Rome Film Festival: the first previews revealed

Anticipations for the 18th edition of the Rome Film Festival have finally arrived, and film enthusiasts couldn’t be more excited. The event, scheduled from October 18th to October 29th, 2023, at the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone, promises to captivate and delight audiences with a series of unforgettable moments.

Isabella Rossellini: Celebrating an Eclectic Career

Artistic Director Paola Malanga, along with Gian Luca Farinelli, President of the Cinema per Roma Foundation, and Francesca Via, General Director, have announced that the iconic Isabella Rossellini will be honoured with the Career Achievement Award during this edition. Daughter of the legendary Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini, Rossellini is a multifaceted and unconventional figure in the film industry. The audience will have the opportunity to meet the star and enjoy a retrospective of her most significant works, including David Lynch’s Blue Velvet and Robert Zemeckis’ Death Becomes Her.

Additionally, the Rome Film Festival will present the series she directed about the world of animals, such as Green Porno and Seduce Me, which blend brilliant humor with rigorous scientific facts. Audiences will have the opportunity to admire the documentary My Dad Is 100 Years Old, a tribute to Isabella Rossellini‘s father’s centenary, and revisit her television beginnings in Renzo Arbore’s L’altra domenica. The event will also include screenings of classic films like Roberto Rossellini’s masterpiece Stromboli (Land of God) and Ingmar Bergman’s Autumn Sonata.

Furthermore, the festival will present the documentary A Season with Isabella Rossellini by Marian Lacombe, a fascinating journey into the world of the renowned actress, who is also a passionate advocate of regenerative agriculture through her company, Mama Farm, founded in 2013 in New York State.

Shigeru Umebayashi: The Magic of Film Music

Another highlight of the festival will be the meeting with Japanese composer Shigeru Umebayashi, known for his extraordinary film scores that have left an indelible mark on world cinema. His music blends Eastern and Western elements, creating a unique and intense sonic experience. Umebayashi has collaborated with renowned directors such as Wong Kar-wai and Zhang Yimou, contributing to unforgettable films like In the Mood for Love and House of Flying Daggers.

Audiences will have the opportunity to rediscover some of his iconic films during the festival, including the masterpiece In the Mood for Love.

Ferzan Ozpetek’s Nuovo Olimpo: A Love Story Spanning Decades

Award-winning director Ferzan Ozpetek will premiere his new film, Nuovo Olimpo set in Rome and telling a love story spanning three decades, starting from the 1970s. The plot centers on two young twenty-somethings, played by Damiano Gavino and Andrea Di Luigi, whose destined love unfolds over the following decades.

The cast of Nuovo Olimpo also includes Luisa Ranieri, Aurora Giovinazzo, Greta Scarano, Alvise Rigo, Giancarlo Commare, and Jasmine Trinca. The film’s soundtrack features the song Povero Amore, performed by Mina, reuniting the director and the singer after their recent collaborations in La dea fortuna and Le fate ignoranti – La serie. The film will be exclusively available on Netflix.

Paola Cortellesi’s C’è ancora domani: An Emotionally Charged Festival Opener

The Rome Film Festival will open with the film C’è ancora domani directed by Paola Cortellesi. The versatile artist, known for her award-winning performances, makes her directorial debut with a black-and-white dramedy set in post-World War II Italy. The story follows the life of Delia, played by Paola Cortellesi, a wife and mother seeking the courage to change her destiny.

The film’s cast includes Valerio Mastandrea, Romana Maggiora Vergano, Emanuela Fanelli, Giorgio Colangeli, and Vinicio Marchioni.

ZUCCHERO – Sugar Fornaciari: An Intimate Portrait of the Artist

The Rome Film Festival also offers a sneak peek at the documentary ZUCCHERO – Sugar Fornaciari, directed by Valentina Zanella and Giangiacomo De Stefano. The documentary provides an intimate look into the life of the extraordinary artist through his own words and insights from colleagues and friends, including Bono, Sting, Andrea Bocelli, and many others. The documentary explores not only Zucchero’s success as a musician but also his personal challenges and vulnerabilities.

ZUCCHERO – Sugar Fornaciari is a production by K+, in collaboration with Adler Entertainment and Ela Film.

A festival, that of Rome, which once again promises significant events and films, but to find out more, we will have to wait until Friday, 22 September, when there will be a press conference to present the 18th Rome Film Festival. Stay tuned.