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Marco Tullio Giordana (Wild Blood)
My association with Philadelphia Cinema Alliance has once again brought me into contact with a world famous, critically-acclaimed writer/director- Marco Tullio Giordana. In Italy he is one of the most popular and well-regarded filmmakers of the last thirty years. His films such as, I cento passi (2000) Pasolini, un delitto italiano (1995) and most recently Sanguepazzo (Wild Blood) (2008) are so respected that many Universities in the US teach entire courses on Maestro Giordana’s work, both in Cinema Studies and Italian Studies. One of the characteristics of Giordana’s movies is the osmosis, the tight connection between the private history of the characters and History. His movies tell a personal story,…
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Commentary – Eden is West
I knew from the film synopsis that Eden is West was to have some comic overtones, but I still didn’t expect to enjoy it, I figured with all that talk of critically-acclaimed director, the film would be so full of deep meaning and subtext that I’d be itching for it to be over. Not so, actually it’s completely engaging, maybe not from the first scene, but as soon as Elias (Riccardo Scamarcio) washes up on the shores of a nudist resort, the film stays on a lively pace. Elias is an immigrant who along with many other of his countrymen is trying to illegally come into a new country in…
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NY Film & Video Festival Wrap Up
I only saw two films I would recommend to Philadelphia Cinema Alliance for CineFest, but it was great just being in the atmosphere of the festival, building my courage to talk to more and more filmmakers and attendees and trying to do timely posts...
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NY Film & Video Festival Day 4 & 5
So I haven’t seen nearly the amount of films I normally would when covering a festival. But as I’ve mentioned, I’m also here visiting friends and family and truthfully, I’m not crazy about Docs and Shorts. I appreciate them, as I appreciate anyone with the vision, creativity, fortitude and determination to make any film of any size; but preferably, I like to see as many feature lengths as possible and then sprinkle in the documentaries and shorts. Here’s two films I have not seen, but have had the pleasure of conversing with the filmmakers: Greetings (5:13 min) Director: Joe Pearman, Creators: Jason Zeller and Mike Ayllon (3-D Animation) Aliens “Manny”…
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New York Film & Video Day 4-Quinto Quarto
I met my friend Heather and her friend Ronny for lunch, before heading to the Village Cinema East for the block of films beginning at 5:45pm. Heather recommended we dine at Quinto Quarto Osteria Romana (14 Bedford Street if you’re on Varick near Houston, turn onto Downing St and then right onto Bedford ) It only opened 5 months ago. The owner, David Ranucci is from Lucca Italy, he owns 3 other restaurants: Giulio pane e ojo and Casa Tua in Milano and Cacio e Pepe in Monaco. Quinto Quarto is the first in the States. The feel of the place is so compellingly cozy and inviting inside and out,…
