(ANSA) - BRASILIA, 05 NOV - With more than thirty titles on the bill, 18 of which previously unseen in South America, the 19th edition of the Italian Film Festival in Brazil kicks off on 7 November.
The initiative, organised by the Italian Chamber of Commerce of São Paulo - Italcam, with the patronage and collaboration of the Italian Embassy in Brasilia, includes the screening of films in 120 cinemas in 80 cities throughout the country until 8 December.
In addition to works previously unseen in Brazil - including some that have won awards at the latest Venice, Cannes and Berlin festivals - the festival also offers a thematic retrospective dedicated to Italian comedy.
- A variety of proposals, reads a note, on universal and stimulating themes, ranging from the complexities of contemporary society to the most intimate and personal dramas, offering an in-depth portrait of Italy today.
Unpublished titles on the bill include the latest works by Paolo Virzì (Un'altra estate in famiglia); Matteo Garrone (Io Capitano); and Giovanni Veronesi (Romeo and Juliet), while the retrospective exhibition, entitled 'L'umorismo del cinema italiano: da Totò a Roberto Benigni', is a tribute to the great classics of Italian comedy.
Brazilian spectators will have access to masterpieces by Eduardo de Filippo (Napoli milionaria); Federico Fellini (Lo sceicco bianco); Roberto Benigni (Il piccolo diavolo); and Ettore Scola (Il viaggio di Capitan Tornado), among others. The initiative, the note concludes, represents "a real journey into the heart of Italian culture, an open window on new trends and works that have made cinema history, with the aim of promoting Italian Culture through its Cinema, known throughout the world for its creativity and genius".
The 19th Italian Film Festival kicks off in Brazil
Unpublished films and comedy classics on the bill