Italian films showcased in Villerupt and Paris

by Fabien Lemercier

30/10/2008 - In the wake of the 500,000 admissions garnered in French theatres by Matteo Garrone’s Gomorrah [trailer, film focus] and ahead of the release on December 31 of the other Italian Cannes prize-winner, Il Divo [trailer, film focus] (“The Deity”) by Paolo Sorrentino, Italian films are set to be showcased in all their diversity at the 31st Villerupt Italian Film Festival, which kicks off today in eastern France.

The event – which runs through November 16 – will present around 40 recent films. There will be a special focus on director Luca Lucini and his three features, which enjoyed success at the Italian box office: Three Steps Over Heaven, Perfect Man and Love, Soccer and Other Catastrophes.

Screening in competition are Cristina Comencini’s Black and White [trailer] and Antonello Grimaldi’s Quiet Chaos [trailer, film focus] (to be released in France on December 10), which was selected at Berlin. The line-up also includes Marco Bechis’ Birdwatchers [trailer] (release date: December 17), Pupi Avati’s Giovanna’s Father and Gianni Di Gregorio’s Mid-August Lunch [trailer] (release date: March 18, 2009), which all screened at Venice.

Also vying for honours are Attilio Azzola’s Diari (“Diaries”), I Killed Berlusconi by Gianluca Rossi and Daniele Giometto, Nello La Marca’s Motherland, Riccardo Milani’s Piano solo, Lisa Romano’s Se chiudi gli occhi (“If You Close Your Eyes”), Enrico Pitzianti’s Tutto torna (“Everything Returns”) and Stefano Tummolini’s Un altro pianeta (“Another Planet”).

Several of the titles presented at Villerupt will then be shown at the Espace Cardin in Paris at the second edition of the Cinema Miracolo Festival (November 12-17). Presided by actress Laura Morante, the festival’s jury will comprise filmmaker Santiago Amigorena and international sales agent Laurent Danielou (Rezo Films).

Screening in competition are Andrea Porporati’s The Sweet and the Bitter and Marco Pontecorvo’s Pa-ra-da [trailer] (both Venice titles), Federico Bondi’s Black Sea [trailer], Anna Negri’s Good Morning Heartache, Fabrizio Bentivoglio’s Lascia perdere, Johnny! (“Let It Drop, Johnny!”), Ago Panini’s Waiting for the Sun [trailer] and Francesco Munzi’s The Rest of the Night [trailer], which was unveiled at the latest Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.

Out of competition screenings include Paolo Virzì’s Tutta la vita davanti [trailer] (“Your Whole Life Ahead of You”), Claudio Cupellini’s Lezioni di cioccolato [trailer] (“Chocolate Lessons”), Carlo Mazzacurati’s The Right Distance [trailer] and Silvio Soldini’s Days and Clouds [trailer].

(Translated from French)