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On November 13, 2005, New Italian Cinema returns to the AMC Kabuki 8 Theatres for an eight-day series of Italian narrative features and shorts. Now in its tenth year in San Francisco, this cornucopia of Mediterranean delights offers Opening and Closing Night films by established filmmakers, seven debut features paired with shorts, and a two-film retrospective from an up-and-coming director. On Closing Night, the City of Florence awards are given to the debut feature and short receiving the highest rankings from audience members on both coasts.
OPENING NIGHT
A presentation of the newest film by Marco Tullio Giordana, director of the widely acclaimed The Best of Youth.
Once You're Born, You Can No Longer Hide
(Quando sei nato non puoi pi? nasconderti) dir. Marco Tullio Giordana
Giordana reunites with his Best of Youth star Alessio Boni to tell an extremely relevant story about the predicaments and ramifications of illegal immigration in today's society. Boni plays Bruno Lombardi, a factory owner with a fairly liberal world view. This outlook undergoes a remarkable expansion when his son, Sandro (Matteo Gadola), falls overboard on a family vacation in Greece and is rescued by a boat filled with refugees from various countries. A devastating and deeply humane film from one of world cinema's most exciting directors. (117 min, 2005)
ANTONIO CAPUANO TRIBUTE
This is a rare opportunity to catch up on the work of this exciting and innovative Naples-based filmmaker. Both features are copresented with the Museo ItaloAmericano.
Mario's War
(La guerra di Mario) dir. Antonio Capuano
Effectively employing an elliptical storytelling style to evoke the conflict between a defiant young boy and his foster mother, Capuano elicits exceptional performances from Marco Grieco and Valeria Golino (Respiro, Rain Man). Occasional voiceover from Mario's perspective, recounting his violent and abusive past, augments the story as it probes the challenges of fostering a kid who resists being parented and a woman whose decision to adopt a child impacts her life in unforeseeable ways. (97 min, 2005)
Red Moon
(Luna rossa) dir. Antonio Capuano
The Cammarano family is a brutal brood, and this Mafia drama doesn't shy away from the sordid and vicious activities of each member. Elderly patriarch Tony (Italo Celoro) keeps a caged panther in his office, and his son Amerigo (Tony Servillo, The Consequences of Love) has the same mistress as grandson Orestes (Domenico Balsamo). When the Cammaranos rub out a competing family, internecine struggles come to the fore, and no one is left unscathed. Drawing on elements of Greek tragedy, using stylized dialogue and employing a vast array of musical genres, Capuano memorably differentiates his film from similar efforts. (98 min, 2001)
FILMS IN COMPETITION
Facts of Banda Magliana
(Fatti della Banda della Magliana) dir. Daniele Costantini
Adapted from an acclaimed Italian play dramatizing real events from the mid-1970s, this drama focuses on the cementing and splintering of a group of eight friends who become criminals. In a daring conceit, the scenario often features the members of the Magliana octet speaking directly to the viewer. These scenes are interspersed with brief reenactments of important moments in the group's history as they collectively move from petty crimes to kidnapping, drugs and arms dealing. As the story follows their rise and fall, the script scintillates with profane, vivid dialogue. (85 min, 2004) Preceded by Radio Panic (Radiopanico), dir. Gigi Piola (14 min, 2005)
Gas
dir. Luciano Melchionna
Six disaffected young people living in a provincial town kidnap an older man in order to vent their existential frustrations in this disturbing dramatic thriller. Though there are no easy explanations for the characters' immoral behavior, the film examines the difficult living situations and emotional quandaries of each person, ranging from repressed homosexuality to job dissatisfaction to inadequate parenting. Director and cowriter Melchionna deftly and sometimes shockingly depicts the violent urges of today's youth in a society that would prefer to ignore that such urges exist. (96 min, 2005) Preceded by Autoportrait (Autoritratto), dir. Francesco Amato (8 min, 2004)
I Truly Respect You
(Volevo solo dormirle addosso) dir. Eugenio Cappuccio
A sexy but scathing look at corporate downsizing, Cappuccio's black comedy depicts the conundrum facing Marco Pressi (Giorgio Pasotti, The Last Kiss), an ambitious corporate professional. In order to receive a coveted promotion, he must lay off 25 people in three months without ruffling any feathers. As Marco, the charismatic Pasotti evinces just the right combination of slickness and charm to create a love/hate relationship with viewers; it's difficult to wish him luck, but watching him suffer is equally discomfiting. (98 min, 2004) Preceded by Like Yesterday (Come ieri), dir. Luciano Federico (9 min, 2003). Copresented with the Squaw Valley Community of Writers.
Saimir
dir. Francesco Munzi
Filmed on the northeastern coast of Italy bordering Albania, a region of recent significance due to increased illegal immigration activities, this coming-of-age story delineates the problems that the titular Albanian-Italian teen faces in his adopted country. Saimir (Mishel Manoku) works with his dad smuggling people over the border while contending with his slightly disreputable cohort of friends and the girl he likes. With neorealist simplicity, Munzi closes his tale in a tragic yet hopeful resolution that signals Saimir's evolution from boy to man. (88 min, 2004) Preceded by Post It, dir. Michele Rho (17 min, 2004) Copresented with the World Affairs Council.
The Silence of the Skylark
(Il silenzio dell'allodola) dir. David Ballerini
Full of righteous anger, this artfully shot drama universalizes the predicament of political prisoners while basing its general story on the imprisonment of IRA martyr Bobby Sands. Ivan Franek gives a tour de force performance as a man fighting for his rights and dignity in an environment of extreme brutality and torture. By eschewing specific focus on the IRA itself, writer/director Ballerini reminds us that injustice can happen anywhere and pays tribute to those who retain their humanity in the midst of it. (96 min, 2005) Preceded by Leo & Sandra, dir. Alessandro Celli (7 min, 2004) Copresented by the United Nations Association Film Festival.
Unnatural
(Contronatura) dir. Alessandro Tofanelli
Stunning black-and-white photography contrasts the existential differences between rural woodcutter Giacomo (Andrea di Stefano, Before Night Falls) and local pharmacist's wife Francesca (Valeria Cavalli, Everybody's Fine) in this fabulistic romantic drama. When the latter is rescued from a car wreck by the former, a romantic attachment grows. Whether or not the relationship can succeed largely becomes a function of their respective environments, although the mysterious woman living with Giacomo and Francesca's husband both have their own opinions of and reactions to the burgeoning affair. (105 min, 2005) Preceded by Who? (Chi?), dir. Enrico Vecchi (6 min, 2004) Copresented by the Mechanics' Institute.
You Must Be the Wolf
(Tu devi essere il lupo) dir. Vittorio Moroni
This engaging, concise drama, set in a scenic small town outside Milan, explores the complexities and difficulties of the close bond between a single man and his daughter. As the teenaged Valentina (Valentina Merizzi) and her father Carlo (Ignazio Oliva) work through a variety of dilemmas partially caused by their overly hermetic relationship, they struggle with the known comforts of their home environment versus the temptations of new discoveries. Throughout, Moroni examines the difficulties of both adolescence and middle age with thoughtfulness and depth. (95 min, 2004) Preceded by L?libi, dir. Marco Cucurnia (12 min, 2004) Copresented with the American Conservatory Theater - ACT.
CLOSING NIGHT
Join us for a nourishing evening of film and food with Antonietta de Lillo's The Remains of Nothing, followed by the City of Florence Award presentation. The director will be present for a brief Q&A. Afterwards, mingle with various luminaries at the Closing Night party.
The Remains of Nothing
(Il resto di niente) dir. Antonietta de Lillo
Pulp Fiction star Maria de Medeiros gives a heartrendingly understated performance in this dense portrait of Naples on the verge of revolution. The time is 1799, the city is under the rule of the French and various politically minded citizens are discussing the overthrow of their leaders. Medeiros plays Portuguese-born journalist and poet Eleonora Fonseca whose class consciousness is informed by her ill treatment at the hands of the Italian nobility, leading her to spearhead the dialogue for rebellion. Her rich story is told with grace and intelligence, incorporating flashbacks and playful animation to illustrate a little-known period of Italian history. (103 min, 2004)
Closing Night Ceremony 9:00PM
Closing Night Party at Pasta Pomodoro 9:30PM
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