Belgian directors Felix Van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch’s Italian-language drama The Eight Mountains and veteran Marco Bellocchio’s Exterior Night topped the 68th edition of Italy’s David di Donatello Awards on Wednesday evening.
The Eight Mountains won best film as well as best non-original screenplay, photography and sound.
Based on the novel of the same name by Paolo Cognetti, it stars Luca Marinelli and Alessandro Borghi as two men from different backgrounds who form a life-long bond during summers spent together as children in a remote mountain village.
The film world premiered in Competition at Cannes last year where it co-won the Jury Prize. Read the Deadline review here.
It is the second time in the history of the awards that a film by non-Italian directors has clinched the best film prize.
The last time was in 1971 when the Dino de Laurentiis-produced epic Waterloo by Russian director Sergei Bonderchuk,...
The Eight Mountains won best film as well as best non-original screenplay, photography and sound.
Based on the novel of the same name by Paolo Cognetti, it stars Luca Marinelli and Alessandro Borghi as two men from different backgrounds who form a life-long bond during summers spent together as children in a remote mountain village.
The film world premiered in Competition at Cannes last year where it co-won the Jury Prize. Read the Deadline review here.
It is the second time in the history of the awards that a film by non-Italian directors has clinched the best film prize.
The last time was in 1971 when the Dino de Laurentiis-produced epic Waterloo by Russian director Sergei Bonderchuk,...
- 5/11/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Eight Mountains,” Belgian directors Felix Van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch’s Italian-language drama about friendship, mountains and growing up, scored the top prize at Italy’s 68th David di Donatello Awards.
Besides winning best picture, the film also scooped statuettes for best non-original screenplay, photography and sound.
Given that the directors are not Italian, it was a particularly significant victory for “Mountains,” which was praised as “quietly magnificent” by Variety critic Jessica Kiang. The film, which is currently playing well on the U.S. arthouse circuit, tracks the decades-long friendship between two Italian boys named Pietro and Bruno — one from the city, the other a shepherd boy from the Alps.
“It’s pretty incredible,” commented a visibly moved Van Groeningen. “Two Belgians who win this prize in Italy for an Italian movie.” “Thank you for this declaration of love,” added Vandermeersch, his partner in life. “We love Italy very much.
Besides winning best picture, the film also scooped statuettes for best non-original screenplay, photography and sound.
Given that the directors are not Italian, it was a particularly significant victory for “Mountains,” which was praised as “quietly magnificent” by Variety critic Jessica Kiang. The film, which is currently playing well on the U.S. arthouse circuit, tracks the decades-long friendship between two Italian boys named Pietro and Bruno — one from the city, the other a shepherd boy from the Alps.
“It’s pretty incredible,” commented a visibly moved Van Groeningen. “Two Belgians who win this prize in Italy for an Italian movie.” “Thank you for this declaration of love,” added Vandermeersch, his partner in life. “We love Italy very much.
- 5/10/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
A new Netflix Italian original series titled “Fedeltà,” which translates as “Faithfulness,” has begun shooting in Milan. The relationship drama follows a couple in their thirties contending with the consequences of presumed betrayals.
The six-episode show is based on a bestseller by author Marco Missiroli, who won Italy’s top literary prize, the Premio Strega, in 2019. That year it was optioned by Netflix who then took the project to veteran Italian producer Angelo Barbagallo who is producing via his BiBi Film shingle.
Barbagallo recruited a writing team comprising rising star writer-director Elisa Amoruso (“Chiara Ferragni Unposted”), Alessandro Fabbri (“The Trial”) and Laura Colella. Matilde Barbagallo is executive producing
Netflix in a statement announced that rising Italian talents Lucrezia Guidone (“Doc – in Your Hands”) and Michele Riondino (“The Young Montalbano”) are playing the leads (see first-look image) in this tale of a middle-class couple whose amorous bond grows strained when they begin desiring other people.
The six-episode show is based on a bestseller by author Marco Missiroli, who won Italy’s top literary prize, the Premio Strega, in 2019. That year it was optioned by Netflix who then took the project to veteran Italian producer Angelo Barbagallo who is producing via his BiBi Film shingle.
Barbagallo recruited a writing team comprising rising star writer-director Elisa Amoruso (“Chiara Ferragni Unposted”), Alessandro Fabbri (“The Trial”) and Laura Colella. Matilde Barbagallo is executive producing
Netflix in a statement announced that rising Italian talents Lucrezia Guidone (“Doc – in Your Hands”) and Michele Riondino (“The Young Montalbano”) are playing the leads (see first-look image) in this tale of a middle-class couple whose amorous bond grows strained when they begin desiring other people.
- 1/21/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
In early March, one day before cameras were set to roll in Milan on upcoming Netflix Italian original “Zero,” about the lives of black Italian youths, producer Nicola De Angelis and the streaming giant decided to halt production on the show due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Italy was not yet on lockdown, but De Angelis and Netflix Director of International Originals Felipe Tewes agreed that going ahead would have been complicated “and posed a serious health threat to the cast and crew,” whom, De Angelis points out, Netflix is now trying to support economically during the interlude until shooting restarts.
“Zero” actors, several of whom are non-professionals, are meanwhile being coached remotely, as scripts get polished in hopes that shooting can take place sometime this summer.
Italy is the hardest hit country in Europe, with 25,549 deaths to date, and 189,973 confirmed cases. Its death toll is second only to the U.
Italy was not yet on lockdown, but De Angelis and Netflix Director of International Originals Felipe Tewes agreed that going ahead would have been complicated “and posed a serious health threat to the cast and crew,” whom, De Angelis points out, Netflix is now trying to support economically during the interlude until shooting restarts.
“Zero” actors, several of whom are non-professionals, are meanwhile being coached remotely, as scripts get polished in hopes that shooting can take place sometime this summer.
Italy is the hardest hit country in Europe, with 25,549 deaths to date, and 189,973 confirmed cases. Its death toll is second only to the U.
- 4/24/2020
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Vesela Kazakova and Mina Mileva’s drama also played in Competition at Sarajevo.
Vesela Kazakova and Mina Mileva’s drama Cat In The Wall, which world-premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, has had its Spanish rights picked up by Surtsey Films.
Rome-based sales agent Coccinelle struck the deal on the English-language project, which was also in competition at this year’s Sarajevo Film Festival.
The Bulgarian, UK and French co-production is inspired by true events. Set in a London council estate on the eve of Brexit, it revolves around a Bulgarian migrant family fighting their increasingly xenophobic working-class neighbours over the ownership of a cat.
Vesela Kazakova and Mina Mileva’s drama Cat In The Wall, which world-premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, has had its Spanish rights picked up by Surtsey Films.
Rome-based sales agent Coccinelle struck the deal on the English-language project, which was also in competition at this year’s Sarajevo Film Festival.
The Bulgarian, UK and French co-production is inspired by true events. Set in a London council estate on the eve of Brexit, it revolves around a Bulgarian migrant family fighting their increasingly xenophobic working-class neighbours over the ownership of a cat.
- 9/4/2019
- by Gabriele Niola
- ScreenDaily
Italy hopes to repeat last year’s win in the Best Foreign-Language Film category with Paolo Virzi’s family thriller.
Italy has submitted Paolo Virzi’s Human Capital for consideration in the Best Foreign-Language Film category of the Academy Awards.
Italy holds the record for the most foreign-language Oscars, with 14 wins including the statuette for Paolo Sorrentino’s The Great Beauty earlier this year.
Human Capital centres on two families, irrevocably tied together after a cyclist is hit off the road by a jeep on the night before Christmas Eve. The film was based on the Us novel by Stephen Amidon, relocating from Connecticut to Northern Italy.
It won seven trophies at the David di Donatello awards, beating The Great Beauty for best film, and six Nastri d’Argento Awards.
Human Capital has also proved a box office hit in Italy
Italy’s Oscar shortlist also include Alice Rohrwacher’s The Wonders, Francesco Munzi’s Black...
Italy has submitted Paolo Virzi’s Human Capital for consideration in the Best Foreign-Language Film category of the Academy Awards.
Italy holds the record for the most foreign-language Oscars, with 14 wins including the statuette for Paolo Sorrentino’s The Great Beauty earlier this year.
Human Capital centres on two families, irrevocably tied together after a cyclist is hit off the road by a jeep on the night before Christmas Eve. The film was based on the Us novel by Stephen Amidon, relocating from Connecticut to Northern Italy.
It won seven trophies at the David di Donatello awards, beating The Great Beauty for best film, and six Nastri d’Argento Awards.
Human Capital has also proved a box office hit in Italy
Italy’s Oscar shortlist also include Alice Rohrwacher’s The Wonders, Francesco Munzi’s Black...
- 9/24/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Chicago – In our latest romantic drama edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “Certified Copy” starring Juliette Binoche from legendary auteur Abbas Kiarostami!
The movie from IFC Films took best actress at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival and played well in Oct. 2010 at the Chicago International Film Festival. “Certified Copy” also stars William Shimell, Jean-Claude Carrière, Agathe Natanson, Gianna Giachetti, Adrian Moore, Angelo Barbagallo, Andrea Laurenzi and Filippo Trojano from writer and director Abbas Kiarostami. IFC is releasing the film in Chicago on March 18, 2011.
To win your free pass to the advance Chicago screening of “Certified Copy” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just answer our question below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. in Chicago. Directions to enter this Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.
The movie poster...
The movie from IFC Films took best actress at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival and played well in Oct. 2010 at the Chicago International Film Festival. “Certified Copy” also stars William Shimell, Jean-Claude Carrière, Agathe Natanson, Gianna Giachetti, Adrian Moore, Angelo Barbagallo, Andrea Laurenzi and Filippo Trojano from writer and director Abbas Kiarostami. IFC is releasing the film in Chicago on March 18, 2011.
To win your free pass to the advance Chicago screening of “Certified Copy” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just answer our question below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. in Chicago. Directions to enter this Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.
The movie poster...
- 3/2/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
This is the Pure Movies review for Certified Copy, directed by Abbas Kiarostami and stars Juliette Binoche, William Shimell, Jean-Claude Carrière, Agathe Natanson, Gianna Giachetti, Adrian Moore and Angelo Barbagallo. Written by Nell Frizzell. Let me first say this; I love old Juliette Brioche. I really love her. If you'd asked me a couple of months ago I probably would have said "God, I could just watch her for hours. Give me Juliette Binoche, in a nice outfit, and I'm happy. Throw in a silver fox, some beautiful Tuscan landscape and some romance and I'm happier than un cochon in merde."...
- 1/15/2011
- by Nell Frizzell
- Pure Movies
This is the trailer for Certified Copy on www.PureMovies.co.uk. Certified Copy is directed by Abbas Kiarostami and stars Juliette Binoche, William Shimell, Jean-Claude Carrière, Agathe Natanson, Gianna Giachetti, Adrian Moore and Angelo Barbagallo. James Miller (William Shimell) is an English writer, in Tuscany to promote his new book. An unidentified gallery owner (Juliette Binoche, who won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance) attends Miller’s lecture on the subject of art and the value of original works versus copies, following which the pair meet up and decide to embark upon a sightseeing journey through the picturesque Tuscan countryside. There, they are mistaken for a married couple. On the insistence of the woman they keep up the pretence, but as time goes on we realise that there may be more to their seemingly new relationship than meets the eye.
- 8/11/2010
- by Dan Higgins
- Pure Movies
For a while now, Kiarostami's contribution to the world cinema scene has been limited to philanthropy and little seen docs and shorts -- this film represents a new direction for the filmmaker as its the first film shot outside of his homeland, and the discourse will be a lot less politicized. Added bonus: my silver screen crush Juliette Binoche stars. - #17. Certified Copy Director/Writer: Abbas KiarostamiProducers: Angelo Barbagallo, Charles Gillibert, Marin Karmitz, Nathanaël Karmitz and KiarostamiDistributor: Rights Available. The Gist: This tells the story of an English author (William Shimell) finds himself in Italy to promote his latest book and give a lecture on the subject of the relationship between originals and copies in the world of art. At the lecture he meets a French gallery owner (Binoche) and they decide to waste a couple of hours in the alleyways of a village in the southern parts of Tuscany.
- 2/3/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
An overly-ambitious mix of movie satire, political polemic and personal drama, The Caiman is strongest when it is least on its political soap box. Stripped of its thematic excesses, it's a bracing comedy about one desperate producer's attempt to revive his family life. Bolstered by an endearingly vulnerable performance by Silvio Orlando as the beleagured producer, the Competition film should be a strong contender for the Palme d'Or, and Orlando's endearing performance could notch a Best Actor award.
For the true movie buffs at this festival, Caiman recalls Paul Mazursky's Blume in Love, about a husband's tender and nutty struggles to reconcile his separation with the fact that he still loves his wife.
In this heady mix, Berlusconi is the MacGuffin: Namely, making a film about Berlusconi is the Quixotic grand quest which Bruno, our comical, capsizing producer latches on to. A producer of the sort one runs into at the Riviera -- he's churned out a lifetime's worth of schlock. Nevertheless, they are the sort of movies that his two boys, 9 and 7, think are terrific.
Remarkably, a project falls into his lap from a new writer, a severe young woman who wishes to distill and expose the entire media and political career of Berlusconi into a feature film. It's not a project for the faint-hearted, and Bruno is no social crusader; in fact, he considers Berlusconi's opponents on the Left to be hopeless sad-sacks. And action-adventure is his genre, not political films. Not surprisingly, a film about Berlusconi is not an idea that his countrymen latch onto readily: Some fear repercussions, while others dismiss making a film "about someone you already know everything about."
Swirling his story through a film-in-a-film orbit, filmmaker Nanni Moretti mixes political satire with the crazy movement of the film world: An actor wants to make Berlusconi more dashing and powerful; a set designer wants to make his world more noble and tasteful -- in essence, the focus is quickly shifted from the sour screenplay to a high-speech soap.
Unfortunately, the Berlusconi sections are a contradictory tonal swirl, movie satire meshed with equally superficial political editorializing. Yet, amid this high storyline, a much more powerful personal story emerges below the buzz-line radar: Bruno is magnificent with his young boys, a wise and doting father who nourishes them and inspires them with his storytelling antics. All the while, he is trying to win back the love of his life, his wife, a former actress who has moved on to other things. You truly root for Bruno, and care about his family. It's in these transitional family scenes between the Berlusconi yap that The Caiman is most touching and eloquent.
In essence, this movie could use some trimming and the courage to drop its self-delusional pose as a high-minded political tract, and embrace the fact that it is best as a small family drama.
Under Moretti's deft hand, the performances are consistently lively and credible. In addition to Silvio Orlando's heady performance, Margherita Buy is winningly sympathetic as his change-of-heart wife.
Technical contributions are distinguished by production designer Giancarlo Basili's keen eye for the telling character stitches in both Bruno's loving home and his ragtag office.
THE CAIMAN
Sacher Film, Bac Films, Stephan Films, France 3 Cinema with the collaboration of Wild Bunch, Canal +, Cinecinema in association with Sofica unietoile 3, Sofica comfimage 17.
Director: Nanni Moretti; Story: Nanni Moretti, Heidrun Schleef; Screenwriters: Nanni Moretti, Francesco Piccolo, Federica Pontremoli; Producers: Angelo Barbagallo, Nanni Moretti; Director of photography: Arnaldo Catinari; Production designer: Giancarlo Basili; Costume designer: Lina Nerli Taviani; Editor: Esmeralda Calabria; Music: Franco Piersanti.
Cast. Bruno: Silvio Orlando; Paola: Margherita Buy; Andrea: Daniele Rampello; Giacomo: Giacomo Passarelli; Teresa: Jasmine Trinca; Luisa: Cecilia Dazzi; Margherita: Martina Lero.
No MPAA Rating, running time 112 minutes.
For the true movie buffs at this festival, Caiman recalls Paul Mazursky's Blume in Love, about a husband's tender and nutty struggles to reconcile his separation with the fact that he still loves his wife.
In this heady mix, Berlusconi is the MacGuffin: Namely, making a film about Berlusconi is the Quixotic grand quest which Bruno, our comical, capsizing producer latches on to. A producer of the sort one runs into at the Riviera -- he's churned out a lifetime's worth of schlock. Nevertheless, they are the sort of movies that his two boys, 9 and 7, think are terrific.
Remarkably, a project falls into his lap from a new writer, a severe young woman who wishes to distill and expose the entire media and political career of Berlusconi into a feature film. It's not a project for the faint-hearted, and Bruno is no social crusader; in fact, he considers Berlusconi's opponents on the Left to be hopeless sad-sacks. And action-adventure is his genre, not political films. Not surprisingly, a film about Berlusconi is not an idea that his countrymen latch onto readily: Some fear repercussions, while others dismiss making a film "about someone you already know everything about."
Swirling his story through a film-in-a-film orbit, filmmaker Nanni Moretti mixes political satire with the crazy movement of the film world: An actor wants to make Berlusconi more dashing and powerful; a set designer wants to make his world more noble and tasteful -- in essence, the focus is quickly shifted from the sour screenplay to a high-speech soap.
Unfortunately, the Berlusconi sections are a contradictory tonal swirl, movie satire meshed with equally superficial political editorializing. Yet, amid this high storyline, a much more powerful personal story emerges below the buzz-line radar: Bruno is magnificent with his young boys, a wise and doting father who nourishes them and inspires them with his storytelling antics. All the while, he is trying to win back the love of his life, his wife, a former actress who has moved on to other things. You truly root for Bruno, and care about his family. It's in these transitional family scenes between the Berlusconi yap that The Caiman is most touching and eloquent.
In essence, this movie could use some trimming and the courage to drop its self-delusional pose as a high-minded political tract, and embrace the fact that it is best as a small family drama.
Under Moretti's deft hand, the performances are consistently lively and credible. In addition to Silvio Orlando's heady performance, Margherita Buy is winningly sympathetic as his change-of-heart wife.
Technical contributions are distinguished by production designer Giancarlo Basili's keen eye for the telling character stitches in both Bruno's loving home and his ragtag office.
THE CAIMAN
Sacher Film, Bac Films, Stephan Films, France 3 Cinema with the collaboration of Wild Bunch, Canal +, Cinecinema in association with Sofica unietoile 3, Sofica comfimage 17.
Director: Nanni Moretti; Story: Nanni Moretti, Heidrun Schleef; Screenwriters: Nanni Moretti, Francesco Piccolo, Federica Pontremoli; Producers: Angelo Barbagallo, Nanni Moretti; Director of photography: Arnaldo Catinari; Production designer: Giancarlo Basili; Costume designer: Lina Nerli Taviani; Editor: Esmeralda Calabria; Music: Franco Piersanti.
Cast. Bruno: Silvio Orlando; Paola: Margherita Buy; Andrea: Daniele Rampello; Giacomo: Giacomo Passarelli; Teresa: Jasmine Trinca; Luisa: Cecilia Dazzi; Margherita: Martina Lero.
No MPAA Rating, running time 112 minutes.
- 5/23/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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