the media preview of the 2012 Italian Film festival on Wednesday 15th August, 6:00pm at Rialto Cinemas, Newmarket. The launch will feature a screening of ‘Basilicata Coast to Coast’
The Italian Film Festival 2012
Now in it’s 17th impressive consecutive year, the Italian Film Festival once again gets set to entertain audiences NZ wide.
As if last year’s offerings weren’t broad enough, 2012’s festival presents 20 films to tempt our appetite for foreign film. Not surprisingly it is New Zealand’s largest cultural film festival – approximately equal to all others combined.
Films include the third installment of Manual of Love, starring Robert De Niro opposite the alluring actress Monica Bellucci, and also a diverse collection of comedy flicks – my picks being The Immature and A Family on the Verge.
The opening night screening of Welcome to the South is set for 26th September at Rialto Cinemas, Newmarket. $25 will get you entry to this festival screening and includes an Italian drink.
Basilicata Coast to Coast is also another crowd favourite and is the winner of numerous awards including best new director and best score. It is well worth checking out if you are looking for something inoffensive and even-tempered.
Lead character Nicola, a school teacher, is bored with his day to day existence and decides to take a break by entering his modest band in a music festival. The festival takes place on the opposite coast of Basilicata. Normally two hours drive away, the band mates instead decide to walk the distance, taking 10 days, using an old-fashioned horse and buggy to cart their instruments.
What starts out as a publicity stunt and an escape for Nicola soon turns into a bonding expedition for all. Reluctantly accompanying them is a diffident local female journalist who has been left with the task of recording the adventure.
Basilicata Coast to Coast is a 2010 romantic comedy with a side of music and a handful of affable characters. The film is no masterpiece but is instead a warm, easy-going road trip movie about a friendship, love, and taking a break from real life. One of the highlights is the original music score and smart lyrics that accompany the film.
The Italian Film Festival is showing at both Rialto Cinemas Newmarket and Bridgeway Cinemas Northcote Point in Auckland. If that’s still not enough to quench your cinematic thirst, the 2011 festival box set is now also available for $180 plus postage. See www.italianfilmfestival.co.nz for more details.
Below: Manual of Love, starring Robert De Niro and Monica Bellucci.
Jasmine Pearson, 25 August 2012
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