopes of Cortina d’Ampezzo in northern Italy. The film follows two families of different classes whose worlds intertwine while on vacation. Among the all-star cast are Christian De Sica and Stefania Sandrelli. The film did remarkably well at the box office and set an annual precedent for films featuring outrageous situations set at resort-type locations during Christmastime. De Sica continued as the main protagonist pairing up with actor Massimo Boldi. The term, …

Born in 1930, Arturo Zavattini is known for his work as a photographer, cinematographer and director of photography. His father, Cesare Zavattini, was a longtime collaborator of Federico Fellini and Vittorio De Sica, and Arturo practically grew up on film sets. He worked as an assistant and camera operator on famous Italian films such as “Il bidone,” “La dolce vita” and “Divorce Italian Style.” He also worked as an ethnographic photographer, accompanying anthropologist Ernesto de Martino on his famous expedition to Lucania in 1952. Being a teenager in Rome during the post-war years, Zavattini was influenced by the neorealist movement …

In a moving story that spans several decades, “The Macaluso Sisters” follows five orphaned sisters born and raised in an apartment located on the outskirts of Palermo. They support themselves by renting out pigeons for events. Directed by Emma Dante, who adapted the film from her own 2014 play by the same name, the all-female cast interprets the story in three chapters that show how the tragic events of a single day can follow a family through childhood, adulthood and into old age. The first chapter reveals the tragedy of the youngest sister, Antonella, dying during a beach outing. She …

Born into a creative family of directors, writers and actors, Luca Caserta is making a name for himself on the world’s stage as an award-winning director. Caserta earned a master’s degree in prehistoric archaeology before deciding to pursue an artistic career. He began by working in theater. He then pursued a filmmaking degree at Cinecittà’s Movie Academy in Rome, studying under the direction of Golden Age filmmaker Carlo Lizzani. He also attended Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome, where he took a course in cinematography and attended several workshops. Since completing his studies, he has dedicated himself exclusively to cinema …

Based on the true story of the 1917 Marian apparitions reported by three children at the Cova da Iria in Portugal, Marco Pontecorvo’s 2020 drama. “Fátima” offers a contemporary take using new technology. “The cinemascope format can give back to the audience a much stronger emotion and can help people enjoy the stunning cinematography by Vincenzo Carpineta,” Pontecorvo says. The director got involved with the project after producers saw his 2009 feature film, “Pa-ra-da,” that addresses the issue of homeless children in post-Ceausescu Romania. Impressed by his direction of the children, they suggested he direct “Fatima.” He felt the story …

  It’s unusual for first-time filmmakers to be recognized by a high-profile international film festival but such is the case with Cecilia Pignocchi and Arthur Couvat. Their debut work, “Grottaroli,” is in the official lineup of the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival’s Shorts Program. Set along the Adriatic Coast, the 14-minute film follows a group of veteran fishermen as they reflect on their vanishing way of life. Describing the fifth character as the sea, Pignocchi and her co-director offer total immersion into a culture that few outside the area knew existed. I spoke with Pignocchi about the making of the short …

Italy recently said goodbye to one of its most beloved filmmakers. Cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno passed away on Feb 7, 2021, at the age of 97. Rotunno was one of the most prominent cinematographers of all time. Throughout the decades, he collaborated on cinematic masterpieces with the likes of Federico Fellini, Mario Monicelli, Luchino Visconti and Terry Gilliam. The first film he worked was in 1943 as a camera assistant on “L’uomo dalla Croce” (The Man With a Cross) by Roberto Rossellini. In 1956, he made his debut as a cinematographer alongside director Carmine Gallone on “Tosca” followed by “Le notti …

The Istituto Italiano di Cultura will complete its exploration of the work of actor Luca Marinelli with a virtual screening of “Lo chiamavano Jeeg” (They Call Me Jeeg). The film follows Enzo, a misanthropic small-time crook who uses superpowers gained after falling into the Tiber River to chase down a crazy gangster called “The Gypsy.” The film will be available for viewing from 1 p.m. April 23 to 1 p.m. April 25. To register, click here.    

The Lenten season is the perfect time to catch up on biblical epics and we have a comprehensive list to help get you started. Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1964 “Il Vangolo Secondo Matteo” (The Gospel According to St. Matthew) is considered by the Vatican to be among the best film adaptations of the Gospels. Pasolini shot the film in the regions of Basilicata and Calabria, casting his mother as Mary and many locals as extras. Spanish actor Enrique Irazoqui was cast in the role of Jesus. He was just 18-years-old when he landed the part. He had been in Rome at the …

Ten shorts by the Sicilian documentary filmmaker Vittorio De Seta are now  available on The Criterion Channel. The collection was released in recognition of the 30th anniversary of the Film Foundation, an organization founded by Martin Scorcese and dedicated to preserving cinema. In addition to the films by De Seta, The Criterion Channel is releasing a number of films during the year-long celebration that have been saved and restored thanks to this initiative. Among the Italian films in the first batch of releases are Luchino Visconti’s 1954 “Senso,” Francesco Rosi’s 1962 “Salvatore Giuliano” and 1972 “The Mattei Affair” and Sergio …