WATCH CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN FILMS FOR FREE

The Italian Film Festival at Venice Grand Canal Mall features movies that range from the mainstream to arthouse

Cineastes still have until today to catch contemporary Italian films at the Italian Film Festival at Venice Grand Canal Mall in McKinley Hill, Taguig. The event kicked off Thursday night with an invitational screening of “America Latina” directed by D’Innocenzo Brothers. Released in 2021, the mystery-thriller tells the story of Massimo, a family man who, one day, goes to the cellar and finds a girl tied up and gagged, and pleading for help.

The six other movies screened during the four-day event included comedies “Il Silenzio Grande” (“The Great Silence,” 2021), directed by Alessandro Gassmann, about a dysfunctional family in 1960s Naples, and “Una Notte Da Dottore” (“Doctor on Call,” 2021), directed by Guido Chiesa, about the unlikely alliance between a bike messenger and an aging doctor. “A Chiara” (2021) by director Jonas Carpignano is about a young girl who discovers hidden truths about her family when her father leaves for a long trip, while “3/19” (2021), directed by Silvio Soldini, tells the story of lawyer Camilla whose life is turned upside down after a car accident she feels responsible for.

Screening today at 2:30 p.m. is “L’Arminuta” (“The Return,” 2021) by director Giuseppe Bonito, about a 13-year-old girl who is taken away from her family, followed by the romantic comedy “Lasciarsi Un Giorno A Roma” (“Breaking Up in Rome,” 2022) directed by Edoardo Leo, about what happens when one seeks tips from an advice columnist. Admission is free of charge but on a first come, first served basis.

Different

Festival director Antonio Termenini chose the seven films because they represent contemporary Italian cinema. “One of the problems is that we’re not seen as ‘international’ enough so I chose movies released in the last two years that are really different from one another,” Termenini told Lifestyle.

The movies range from entertaining and mainstream ones to those considered arthouse films, but all have been released not just in Italy but in other countries as well. Asked about his take on the fairly new movie, “The Catholic School” streaming on Netflix, he said it wasn’t director Stefano Mordini’s best.

“It’s based on a novel about an incident in Italy in the 1970s. The director has done some really good movies but this one was difficult to adapt because the novel on which it’s based is 600 pages long. It’s full of really famous Italian actors and actresses but again, it’s not his best,” Termenini said.

After its run in the Philippines, the Italian Film Festival moves to Vietnam, South Korea, Thailand and Cambodia.

“We at Megaworld Lifestyle Malls are honored to be hosting the Italian Film Festival in Manila,” Graham Coates, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls head, said in a statement. “Participating in an international film festival enriches understanding of different cultures, and allows people to share a common interest for the art of films.”