AGI – Everything is ready in Rome, where autumn has recently officially entered, with rain and temperatures finally reaching October levels. 18th Rome Film Festival. The publication, the second edition of the Farinelli-Malanga couple, president and artistic director, is unusually autarchic.
There are few world stars, all mostly European and, obviously, Italian (Gian Luca Farinelli listed some of them during the presentation press conference: Cannes winner Justine Trieu, Juliette Binoche, Jonathan Glazer, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Monica Bellucci, Isabella Rossellini, Jasmine ). Trinca, Sergio Rubini, Ferzan Ozpetek, Antonio Albanese, Christian De Sica, and then Zucchero, Dario Argento, Terence Hill).
There are many Italian films, from those in the main sections – Progressive Cinema, Big Public and Freestyle – to special screenings, to Besyta, from films to documentaries, from short films to restored films. Born with big ambitions (and economic resources) and slowly – and wisely – becoming more of a party than a competitive event, the 18th edition of the festival begins on Wednesday 18 October.
For several years now, despite retaining the name “festival”, the competition has resumed, but on closer inspection, perhaps this is just a quirk (for example, extending the duration of the event by one day, “to be like all the great holidays”).
The strength of the Rome Film Festival, in fact, lies precisely in this popular characteristic, that it takes place on a network covering many places in the city, not just the Auditorium (also the Casa del Cinema, Maxxi, Teatro Palladium, Julius Caesar cinema ) attracting the public to the cinema. The race, in which the older sister (now 21) participates – often as the protagonist – is an independent and parallel event of the Festival. Alice in the city.
This 18th edition of the Rome Film Festival is dedicated to Giuliano Montaldo, the great director who died on September 6 at the age of 93, and this year also marks the anniversary of Anna Magnani, who died on September 26 50 years ago, whose image is prominent on the posters of this edition.
We will start on the 18th with the film that marks the directorial debut of Paola Cortellesi, “C’è Ancora Tomorrow”, which, according to artistic director Paola Malanga, representing the main part of the festival’s competition, will be the title that the festival will adopt as a philosophy. . For a festival that was born without a specific narrative line and will take place from 18 to 29 October 2023 in the Ennio Morricone Auditorium Parco della Musica, covering many other places and cultural realities of the capital.
This year the event will have films and documentaries from 28 countries, but it won’t have a clearly defined narrative thread. Upon closer examination, this directorial debut of Italian actors could constitute an independent genre: in addition to Cortellesi in the progressive cinema competition, Michele Riondino makes his debut in “Palazzina Laf”, and Margherita Bui in “Vincer”, both in non-serial films. -competitive Large Public section. (
There is also Kasia Smutniak with a documentary she wrote and directed, produced by Domenico Procacci, “Moore”, which will be presented as a special screening in which she talks about her country, Poland, which stands out for its timeliness and generosity in welcoming Ukrainians. fleeing war, the same country that has just begun building the most expensive wall in Europe to prevent the influx of new refugees.
In addition, there are two debuting directors who will present two short films: Giovanna Mezzogiorno, who in her “Unfit” talks about the phenomenon of body shimming, of which she was a victim, and as part of the Alice nella città exhibition the film “Come un fiore” will be shown, short film by Benedicta Boccoli produced by Andromeda Film / Helios Film This year’s festival starts on Wednesday and lasts one day longer than in 2022, and lasts as long as other famous international festivals.
“Alice in the City” will begin simultaneously with the festival. The three most anticipated films of the independent and parallel event: “How to Have Sex” by Molly Manning Walker, which captivated audiences and critics at the Cannes Film Festival, winning the “Uncertain Attention” category, and “One Life” by James. Hawes, a Holocaust “speaking of life” film with Anthony Hopkins and a funny Helena Bonham Carter, is the opening and closing film, and The Boy and the Heron (Kimitachi wa do ikiru ka) by Oscar dreamer-winning director Hayao Miyazaki.
Also looking forward to “Trolls 3 – Tutti Inside”, the third chapter of the saga directed by Walt Dohrn, and the presentation of the first two episodes of the fourth season of the series “Mare Fuori” in the presence of the actors. . For Alice in the City, dedicated to youth, talent and debuts, in its 21st edition, screenings and events are planned at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, Auditorium della Conciliazione, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Cinema Adriano and the Cinema. Giulio Cesare in Rome.
Alice nella città presents a program of world premieres, directorial debuts and original confirmations: 10 entries in competition and 4 films out of competition, to which in the competition section of Panorama Italia are added 8 films in competition and 4 special screenings, which award an emphasis on independent Italian cinema with screenings of films and documentaries.
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