La Dolce Vita: Lavazza Italian Film Festival

Local Community

Yearning for a taste of la dolce vita, but can’t make it over to Rome this Spring? Solution – the Lavazza Italian Film Festival! You’re spoiled for choice with this year’s festival event, which offers over 150 films to your viewing delectation from the 17th of September to the 12th of October. Belissima!

Curated by Elysia Zeccola Hill, 2014’s Italian Film Festival program is true representation of the diversity of Italy today. Featuring classic comedies, nostalgic favourites and modern drama, this year presents an array of films certain to have you looking at life from a more Mediterranean viewpoint. Now in its fifteenth year, the festival invites you to experience dolce far niente (the pleasure of doing nothing) by scheduling an evening at your local Palace Cinema and enjoying a fizzy Prosecco with your movie. The festival features four categories of film to enjoy: Drammatico Italiano (films released in the last year), Laughing Italian Style, Direct from Cannes and Per Bambini. Chisholm & Gamon’s highlights include:

Song ‘E Napule

A true comedy, Song’e Napule will leave you with a silly grin on your face.  It is the story of Paco, a gifted and nerdy piano player who is unable to get a job and ends up working for the police force. When the chief discovers his talent for music, he is given an undercover job to infiltrate a mafia wedding as entertainment. Screening at Palace Brighton Bay on multiple dates. You can also see Song’e Napule as part of the events program for the Italian Film Festival, featuring pre-film reception with drinks from Peroni and Enoteca Sileno, treats from the Melbourne Salami Festa and Napoletano-style entertainment!

Marriage Italian Style

Hailed by the NY Time as ‘one of the dandiest films of the year (1964)’, can you really afford NOT to see this cinema classic? Director Vittorio de Sica and Sophia Loren’s production now celebrating its 50th anniversary, it is the tale of Filumena and Domenico’s unorthodox relationship. A kind of ‘How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days’ of yore! Showing at Palace Brighton Bay on Sunday 12th of October.

I Can Quit Whenever I Want

A kind of Breaking Bad Italian-style, I Can Quit Whenever I Want is the story of Pietro, a genius who is without a job. In order to make ends meet, he recruits chemists, economists and anthropologists to create a sleek business of dealing narcotics. But at what cost? I Can Quit Whenever I Want addresses the financial concerns of job security in Italy… albeit in an extreme way. Showing at Palace Brighton Bay on September 30th.