Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey in a still from Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Queer’
As the Italian-born filmmaker heads the Competition Jury at this year’s Marrakech International Film Festival, I’m reminded of one of my favorite, count-them-on-the-fingers-of-one-hand films from this year’s Venice Film Festival and why Guadagnino will always be a beloved filmmaker of mine.
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All wrapped up with the Lady Gaga starrer ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, Tunisian gem ‘Aïcha’ by Mehdi Barsaoui and ‘Wolfs’ starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt — talk about a festival for the stars!
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Marcello Fonte in Matteo Garrone’s ‘Dogman’, photo by Greta De Lazzaris
Back in February during Berlinale, at the very start of this strange yet fateful year, I watched Laura Bispoli’s ‘Daughter of Mine’ and fell back in love with Italian cinema. I was then satisfied further in Cannes, where I got to watch three more fantastic Italian films — which included Matteo Garrone’s ‘Dogman’ and Alice Rohrwacher’s ‘Happy as Lazzaro’. Then Venice rolled around and there was ‘What You Gonna Do When the World’s on Fire?’ by Roberto Minervini and my personal, patriotic soul burst with pride.
Well, London audiences will soon be able to experience all of these titles in one place along with a selection that will include Laura Luchetti’s ‘Twin Flower’, Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Suspiria’ and Eduardo De Angelis’ ‘The Vice of Hope’. They are all part of the BFI’s London Film Festival Italian selection of cinematic picks from our peninsula.
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A still from 'Tumbbad' by Rahi Anil Barve and Adesh Prasad
Probably one of the most anticipated titles in Venice -- along with Luca Guadagnino's remake of Dario Argento's 'Suspiria' also a horror film -- is the opening work at the Venice International Film Critics Week, a cool sidebar of first features and shorts curated by film journalist Giona A. Nazzaro. 'Tumbbad' is a collaboration between two filmmakers from India, Rahi Anil Barve and Adesh Prasad and the synopsis alone gave me shivers…
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