New Italian Cinema (San Francisco Film Society)

  • Jonas Carpignano’s Mediterranea is Winner of NICE City of Florence Award at New Italian Cinema

    Mediterranea by Jonas Carpignano Jonas Carpignano’s Mediterranea was voted by the audience, the winner of the NICE City of Florence Award at the New Italian Cinema, presented by the San Francisco Film Society in partnership with the New Italian Cinema Events of Florence, Italy; the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco; and the Consulate General of Italy, San Francisco. “This is a real honor and I am happy that the film resonated so much with the audience in San Francisco,” said Carpignano. “I’m looking forward to sharing it in Florence. And of course, thanks so much to the San Francisco Film Society for their support of this film throughout its development.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaALVBbde_A Director/Regia: Jonas Carpignano Cast: Koudous Seihon, Alassane Sy, Adam Gnene, Vincenzina Siciliano, Ernest Zire, Mary Elisabeth Innocence, Mimma Papasergio, Annalisa Pagano, Joy Odundia, Davide Schipilliti, Zakaria Kbiri, Norina Ventre, Serigne “Chico” Baity Kane, Annalisa Spirli, Francesco Papasergio Ayiva (Koudous Seihon) left his native Burkina Faso in search of a job that would allow him to provide for the needs of his daughter and sister. Taking advantage of his position in an organization smuggling with immigrants, he finds a way to leave behind the African continent. Ayiva tries to adapt to his new life in Italy, but the tension in the local community continues to grow and things get more dangerous for him. Determined not to give up, he tries to resist, but at a price… The NICE City of Florence Award was decided by audience ballots from San Francisco screenings of films in competition. The festival also gave special recognition to Matteo Bini and Giorgio Pasotti’s I, Harlequin, to acknowledge the film’s extraordinary audience support and immense cultural value. This year’s New Italian Cinema opened on November 11 with sold-out screenings of the Taviani brothers’ Wondrous Boccaccio and Paolo Sorrentino’s Youth, and closed on Sunday with Nanni Moretti’s Mia Madre.  Notable filmmaker appearances included Matteo Bini, co-director of I, Harlequin (Io, Arlecchino); Marco Pontecorvo, director of Partly Cloudy with Sunny Spells (Tempo instabile con probabili schiarite); and Alessia Scarso, director of Italo (Italo barocco).

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  • Antonio Morabito’s “The Medicine” Seller Wins the NICE City of Florence Award

    Antonio Morabito's The Medicine Seller (Il venditore di medicine)

    Antonio Morabito’s The Medicine Seller (Il venditore di medicine) was selected as the winner of the NICE City of Florence Award at San Francisco Film Society’s New Italian Cinema.  The five-day New Italian Cinema festival is dedicated to celebrating the rich cinematic tradition of Italy and bringing the country’s newest directors and films to audiences in San Francisco. The NICE City of Florence Award was decided by audience ballots from San Francisco screenings of films in competition.

    Antonio Morabito's The Medicine Seller (Il venditore di medicine)  

    A scathing indictment of the pharmaceutical industry, Antonio Morabito’s powerful drama depicts a stressed-out salesman using increasingly scurrilous means to sell his company’s product. At the start, Bruno (Claudio Santamaria) is the Zafer corporation’s golden boy, wheedling doctors and administrators to select his firm’s treatments through various perks and his own charms. When he’s told to push a controversial new medicine, he meets with resistance and is given an ultimatum—get a notoriously difficult hospital administrator to prescribe the drug or lose his job. Compounding the problem is his girlfriend’s desire to have a child and his own increasing substance abuse. The Medicine Seller fearlessly indicts the whole pharmaceutical chain from the companies pushing the pills to the medical establishment’s capitulation toward an increasingly narcotized society to suffering consumers who are ill-informed and often ill-advised about the potentially harmful drugs they are being prescribed. [San Francisco Film Society’s New Italian Cinema]

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  • Edoardo Leo’s OUT OF THE BLUE Wins 2013 New Italian Cinema | TRAILER

    Edoardo Leo's OUT OF THE BLUE (Buongiorno papa

    Edoardo Leo’s OUT OF THE BLUE (Buongiorno papa) received the NICE City of Florence Award at the 17th New Italian Cinema, presented by the San Francisco Film Society. The NICE City of Florence Award was decided by audience ballots from San Francisco screenings of films in competition.

    Edoardo Leo's OUT OF THE BLUE (Buongiorno papa)

    A slick ladies’ man learns new responsibilities in this warm crowd-pleaser from the director of 18 Years Later (NIC 2010). Andrea (Raoul Bova) is an ad executive whose best pal Paolo (cowriter/director Leo) is crashing on his couch. When Layla (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers from Balancing Act), a pull-no-punches teen, arrives with her sleepwalking grandfather Enzo and announces that she’s Andrea’s daughter, the unapologetic playboy is forced to determine whether he wants to give up his carefree life for the demands of fatherhood. Out of the Blue offers an expert cast of characters who impact one another in unexpected ways and a touching script that avoids easy sentimentality.

    Written by Herbert Simone Paragnani, Massimiliano Bruno, Edoardo Leo. Cinematography by Arnaldo Catinari. With Raoul Bova, Marco Giallini, Edoardo Leo, Nicole Grimaudo, Rosabell Laurenti Sellers. 106 min. In Italian with subtitles. IntraMovies.

    http://youtu.be/LknGgiGUDCw

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