Il Tetto – The Roof (Vittorio De Sica – 1956)

Five years after his masterpiece, Miracolo a Milano – Miracle in Milan (1951), director Vittorio De Sica with screenwriter Cesare Zavattini, return to a familiar neorealist theme – social troubles of a young couple, played by unprofessional actors, facing a housing problem during Italy’s economic boom. Newlywed couple, Gabriella Pallotta – Luisa (as Gabriella Pallotti)… Continue reading Il Tetto – The Roof (Vittorio De Sica – 1956)

Italian Cinema Audiences – Real Stories by Real People

In this post, I am not going to discuss a particular film but share with you a very special project I came across the other day. I’d like to give the discovery credit to my favorite Twitter hashtags – we all have our own lists – that keep me abreast about the greatest and latest… Continue reading Italian Cinema Audiences – Real Stories by Real People

Il cammino della speranza – The Path of Hope (Pietro Germi – 1950)

Right from the opening scene where you see the village women all veiled in black waiting patiently outside the mine for their husbands who refuse to come up to avoid the mine closing – you see direct similarities with another Nerorealism harbinger – Visconti’s 1948 La terra trema (The Earth Trembles). In the latter, the black… Continue reading Il cammino della speranza – The Path of Hope (Pietro Germi – 1950)

I Quattro Tassisti – The Four Taxi Drivers (Giorgio Bianchi – 1963)

With 2015 coming upon us, I figured there is nothing like rewinding the clock back to this 1963 quaint cinematic gem to usher the New Year. Once upon a time there were 4 taxi drivers…This charming film brings four short films – urban fables if you will – that each captures a different human aspect… Continue reading I Quattro Tassisti – The Four Taxi Drivers (Giorgio Bianchi – 1963)

Watch our 11/23/14 cafe Pellicola Live interview with filmmaker Luca Vullo

We hosted live conversation (in English) with Luca Vullo, a versatile filmmaker that has made several documentaries, short films, music videos and commercials, winners of prizes on international festivals. Luca shared insights about his latest documentary “The Voice of the Body” (see trailer below) – a joyful and instructive perspective on the peculiar code of… Continue reading Watch our 11/23/14 cafe Pellicola Live interview with filmmaker Luca Vullo