Oct 17, 2013
SFFILM
The San Francisco Film Society and New Italian Cinema Events of Florence, Italy present New Italian Cinema, November 13-17 at Landmark’s Clay Theatre (2261 Fillmore St). The five-day festival is dedicated to bringing Italy’s newest directors and films to Bay Area audiences and celebrating the country’s rich cinematic tradition.
For complete program information, visit sffs.org/Exhibition/Fall-Season.
Celebrating its 17th glorious year in San Francisco, New Italian Cinema kicks off this edition with Garibaldi’s Lovers, the latest film from Silvio Soldini (Days and Clouds) and will feature a Closing Night tribute to Paolo Sorrentino (This Must Be the Place), including a screening of his new film The Great Beauty. Both filmmakers will be in attendance. Also, in honor of Sorrentino’s visit, NIC 2013 also features a close look at recent Neapolitan cinema with a three-film spotlight, highlighting one of Italy’s most complex and historically rich cities.
Eight terrific features by up-and-coming directors-a number of whom will be in attendance at their screenings-are featured in the City of Florence Award competition. The competing films this year include delightful coming-of-age stories, tough family dramas and insightful explorations of modern romantic relationships, as one might expect from one of the world’s most passionate countries. The City of Florence Award will be decided by audience ballot and announced at a Closing Night presentation following the 6:00 pm screening of The Great Beauty on Sunday, November 17.
“This year’s New Italian Cinema brings an eclectic offering of competition films along with an exciting three-film retrospective of Neapolitan cinema,” said SFFS programmer Rod Armstrong. “Bookended by new films from Silvio Soldini, who opens the festival with Garibaldi’s Lovers, and Paolo Sorrentino, whose masterful The Grand Beauty will close it out, this year’s program demonstrates without a doubt the diversity, topicality and creativity of Italian cinema.”
2013 has been declared the Year of Italian Culture in the United States by the Italian Ministry of Culture, and New Italian Cinema is one of more than 200 participating events taking place in more than 50 cities throughout the country this year. With a focus on research, discovery and innovation, “Italy in U.S. 2013” seeks to celebrate the influence of Italian culture on countless aspects of art and science, both throughout history and with an eye to the future. For more information visit italyinus2013.org.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13 Opening Night
6:15 pm Garibaldi’s Lovers
Silvio Soldini (Il comandante e la cicogna, Italy/Switzerland 2012)
The director of 2007’s hard-hitting Days and Clouds takes a more comedic look at contemporary Italian society with this dual story of a Genoan plumber named Leone (Valerio Mastandrea, similarly excellent in Balancing Act) trying to raise his two kids after the death of his wife, and starving artist Diana (Alba Rohrwacher) who is hoping for a lucrative new commission. A Greek chorus of historical figures, including Leonardo da Vinci and 19th-century politician Giuseppe Garibaldi, add rueful comment on the characters and their troubles while arguing about Italy’s distressing current state of affairs. While pointed and critical at times, Garibaldi’s Lovers is also a playful, romantic and funny depiction of city life in bella Italia. Written by Doriana Leondeff, Marco Pettenello, Silvo Soldini. Cinematography by Ramiro Civita. With Claudia Gerini, Alba Rohrwacher, Valerio Mastandrea. 108 min. In Italian with subtitles. Film Movement.
9:00 pm Napoli 24 Neapolitan Spotlight
Multiple directors (Italy 2010)
From over 100 proposals, the producers of Napoli 24 selected 24 directors to each make a three-minute short portraying the city of Naples. The result, featuring shorts by New Italian Cinema 2013 participants Mario Martone and Paolo Sorrentino alongside numerous younger and lesser-known directors, is a choral work of great diversity and vitality. Over three years in the making and completed with great difficulty during the infamous garbage crisis, this omnibus film pays tribute to one of the world’s most magnificent and complicated metropolises. Cinematography by Cesare Accetta, Francesca Amitrano, Mario Amura, Antonio Grambone, Agostino Vertucci. 75 min. In Italian with subtitles. Rai Cinema.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 14 City of Florence Award Competition Films
6:30 pm Balancing Act
Ivano De Matteo (Gli equilibristi, Italy 2012)
The financial precariousness of middle-class life is thrown into dramatic relief in this powerful drama about life, love and family. Giulio (Valerio Mastandrea, who won the David Award for Best Actor for this performance) is a great dad who loves his kids but is not getting along as well with his wife. When they separate, he begins a slide into instability due to the demands of supporting two households. As his daughter (played by the wonderful Rosabell Laurenti Sellers, also a key player in Out of the Blue) begins to notice his declining state of affairs, the possibility of a new and carefully brokered peace among the family is negotiated. Written by Ivano De Matteo, Valentina Ferlan. Cinematography by Vittorio Omodei Zorini. With Valerio Mastandrea, Barbora Bobulova, Rosabell Laurenti Sellers. 107 min. In Italian with subtitles. Rai Trade.
8:45 pm There Will Come a Day
Giorgio Diritti (Un giorno devi andare, Italy/France 2013)
After a tragic personal event, a young woman named Augusta (Jasmine Trinca) flees Italy for the Brazilian Amazon to give medical assistance to the indigenous population and to try and restore meaning to her life. Finding that her methods differ from that of the woman she came to help-a hard-line Catholic nun named Franca who aims to convert as well as heal-she discovers another way to help in the favelas of Manaus. Depicting Augusta’s journey with compassion and complexity and an often astonishing visual magnificence, director Giorgio Diritti (The Man Who Will Come, SFIFF 2010) has crafted a work of great beauty. Written by Giorgio Diritti, Fredo Valla, Tania Pedroni. Cinematography by Roberto Cimatti. With Jasmine Trinca, Anne Alvaro, Pia Engleberth. 110 min. In Italian and Portuguese with subtitles. Elle Driver.
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 15 City of Florence Award Competition Films
6:30 pm Steel
Stefano Mordini (Acciaio, Italy 2012)
Most people pass through the seaside working-class town of Piombino on their way to islands offshore. But for teenage pals Francesca and Anna, and Francesca’s older brother Alessio, it is the place where they must stay-at least for now. The two girls have a flirtatious friendship and too much time on their hands, but circumstances are driving them apart while steel mill worker Alessio is faced with the return of an old flame now in a management position. With the downward-slanting economy as a backdrop and fraught sexual tensions in the forefront, Steel delves deeply and expertly into the vagaries of interpersonal, small-town relationships. Written by Giulia Calenda, Stefano Mordini, Silvia Avallone. Cinematography by Marco Onorato. With Michele Riondino, Vittoria Puccini, Anna Bellezza. 95 min. In Italian with subtitles. Films Distribution.
9:00 pm Cosimo and Nicole
Francesco Amato (Cosimo e Nicole, Italy 2013)
This drama about an obsessive relationship that takes a dark turn is grounded by two powerhouse performances by Riccardo Scamarcio and Clara Ponsot. They play the titular characters who meet at a political demonstration in France and travel together to Genoa, finding work with a concert promoter and living and loving in a beautiful shack by the sea. When an immigrant coworker from Guinea is injured, the resulting fracas puts the lovers on the run and their relationship in jeopardy. Directed with urgency by Francesco Amato, Cosimo and Nicole is a vibrant portrait of youthful passion amid the economic and social circumstances of present-day Europe. Written by Francesco Amato, Giuliano Miniati, Daniela Gambaro. Cinematography by Federico Annicchiarico. With Riccardo Scamarcio, Clara Ponsot, Souleymane Sow. 100 min. In Italian and French with subtitles. Rai Trade.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 16 City of Florence Award Competition Films
12:15 pm We Believed Neapolitan Spotlight (not in competition)
Mario Martone (Noi credevamo, Italy/France 2010)
Made to coincide with Italy’s 150th anniversary celebration, this epic 19th-century costume drama tells the story of the country’s path to independence. Inspired by the nationalist writings of Giuseppe Mazzini, two noblemen and a Sicilian peasant become radicalized in the salons of Paris and have their allegiances tested while they negotiate the perilous political waters between and among constituencies. Torn between the forces of radical democracy and monarchism, a conservative-leaning north and a more radical south, they forge ahead toward nationhood. With a stirring score and an all-star cast including Luigi Lo Cascio, Toni Servillo and Fiona Shaw, Martone’s film is a must for history buffs. Written by Giancarlo De Castaldo, Mario Martone. Cinematography by Renato Berta. With Luigi Lo Cascio, Valerio Binasco, Toni Servillo. 170 min. In Italian, French and Sicilian with subtitles. Rai Trade.
4:15 pm Ali Blue Eyes
Claudio Giovannesi (Alì ha gli occhi azzurri, Italy 2012)
Nader is a hotheaded 16-year-old of Egyptian descent, but with his blue contact lenses, blonde girlfriend and Italian best friend he is fairly assimilated. He’s also a petty thief and small-time hoodlum whose behavior and actions rankle his parents and the other neighborhood toughs. When a family squabble puts him on the street and a nightclub brawl sends him on the run, difficult questions of cultural difference, economic circumstances and familial ties rise to the fore. Working with a non-professional cast using incidents from their lives, Claudio Giovannesi paints a revelatory picture of existence for the many different cultures trying to live together in present-day Italy. Written by Claudio Giovannesi, Filippo Gravino. Cinematography by Daniele Cipri. With Nader Sarhan, Stefano Rabatti, Brigitte Apruzzesi. 100 min. In Italian and Arabic with subtitles. IntraMovies.
6:30 pm Out of the Blue
Edoardo Leo (Buongiorno papà, Italy 2013)
A slick ladies’ man learns new responsibilities in this warm crowd-pleaser from the director of 18 Years Later (NIC 2010). Andrea (Raoul Bova) is an ad executive whose best pal Paolo (cowriter/director Leo) is crashing on his couch. When Layla (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers from Balancing Act), a pull-no-punches teen, arrives with her sleepwalking grandfather Enzo and announces that she’s Andrea’s daughter, the unapologetic playboy is forced to determine whether he wants to give up his carefree life for the demands of fatherhood. Out of the Blue offers an expert cast of characters who impact one another in unexpected ways and a touching script that avoids easy sentimentality. Written by Herbert Simone Paragnani, Massimiliano Bruno, Edoardo Leo. Cinematography by Arnaldo Catinari. With Raoul Bova, Marco Giallini, Edoardo Leo, Rosabell Laurenti Sellers. 106 min. In Italian with subtitles. IntraMovies.
9:00 pm The Interval
Leonardo di Costanzo (L’intervallo, Italy 2012)
Inside the walls of an abandoned Naples boarding school, a 17-year-old street vendor must spend the afternoon watching over a pretty 15-year-old who is being sequestered for reasons unknown to him. At first hostile, Veronica alternatively insults and ignores the timid and overweight Salvatore, but as he shows his gentleness and concern she starts to reveal herself and pieces of her predicament. As the pair explores the building and grounds, sharing stories and life experiences, they make some surprising discoveries about their environment and one another, though the constraint of external forces is always felt-a sense highlighted by director di Costanzo’s refined use of space. Written by Maurizio Braucci, Mariangela Barbanente, Leonardo di Costanzo. Cinematography by Luca Bigazzi. With Francesca Riso, Alessio Gallo, Carmine Paternoster. 80 min. In Italian with subtitles. Rai Trade.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 17 Closing Night
1:00 pm Gorbaciof Neapolitan Spotlight
Stefano Incerti (Italy 2010)
With a birthmark on his forehead resembling that of a certain Russian politician, Neapolitan prison cashier Marino (nicknamed Gorbaciof for obvious reasons and played by Toni Servillo) is a dour man with a routine life. He works and he gambles, sometimes pilfering from one endeavor to finance the other. Matters change, however, when he meets the daughter of the Chinese restaurateur with whom he plays poker and begins to court her. Returning to film’s visual essence, cowriter/director Incerti depicts his taciturn protagonist’s life with sparseness and immediacy, bolstered by Servillo’s impeccable performance. Written by Diego De Silva, Stefano Incerti. Cinematography by Pasquale Mari. With Toni Servillo, Mi Yang, Geppy Gleijeses, Gaetano Bruno. 85 min. In Italian and Mandarin with subtitles. Rai Trade.
3:00 pm The Ideal City City of Florence Award Competition Film
Luigi Lo Cascio (La città ideale, Italy 2012)
Architect Michele is a bit obsessive-he is so concerned with being ecologically conscious that he alienates many coworkers. When he borrows a friend’s car, driving for the first time in eight years, he has an accident that upends his orderly life. The ramifications of this mishap along with the deleterious effects of his own character quirks will transform, for him, his beloved city of Siena into a maze of bureaucracy where people lack concern for the truth. Actor Luigi Lo Cascio’s (The Best of Youth) directorial debut is a wonderfully unclassifiable work, rich with philosophical ideas and punctuated by the increasing precariousness of Michele’s situation. Written by Luigi Lo Cascio, Massimo Gaudioso, Desideria Rayner, Virginia Borgi. Cinematography by Pasquale Mari. With Luigi Lo Cascio, Catrinel Marlon, Luigi Maria Burruano. 105 min. In Italian with subtitles. Rai Trade.
6:00 pm The Great Beauty Followed by City of Florence Award Ceremony
Paolo Sorrentino (La grande bellezza, Italy/France 2013)
“I wanted to be the king of the high life,” says Roman writer Jep Gambardella (Toni Servillo, masterful once again), and he’s mostly succeeded. Coasting off the success of his first novel, he entertains the haute bourgeoisie on the terrace of his luxurious flat where they party and pontificate. But after 65 years, he finds himself looking for more meaning than “la dolce vita” supplies. Considering old loves while embarking on new affairs, Jep is the viewer’s world-weary guide to the Dionysian offerings of Rome. Employing elegant cinematography and a brilliantly wide-ranging score, director Paolo Sorrentino has created a phantasmagoric feast for the senses, a tribute to the Eternal City that will surely have a long life of its own. Written by Paolo Sorrentino, Umberto Contarello. Cinematography by Luca Bigazzi. With Toni Servillo, Sabrina Ferilli, Carlo Verdone. 140 min. In Italian with subtitles. Janus Films.
9:15 pm Closing Night Reception Join us in celebration of the City of Florence Award with Italian-inspired bites and sponsored wine by Siena Imports at 1300 On Fillmore (1300 Fillmore Street).
9:30 pm One Man Up
Paolo Sorrentino (L’uomo in più, Italy 2001)
Sorrentino’s debut feature stars Toni Servillo as Tony Pisapia, an aging crooner, cokehead and lothario, frequently bedding women younger than his daughter. When he’s caught with an underage girl, his career hits the skids. In a parallel plotline, another man with the same name (unrelated and ten years younger) finds his soccer career squashed by an untimely injury. With surreal dream sequences and potent ideas about destiny and morality, One Man Up is a dark and ambitious (and rarely screened) film that heralded the brilliant career that was to come. Written by Paolo Sorrentino. Cinematography by Pasquale Mari. With Toni Servillo, Andrea Renzi, Nello Mascia, Antonio Bruschetta. 100 min. In Italian with subtitles. Medusa Film.
Film tickets $12 for SFFS members, $14 general, $13 seniors, students and persons with disabilities, $10 children (12 and under); Closing Night film and party tickets $20 for SFFS members, $25 general; Fall Season CineVoucher 10-Packs $110 for SFFS members, $130 general. Box office opens October 15 for members and October 17 for the general public online at sffs.org.
To request screeners and interviews contact bproctor@sffs.org.
For photos and press materials visit: sffs.org/pressdownloads.
New Italian Cinema is presented in collaboration with New Italian Cinema Events (nicefestival.org) and Italian Cultural Institute, San Francisco under the auspices of the Consulate General of Italy and with sponsorship from Comune di Firenze; Fondazione Sistema Toscana; Ministero dei Beni Culturali; Regiona Toscana; special support provided by John and Karen Diefenbach and John and Romana Bracco; and media sponsors The Bold Italic, SF Weekly, San Francisco Bay Guardian and San Francisco Examiner. The Closing Night Party is supported by 1300 on Fillmore and wine sponsor Siena Imports.