Italian Film Festival

Overview

The Italian Film Festival is about to dominate the Sydney cinematic scene for another year. Of the 25 films screening, opening night honours go to Daniele Luchetti's portrait of a working-class Roman, La Nostra Vita, which garnered Elio Germano Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival. Also selected from Cannes is Draquila – Italy Trembles, Sabina Guzzanti's compelling examination of the 2009 earthquake that killed 300 and devastated the Abruzzo region.

Further highlights include Giuseppe Tornatore's (Cinema Paradiso) glorious, high-spec period piece Barrìa, which was the first Italian film to open the Venice Film Festival in 20 years. The Front Line turns the true story of a daring prison break into a searing political thriller, strikingly produced by the Dardenne Brothers. The Man Who Will Come took out Best Film at the David Di Donnotello (Italian Academy) Awards, as it lyrically chronicles the Marzabotto Massacre of World War II. And after charming in German culinary fable Mostly Martha, Martina Gedeck and Sergio Castellitto reunite as a married couple in the tender drama Bets & Wedding Dresses.

Lighter fare comes in the form of writer-director and actor Carlo Verdone's screwball comedy Me, Them and Lara, or the Florentine, single 40-something female comedy Marriage and Other Disasters. While committed Italian cinema fans might take up the challenge with What Do You Know About Me, Valerio Jalongo's behind-the-curtain look at the evolution of the local film industry.

Capping off the festival in a spectacular closing night double feature is Vittorio de Sica's 1948, neorealist classic Bicycle Thieves, which will screen alongside Vittorio D., Marino Canale's captivating documentary about one of Italian (and indeed, World) cinema's most revered directors. It goes without saying that this is a must-see for all film lovers.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=g_ZaT8zqWok