12/12/2006

Three Italian Christmas films will be sharing the box office this year. The first two are usual fare, each featuring, however, one member of the recently artistically divorced comic duo Massimo Boldi and Christian De Sica. The third, Commediasexi by Alessandro D'Alatri, offers an alternative for more sophisticated palates.

Thus, on December 15 the clash between the titans begins. In one corner is producer Aurelio De Laurentiis (Filmauro), who in 20 years with his winning teams of comics has grossed approximately €500m theatrically and €1bn through home video (rentals and sales).

De Laurentiis’ faithful flag-bearer is director Neri Parenti, who has directed numerous films starring Boldi and De Sica. Following the separation, De Sica stayed with the De Laurentiis-Parenti stable, which has come up with Natale a New York, also starring Sabrina Ferilli, Massimo Ghini and Claudio Bisio.

Boldi, after 22 years with De Laurentiis, has returned to his beloved brothers Carlo and Enrico Vanzina, the true inventors of the Italian Christmas movie with 1983’s Vacanze di Natale.

The Vanzina’s film, produced by Medusa, is entitled Olé, due to its Spanish setting, and co-stars Vincenzo Salemme. It will also be released on December 15 on 500 screens.

It is difficult to say who will win the showdown: while the press has already seen Olé, we must wait for Natale a New York to come out in cinemas as the superstitious De Laurentiis stopped holding press screenings some years ago. Filmgoers, even those who go the cinema only once a year (multiplied by the entire family), will probably choose on the basis of the faces of the country’s film darlings featured on the posters plastered throughout the city.

(Translated from Italian)