London – Continuing to showcase the best of contemporary Italian cinema, the ninth edition of London’s favourite Italian film festival promises another alluring and diverse programme. This year’s six-day event will kick off with LORO, from the director of The Great Beauty, and centres on Silvio Berlusconi and his entourage. The film stars Paolo Sorrentino’s long-standing collaborator Toni Sevillo as the controversial and larger-than-life former Italian prime minister. It will be distributed in the UK by Curzon Artificial Eye.
Another highlight is Valeria Golino’s EUPHORIA (Euforia), with Riccardo Scamarcio in the lead role, and Alba Rohrwacher once again shines in Gianni Zanasi’s comedy LUCIA’S GRACE (Troppa Grazia). Both films screened at the 2018 Cannes International Film Festival, in Un Certain Regard and Directors’ Fortnight respectively. Two films in the line-up were in the Venice Days and International Critics’ Week sections at last year’s Venice International Film Festival. Valerio Mieli’s long-awaited REMEMBER? (Ricordi?) starring Luca Marinelli, and WE’LL BE YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL (Saremo Giovani e Bellissimi) by talented first-time director Letizia Lamartire. Bonifacio Angius, who won the Junior Jury Award at the 2014 Locarno International Film Festival with Perfidia, will present his compelling second feature WHEREVER YOU ARE (Ovunque Proteggemi).
Festivalgoers can look forward to seeing Duccio Chiarini’s THE GUEST (L’Ospite), the entertaining follow-up to his Venice Biennale College debutShort Skin, and Paolo Virzì brings us a darker kind of comedy with MAGICAL NIGHTS (Notti Magiche), which was the closing night film at last year’s Rome International Film Festival. Paolo Zucca, who was in London with The Referee in 2013, this time delivers an absurdist farce with THE MAN WHO BOUGHT THE MOON (L’Uomo che compró la Luna). This year’s classic title will be the 1970 expressionist masterpiece THE CONFORMIST (Il Conformista), in memory of the late Bernardo Bertolucci.
As in previous years, film-makers will be attending the festival to introduce their films and participate in audience Q&As. The six-day annual event is organised by Istituto Luce-Cinecittà’s promotional department in Rome (Filmitalia), with the support of the Italian Cultural Institute in London, the official agency for the promotion of Italian language and culture in England and Wales. The films were selected by Adrian Wootton, CEO of Film London.
CINEMA MADE IN ITALY 2019
EUPHORIA (Euforia), directed by Valeria Golino
LORO, directed by Paolo Sorrentino (opening night film)
LUCIA’S GRACE (Troppa Grazia), directed by Gianni Zanasi
MAGICAL NIGHTS (Notti Magiche), directed by by Paolo Virzì
REMEMBER? (Ricordi?), directed by Valerio Mieli
THE CONFORMIST (Il Conformista), directed by Bernardo Bertolucci
THE GUEST (L’Ospite), directed by Duccio Chiarini
THE MAN WHO BOUGHT THE MOON (L’Uomo che compró la Luna), directed by Paolo Zucca
WE’LL BE YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL (Saremo Giovani e Bellissimi), directed by Letizia Lamartire
WHEREVER YOU ARE (Ovunque Proteggemi), directed by Bonifacio Angius
