This episode features an audio essay on Alice Rohrwacher’s debut fiction feature Corpo celeste (Heavenly Body), a modern-day take on Marta (Martha) from the Bible. We also explore the film’s  themes of the sacred and the profane, expectations vs. reality, and who “is” the church.

Plus, some quick news updates on the David di Donatello awards, film festivals, current events, and more.

Links:

This episode features the following music excerpt:

The post #14: Corpo celeste (Alice Rohrwacher, 2011) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast.

In celebration of Federico Fellini’s 100th birthday, first-time guests David Blakeslee and Josh Hornbeck join for a discussion on Fellini’s filmography, career, plus rumors and speculation on what could be coming from the Criterion Collection later this year (maybe a box set!).

You can follow David and Josh’s excellent shows here:

Links to other Fellini episodes & essays we’ve done:

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This episode features the following music excerpts by Nino Rota from the 8 1/2 film soundtrack:

The post #13: Fellini 100 first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast.

I’m back from the 31st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival! I wanted to provide an overview of the seven Italian films I got to see, all of which were featured in the Focus on Italy program of this year’s festival:

These films were a great window into contemporary Italian life, and with many first-time filmmakers, represent an exciting future for what’s to come in Cinema Italiano.

Links:

This episode features the following music excerpts:

The post #12: The 31st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast.

I got to speak with director Leonardo D’Agostini and screenwriter Antonella Lattanzi to discuss their film Il campione (The Champion) (2019). In our conversation, they talk about what inspired the film’s story, the challenges and opportunities of the screenwriting process, plus moments that didn’t make it into the final film.

This interview was conducted on January 12, 2020 at the 31st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Links:

This episode features the following music excerpt:

The post #11: Interview with Leonardo D’Agostini & Antonella Lattanzi (The Champion) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast.

In this episode, I sit down with first-time director Chiara Malta to discuss her film Simple Women (2019). During our conversation, Malta talks about her inspiration for the movie, her experience during production, the role religion and faith plays in the film, and more. You even get to hear some (sloppy) Italian from me!

This interview was conducted on January 11, 2020 at the 31st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Links:

This episode features the following music excerpt:

The post #10: Interview with Chiara Malta (Simple Women) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast.

In this episode, I sit down with first-time director Beniamino Barrese to discuss his film Storia di B. – La scomparsa di mia madre (The Disappearance of My Mother) (2019), a documentary exploring the life, psychology, and aspirations of his mother Benedetta Barzini. Barrese discusses the challenges of the documentary as a medium, the power of beauty and symmetry, and working with his mother as subject.

This interview was conducted on January 11, 2020 at the 31st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Links:

This episode features the following music excerpts:

The post #09: Interview with Beniamino Barrese (The Disappearance of My Mother) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast.

This special Halloween spook-tacular dives into Dario Argento’s 1977 Italian horror classic Suspiria as well as Luca Guadagnino’s 2018 remake! We’re joined by first-time guests Brad (Letterboxd) and Omar to dive into each film’s cinematography, music, mythology, and more.

This episode features the following music excerpts:

Links:

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The post #08: Suspiria Spook-tacular (Dario Argento, 1977 & Luca Guadagnino, 2018) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast.

The new episode of Cinema Italiano is our first foray into Italian horror, dissecting Mario Bava’s Black Sunday (1960) with special guest Doug McCambridge!

We go into the film’s iconic imagery, stunning cinematography, how it plays with the mythology of witches and vampires, multiple Barbara Steeles, and more during our conversation.

You can connect with Doug and listen to his excellent podcast Good Times Great Movies on:

Links:

The post #07: Black Sunday (Mario Bava, 1960) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast.

The new episode of Cinema Italiano discusses Federico Fellini’s landmark film 8 1/2!

In our conversation, we go into how this classic tackles gender relations in modern Italy, Catholic guilt, the tension between honesty and deceit, and even how the film portends the coming of serious science fiction. This was an especially fun episode to research and record, to dive into one of the true icons of world cinema.

This episode features the following music excerpts by Nino Rota from the film’s soundtrack:

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The post #06: 8 1/2 (Federico Fellini, 1963) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast.

Buona Pasqua! This is a special Easter edition of Cinema Italiano, with an audio essay on Pier Paolo Pasolini’s The Gospel According to St. Matthew, exploring this excitingly anachronistic tale of Christ with themes and motifs that recur throughout Pasolini’s filmography.

Links:

This episode features the following music excerpts:

The post #05: The Gospel According to St. Matthew (Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1964) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast.