Spotlight on Attrici Italiane

The Italian Cultural Institute in New York has organized a film series that highlights Italian actresses. Here are the details of the series, which begins next Thursday:

YOUNG DIVAS OF RECENT ITALIAN CINEMA


June 12, 6 pm
"Respiro" (Respiro: Grazia’s Island): Valeria Golino
Directed by: Emanuele Crialese. Starring: Valeria Golino, Vincenzo Amato, Veronica D’Agostino. Italy – France, 2003, 95 min.

Grazia (Valeria Golino) is a mother of three, who spends suffocating days packing fish while her husband Pietro (Vincenzo Amato) is at sea.

Her erratic behavior leads Pietro into thinking she may need medical attention, and he prepares to send her off to a psychiatric institute in Milan. Their son Pasquale (Francesco Casisa), who understands his mother better than anybody else, wants to help her.

June 26, 6 pm
"Casomai" - Stefania Rocca
Directed by: Alessandro D’Alatri. Starring: Stefania Rocca, Fabio Volo, Gennaro Nunziante, Sara D’Amario. Italy, 2002, 114 min.

Stefania (Stefania Rocca) and Tommaso (Fabio Volo) wish to get marry. The couple is confronted not only with the beauty of their love but also with the difficulties of a marriage: loss of togetherness, temptations, and each other’s interfering .

July 17, 6 pm
"Il Caimano" (The Cayman): Margherita Buy
Directed by: Nanni Moretti. Starring: Margherita Buy, Silvio Orlando, Jasmine Trinca, Nanni Moretti. Italy - France, 2006, 108 min.

Bruno Bonomo (Silvio Orlando) was a famous producer of b-movies in 70s. After a long period of inactivity, he is now working on a screenplay, "Il Caimano,” written by young director Teresa (Jasmine Trinca).

The movie-in-the-movie is centered on the figure of Italy's former prime minister and media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi. Bonomo's private life collapses little by little. He is divorcing his wife (Margherita Buy), and the only thing that keeps him alive is the will to produce his film.

July 24, 6 pm
"La febbre" (The Fever): Valeria Solarino
Directed by: Alessandro D’Alatri. Starring: Valeria Solarino, Fabio Volo. Italy, 2005, 110 min.

Mario Bertini (Fabio Volo) is a surveyor and an architectural student. He has lots of ideas and full of enthusiasm, but unfortunately he is tied to a boring job at the municipality, which he does not like. One day he meets Linda (Valeria Solarino) a young student, who becomes the center of his life.

July 31, 6 pm
"La notte prima degli esami" (Night Before Finals ): Cristina Capotondi
Directed by: Fausto Brizzi. Starring: Cristina Capotondi, Nicolas Vaporidis. Italy, 2006, 100 min.

Set in the 80s, this film shows many among the classic problems of the passage from adolescence to adulthood. Luca (Nicolas Vaporidis) and his friends are preparing for their finals, but instead of studing, they prefer hanging out and partying.

At a party Luca meets Claudia ( Cristina Capotondi), a nice girl, for it is love at first sight. The movie is a comedy, enjoyable for its many references to the ‘80s.

Venue: Italian Cultural Institute
686 Park Avenue
New York, NY

Free admission

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Ho già visto "Respiro," ma mi piacerebbe vedere "Il Caimano" (forse lo sapete già). Avete già visto questi film? Fatevi sentire. Sono sempre alla ricerca di nuovi film italiani da vedere, e mi servirebbe qualche consiglio da voi.