World premiere film screening in Dante Alighieri's 700th anniversary celebrations

In commemoration of the 700th death anniversary of Dante Alighieri, the Philippine-Italian Association, Dante Alighieri Society in Manila, and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, under the Auspices of the Embassy of Italy in the Philippines, along with the Film Development Council of the Philippines, and the National Library of the Philippines, present the world premiere of Dante, per nostra fortuna/Dante, Our Luck screening online on March 25, 2021.

Massimiliano Finazzer Flory

Produced by Massimiliano Finazzer Flory who was last seen in the country starring in Being Leonardo da Vinci, an Impossible Interview at the Leonardo in Manila event back in November 2019, the film takes the viewer to the scenes of the Divine Comedy through the narration of Finazzer Flory, contemporary dance choreographed by Michela Lucenti, and cinematography inspired by Gustave Doré’s famous lithographic works.

Initially conceived as a theatrical stage production but got transformed into an experimental film due to the pandemic, Dante, per nostra fortuna/Dante, Our Luck will have its premiere screening on March 25 in Ravenna, a symbolic date and venue as this is when and where Dante passed away.

The film will also be screened simultaneously in the Philippines (and also in other territories) and will be available for viewing for 24 hours starting at 7:00 AM on March 25. The film will be in Dante’s Italian with English subtitles and can be accessed through https://www.facebook.com/Dante700Philippines

The screening is the initial offering of the celebrations of Dante’s 700th anniversary with more events to come throughout the year.

Dante, per nostra fortuna/Dante, Our Luck is presented by the Philippine-Italian Association, Dante Alighieri Society in Manila, and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, under the Auspices of the Embassy of Italy in the Philippines, along with the Film Development Council of the Philippines, and the National Library of the Philippines, and the participation of University of the Philippines Diliman - Film Institute; De la Salle university in Bacolod - Institute of the Moving Image; Ateneo de Naga; Xavier University Ateneo de Cagayan; MINT College; AIMS, etc. The vide-dance festival, The Fifth Wall, and the students organization UP EURO.

Getting to know Leonardo da Vinci through his own words

Massimiliano Finazzer Flory and Lito Casaje

To commemorate the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death, several events under the banner Leonardo in Manila, were held  in various parts of Metro Manila highlighting the genius of the Renaissance man. Headlining these events (that included a cook off, dinner lectures, film screenings, and a masterclass/workshop) was the play Being Leonardo da Vinci, An Impossible Interview that was staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

For these events, presented by the Philippine-Italian Association, Embassy of Italy, Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, writer/actor/director Massimiliano Finazzer Flory flew to Manila to present the films, conduct the masterclass/workshop, and to star in the play as the Renaissance Man himself. Co-star Lito Casaje acted as the Journalist who seemingly went through a time portal of sorts for him to encounter Leonardo da Vinci in person for a once in a lifetime interview.

Finazzer Flory, brought Leonardo da Vinci to life through makeup and costume, answered a myriad of questions from the Journalist with da Vinci's own words taken from his various notebooks. The questions went through a range of topics, from art, science, nature, music, religion, etc. that it was difficult to keep track of how them without the luxury of recording the interview or at least taking down notes.

All of da Vinci's dialogue was taken directly from his writings which was from the Renaissance era making it hard even for a native, contemporary Italian speaker to comprehend immediately. Some of his responses were so profound that one has to spend a little more time with it and ponder on its meaning. But the Journalist went on with the next question, not giving the audience to let da Vinci's words sink in especially upon realizing that while they were written more than 500 years ago, they still very much resonate in present times.

The play began with the journalist posing a question about the Mona Lisa. After more than an hour of going through various topics, the interview went full circle going back to Mona Lisa. When the anticipation is at its highest, when the audience felt like a bomb is going to be dropped and the mystery surrounding the Mona Lisa would finally be unearthed, the play ends with the question, still unanswered. I guess that makes this portrait, considered to be among the most precious in the world, remains insanely popular up to this day.

RAd's Page Turners | Leonardo's Notebooks

Prior to the events commemorating Leonardo da Vinci's 500th death anniversary, I wasn't even aware that he wrote extensively. So the play served as a launching point to know more about da Vinci's writings and Leonardo's Notebooks: Writing and Art of the Great Master looks like a good next step.

The book collects his writings from his voluminous notebooks, along with some of his art, detailing his artistic and intellectual pursuits. A wide range of da Vinci's interests are covered in here ranging from human figures, light and shade, perspective and visual perception, anatomy, botany and landscape, geography, the physical sciences and astronomy, architecture, sculpture, and inventions.

Also included is commentary and insight by art historian H. Anna Suh who also served as editor of this publication.

Getting to know Leonardo da Vinci through film, theater, and cuisine

Five centuries have passed since Leonardo da Vinci's death but his works still remain among the most treasured in all of art history and his legacy continues to live on up to the present. From the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, to The Da Vinci code and even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Leonardo da Vinci's contribution to the world of fine arts and pop culture cannot be denied. In commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of Da Vinci's death, the Philippine-Italian Association, the Embassy of Italy, and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines along with partner institutions namely the Cultural Center of the Philippines present Leonardo in Manila a series of artistic and cultural events ranging from theater, film, and cuisine, celebrating da Vinci's universal genius this November 13-21, 2019.

Eugeniu Rotaru
Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Italy

Headlining Leonardo in Manila is Being Leonardo, An Impossible Interview which can be seen in either a short film, a feature length film, or as a live theater production. For these events, Italian director and actor Masimilliano Finazzer Flory will be flying in to Manila to present the films which he starred in and directed, to conduct workshops and talks, and lastly, to perform on stage.

Massimiliano Finazzer Flory

Being Leonardo da Vinci, An impossible Interview, the Play

Portraying Leonardi da Vinci's life on stage, Being Leonardo da Vinci An Impossible Interview's one night performance happens on November 21, 2019, 7:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

The two man play written, directed and starring Massimiliano Finazzer Flory as Leonardo da Vinci will also feature Filipino actor, director and writer Carlito Casaje as the journalist/interviewer.

Dressed in period costumes, complete with make-up recreating, Finazzer Flory portrays da Vinci as he answers questions about his childhood, his civil and military activities, and how to become a "good painter" (bono pittore), and about the relationship between Painting and Science, Painting and Sculpture, Painting and Music. The play will also touch upon da Vinci's comments on The Last Supper and the figures of the apostles, replies to his enemies' attacks, prophesies man's flying, and finally offers maxims and aphorisms to live by in our times.

Being Leonardo da Vinci, Masterclass and Film screening

On November 20, 2:00 PM, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Tanghalang Manuel Conde (CCP Dream Theater), Finazzer Flory will conduct a masterclass to be followed by the screening of the short film version of Being Leonardo, An Impossible Interview.

Assisted by Lito Casaje, the masterclass will cover how cinematic techniques have absorbed Leonardo's teaching, by conjugating photography, editing and screenplay together with history and pictorial theories, in order to raise Nature and Environment to the role of protagonist. Today this philosophy is supported by the school of thought known as Deep Ecology.

Being Leonardo da Vinci, An Impossible Interview at Cine Europa 22

The full length film Leonardo da Vinci An Impossible Interview will be screened as part of the final leg of Cine Europa 22 on November 19, 2019, 7:30 PM at the Cinematheque Center Manila, Film Development Council of the Philippines.

Prior to the screening at 5:00 PM, a presentation and discussion of the film by Finazzer Flory is also scheduled.

The film follows two journalists, from New York and Milan unaware of each other, are looking for a scoop about the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death. They see works of art and they pass thorough the places of the Genius between landscapes and mysterious encounters. In Florence for the first time during a show in costume between friars, tourists and flag-wavers unexpected traces are found. In Milan, a document to find out who Leonardo Man was through a scientific examination was discovered. Then they come to his final resting place in Clos Lucé and there they meet Leonardo face to face. The interview is granted. The words of the Genius are authentic, in Renaissance language. At the end Leonardo escapes through the undergrounds, returning to Vigevano and unveiling to the most important figures of his time where he reveals…

Silvana Diaz
VP Culture, Philippine-Italian Association

The other events of Leonardo in Manila cover cuisine and the culinary arts.

Cook off with Leonardo

The culinary events of Leonardo in Manila already began with a series of lectures by Italian chef Salvatorre Arria, consultant in Italian regional cuisine, at St. Scholastica's College, Lyceum of the Philippine University, and National University. The lecture served to contextualize Leonardo da Vinci in cuisine, his recipes, the historical context and the ingredients available in Italy at that time.

The participating schools (St. Scho, LPU, and NU) will then use what they've learned in the lectures and whip up three dishes at the Cook Off with Leonardo on November 14, 2019, 9:00 AM at the Lyceum of the Philippines University Culinary Institute. 

The Last Supper

Rivaling the Mona Lisa as one of da Vinci's most popular works is The Last Supper. The release of Dan Brown's novel thriller The Da Vinci Code and also the subsequent movie adaptation starring Tom Hanks only raised the work's popularity even further. The conspiracy theories raised about the painting in the novel/movie may be spotty and questionable, but on November 13, 2019, 7:00 PM, a more credible discussion to The Last Supper by James Freney of the Philippine-Italian Association will take place before a hearty  dinner at the Caruso Ristorante Italiano.

The lecture will focus on the story of the Last Supper, its relevance, its messages in the context of the Reinaissance period and with the emergence of Humanism. The Leonardo themed menu to be served at the dinner will be specially concocted by restaurant director Emilio Mina.

Leonardo Wine & Cuisine

While most of the world knew da Vinci as both an artist and a man of science, it is a rarely known fact that he was very much into food as well.

A presentation on Leonardo on how he was in the kitchen and in the cellar will be conducted by chef Salvatore Arria and sommelier Luca Galli before a special dinner on November 20, 2019, 7:00 PM at the Ponte Rialto Ristorante Italiano at the Venice Grand Canal Mall.

Alessandro Milani
General Manager Philippine-Italian Association

Here is the schedule of events for Leonardo in Manila.

November 13, 2019
The Last Supper
Caruso Ristorante Italiano, Bel-Air, Makati

November 14, 2019

Cook Off with Leonardo
Culinary Institute Lyceum of the Philippine University, Manila

November 19, 2019

Being Leonardo da Vinci, Cine Europa 22 Screening
Cinematheque Center Manila, FDCP

November 20, 2019

Being Leonardo da Vinci, Masterclass and Short Film Screening
Cultural Center of the Philippines, Tanghalang Manuel Conde (CCP Dream Theater)

Leonardo, Wine & Cuisine
Ponte Rialto Ristorante Italiano, Venice Grand Canal Mall, Upper McKinley, Taguig

November 21, 2019

Being Leonardo da Vinci, An Impossible Interview, the Play

Cultural Center of the Philippines, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Little Theater)

Leonardo in Manila is presented by the Philippine-Italian Association, Embassy of Italy, and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, Inc. in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines and supported by OMAN AIR, Rustan's, Hotel Jen Manila, and East West Bank.