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CANNES 2002 Competition

Bellocchio: «Who´s afraid of my film?»

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- The Italian director criticizes Italian television´s censorship and disagrees with those who attempt to downplay Religion Hour's success

L´ora di religione, which has just been bought by Ocean, will also be released in France. Marco Bellocchio´s film, the only Italian one to compete in Cannes this year, has already been acclaimed by international critics, even while it continues to cause controversy at home. The director, who arrived on the Croisette with the actors (Sergio Castellitto, Chiara Conti, Jacqueline Lustig, Toni Bertorelli, and Gianni Schicchi) and the producers (Sergio Pelone and Giuliano Montaldo for Raicinema) is miffed with those who are slighting his film, and especially with coverage - or lack thereof - by the Italian state-owned media company, the RAI. «How is it possible that the evening news broadcast did not event mention that «L´ora di religione» was competing in Cannes? Because bishops won´t let it be shown in church cinema halls? Because the trailer is not appropriate for prime time programming? Because the only talk show that invited me as a guest was that of Ferrara and Lerner on Channel 7? Why hasn´t the positive review given by Father Fantuzzi on «Civiltà cattolica» been published yet?» To these questions Bellochio, who hails from the city of Piacenza, offers a single, pointed response. «They are trying to downplay the film, but the public is going to see it anyway, especially Catholics, and discuss it, as box office sales have demonstrated.» At the center of this controversy is a double blasphemy, which cost the film a P-14 rating in Italy and which was not subtitled for the festival screening, perhaps deliberately. Then there is the new project, which will once again be produced by RAI Cinema. This will be a film about Aldo Moro, inspired by the «Affaire Moro» by Leonardo Sciascia. «It will reflect the true identity of a man, going beyond appearances, and not concentrating on the the story of a Christian-Democratic statesman killed by the Red Brigade with all of the relative muckraking and news scoops. It will be a more intimate portrait that will deal with the more sentimental aspects of the relationship that developed between the kidnappers and their victim.»

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(Translated from Italian)

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