The Moviemov: Italian Cinema Now Experience Part 1

The Press Conference

Ever since my very memorable Italian National Day Event experience, I’ve been bumping into some people from the Embassy of Italy and the Philippine-Italian Association during concerts and at the openings of various film festivals. And it was during one of these film festivals when I was told that there would be the Italian Film Festival happening this November. I’ve read about it before months ago at the schedule of events and celebrations in line with the 150^th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy and I thought that it would be similar to the other film festivals like the French Film Festival, Eiga Sai, Silent Film Festival, Cine Europa or the previous editions of the Italian Film Fest. But I was mistaken since it will not be like the film festivals that I’ve just mentioned. It’s actually going to be bigger.

First of all, it’s now called Moviemov: Italian Cinema Now which is going to be held this November 9-13 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas 3, 4 and 5. This festival is co-organized by the Asiatica Film Mediale (organizers of the most important Asian Film Festival in Italy) and Playtown (organizers of the Film Festival in Rome) and the inclusion of these organizers confirmed that it’s really going to be bigger. And reading the Film Development Council of the Philippines, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Rustan’s and the Peninsula Manila at the invite to the press conference just gave more weight to how grand this was going to be.

And the grandness starts with the scheduled appearance of Italian directors, actors and film industry personalities headed by horror director Dario Argento and his daughter, actress Asia Argento to the film festival. And during the press conference held at the Conservatory at the Peninsula Manila, no other than Senator Goffredo Bettini, President of the Rome Film Festival was present in order to inform those who were there that this festival aims to show what Italian cinema is all about not just only in Manila but in other Asian cities like Bangkok and New Dehli.

Ambassador Luca Fornari chatting with actor Albert Martinez

Obviously, the main draw of the festival has got to be the film screenings which will be free of charge. Contemporary Italian films, classic films by Dario Argento and Bernardo Bertolucci as well as films by Filipino award winning director Brillante Mendoza are the ones that will be screened for five days. Another highlight are the two workshops that will be conducted by Dario Argento and film composer, Franco Piersanti. Other Italian film industry notables flying in for the event are actors Gianluca de Marchi, Ennio Fantastichini, Marta Gastini and Pietra Montecorvino, producers Carlo Macchitella, Camilla Nesbitt, Gianni Paolucci and Luciano Sovena, cinematographer Daniele Ciprì and directors Claudio Cupellini and Alice Rohrwacher. I would not be surprised to see more added to this list. Unfortunately, famed director Bernardo Bertolucci will not be attending the event despite some rumors of him arriving here.

Emanuela Adesini, Ambassador Luca Fornari, Briccio Santos, Cristina Morrica
and Senator Goffredo Bettini during the Q&A

These special guests will walk on the red carpet which will be headed by local actor Albert Martinez. So I expect that several local actors and film makers will also be present at the red carpet considering that Brillante Mendoza will have some of his films shown as a tribute to him. Not only that, but everyone will be able to do the same and strut their stuff at the red carpet since Moviemov aims to promote friendship between Italy and the Philippines through cinema.

The films that are to be shown are:

Italian Showcase:

Che bella giornata

Corpo celeste

Habemus Papam

Mine Vaganti   

Passione

Vincere

Una vita tranquilla

Tribute to Bernardo Bertolucci:

Il conformista   

The Dreamers

L’ultimo imperatore

Ultimo tango a Parigi

Tribute to Dario Argento:

Show reel Dracula 3D

Profondo rosso

Suspiria

Tribute to Brillante Mendoza:

Kinatay

Lola

Serbis

Personally, this event is poised to become one of the film events of the year. I’ve experienced several events organized by the Embassy of Italy and the Philippine-Italian Association and I’ve always been impressed by not only how well executed they were, but also by how fun and exciting they were as well. I’m really interested to attend the workshop by Franco Piersanti but the final schedule for that hasn’t been posted yet. As expected, I will continue to post more about this event when it finally happens. But now, I need to figure out what to wear at the opening night.

The Moviemov: Italian Cinema Now Experience Part 2

The Moviemov: Italian Cinema Now Experience Part 3

The Moviemov: Italian Cinema Now Experience Part 4