Il Nastro d’argento, The Silver Ribbon the winners list 2011

Il Nastro d’argento, The Silver Ribbon here are the nominations and winners list for 2011, there are no surprises sadly all a little predictable, although Alba and Alice Rohrwacher both getting a Ribbon must see the boat being kicked out with a few glasses of prosecco in that house hold. The Silver Ribbon awards started in 1947 set up by Steno and Anton Majano together with Michelangelo Antonioni and Antonio Pietrageli, there have been few changes since the original awards, it is the oldest European Film Award decided by Journalists and Film critics, based on the year the films were released, usually presented after the Taormina Film Festival .

The Nominations for 2011 are:

Best Director

Nanni Moretti for Habemus Papam, We have a Pope WON

Saverio Costanzo for La Solitudine dei Numeri Primi, The Solitude of Prime Numbers

Pasquale Scimeca for Malavoglia, The House of the Medlar Tree

Marco Bellocchio for Sorelle Mai, Sisters Mai

Cladio Cupellini for Una vita tranquilla, A Quiet Life

Best Director Newcomer

Edoardo Leo for 18 Anni dopo, 18 years later

Alberto Amadei for 10 Sigarette, 20 Cigarettes

Alice Rohrwacher for Corpo Celeste, Heavenly Body  WON

Ascanio  Celestini for La Pecora Nera, The Black Sheep

Massimiliano Bruno for Nessuno mi puo giudicare, No One Can Judge Me (Possible English title)

Best Comedy

Benvenuti al Sud, Welcome to the South

Boris il Film, Boris the Film

Che Bella Giornata, What a beautiful Day (Possible English Title)

Femmine contro maschi, Women versus Men (Possible English Title)

Gianni e le donne, The Salt of Life

Immaturi, The Juveniles (Possible English Title)

La Banda dei Babbi Natale,The Gang of Santa’s (Possible English Title)

La vita facile, An Easy Life

Maschi contra femmine, Men versus Women (Possible English Title)

Nessuno mi puo giudicare, No One Can Judge Me (Possible English Title) WON

Qualunquemente, Whatsoeverly

Senza arte ne parte, Make a Fake

Best Actor

Alessandro Siani in Benvenuti al Sud, Welcome to the South

Cladio Bisio in Benvenuti al Sud, Welcome to the South

Toni Servillo in Il Gioiellino, The Little Germ

Raul Bova in Nessuno me puo giudicare, No One Can Judge Me (Possible English Title)

Emilio Solfrizzi in Se sei cosi, ti dico si , If You Are Like that , Then I say yes (Possible English Title)

Toni Servilla in Una vita tranquilla, A Quiet life

Kim Rossi Stuart in Vallanzasca- Gli angeli del male, Angles of Evil  WON

Best Supporting  Actor

Rocco Papaleo for Che bella giornata, What a beautiful Day (Possible English Title)

Giuseppe Battiston for Figli delle stelle, Children of the Stars (Possible English Title)

Giuseppe Battiston for La Passione, The Passion  WON

Giuseppe Battiston for Senza arte ne parte, Make a fake

Geppy Gleijeses for Gorbaciof

Ricky Memphis for Immaturi 2, The Juveniles 2 (Possible English Title)

Maurizio Mattioli for Immaturi, The Juveniles (Possible English Title)

Giorgio Colangeli for La donna della mia vita, The Women in my Life (Possible English Title)

Giorgio Colangeli for Tatanka

Best Actress

Angela Finocchiaro in Benvinuti al Sud, Welcome to the South

Isabella Ragones for Il Primo Incarico, The First Assignment (Possible English Title)

Angela Finocchiaro for La banda dei Babbi Natale, The Gang of Santa’s (Possible English Title)

Alba Rohrwacher for La solitudine dei numeri primi, The Solitude of Prime Numbers WON

Donatell Finocchiaro for Manuale d’amore 2, Stages of Love 2

Paola Cortellesi for Maschi contro femmine, Men versus Women

Paola Cortellesi for Nessuno mi puo giudicare, No One Can Judge Me  (Possible English Title)

Donatella Finocchiaro for Sorelle Mai, Sisters Mai

Best Supporting Actress

Carolina Crescentini for 20 Sigarette, 20 Cigarettes

Valentina Loidovini in Benvenuti al sud, Welcome to the South

Carolina Crescentini for Boris il Film, Boris The Film WON

Pasqualina Scuncia for Corpo Celeste, Heavenly Body

Anita Caprioli for Corpo Celeste, Heavenly Body

Anna Foglietta for Nessuno mi puo giudicare, No One Can Judge Me  (Possible English Title)

Best Screenplay

Massimo Gaudioso for Benvenuti al sud, Welcome to the South  WON

Antonio Capuano for L’amore Buio, Love in the Dark  (Possible English Title)

Daniele Gaglianone for Mala tempora currunt.Pietro e gli eremiti Abruzzesi

Nennella Buonaiuto for Malavoglia, The House of the Medlar Tree

Tonino Guerra for Malavoglia, The House of the Medlar Tree

Pasquale Scimeca for Malavoglia, The House of the Medlar Tree

Eldorado Falcone for Nessuno mi puo giudicare, No One Can Judge Me  (Possible English Title)

Fausto Brizzi for Nessuno mi puo giudicare, No One Can Judge Me  (Possible English Title)

Massimiliano Bruno for Nessuno mi puo giudicare, No One Can Judge Me  (Possible English Title)

Best European Film  

Another Year directed by Mike Leigh

The Kings Speech directed by Tom Hooper WON

In a Better World Susanne Bier

Potiche directed by Francois Ozon

Men of God directed by Xavier Beauvois

Best Foreign Film out of Europe      

Hereafter directed by Clint Eastwood WON

Black Swan  directed by Darren Aronofsky

Inception directed by Christopher Nolan

The Social Network directed by  David Fincher

Winter’s Bones directed by Debra Granik

Other winners are :

Pupi Avati will be this years recipient of Il Nastro d’agento speciale, The Special Silver Ribbon for his film Sconfinata giovinezza, Endless Youth (possible English title).

Mario Martone will pick up Il Nastro d’argento collettivo, The Collective Silver Ribbon for Noi credevamo, We Believed.

Not for Catania, Sicily the joy of Italian Films

It is not the first time and it will not be the last, it is however still ever so frustrating, that Italian films are released nation-wide except for Sicily. This week was particular hot, I was excited as I awoke to a mini heatwave 33 degrees and ”three” the number of Italian films being released today Whoop, Whoop, imagine if you possibly can my irritation when logging on to see where and when they would be screened …… nowhere, that is where….Why not is all I want to know, non of the 3 are in the comedy category could that be the problem, Catania and Sicily as a whole like their comedies, what ever the reason is , it is positively infuriating on a Friday morning.

Passannante directed by Sergio Colabona a drama NO only in Italy.

Hypnosis directed by Davide Tartarini, Simone Julian Cerri Goldstine a thriller (actually I note it is being screened in Messina and TWO cinemas in Palermo TWO ?)

5 (Cinque) directed by Francesco Dominedo a drama, Only on the main land, it was screened last night on mymovies.it I am grateful for small mercies

Alessandro Preziosi has a stalker ?

I am beginning to feel slightly uneasy about Alessandro Preziosi and his ever-changing army of women, although as he is single there is a limit to how indignant anyone can get. I want to know who the sad stalker is who follows him around every night in the dark, taking all these grainy shots in San Candido …… Get a bloody camara that can take photos in the dark , love ! Preziosi has again been court with a smily female who CHI Magazine issue 26 did not name, they were laughing and joking ….it has got to stop ! Looks like Nastassja Kinspergher and he is wearing the same T-Shirt as in the last set of CHI photos……..

Alessandro Preziosi and Dajana Roncione an item ?    09.06.2011

Alessandro Preziosi Il Rubacuore or just a big flirt ?   08.06.2011

Vittoria Puccini and Claudio Santamaria loved up in Lisabon  22.05.2011

Cinema Nuovo Sacher and Nanni Moretti ”Bimbi belli”

Jealousy is not a great threat to carry around with you, yet when you live in a village without a cinema, reading about the overflowing horn that is Rome, can make you feel just a tiny bit green. Nanni Moretti is staging his very own Film Festival, well if you have your very own cinema why not, it is the 7th edition and this year Moretti will be focusing on the newbies. If in Rome between the 5th to the 21st July 2011, have a reasonable grasp on Italian, why not swing by and take in a screening, Moretti will be present for a heated debate after each film together with the director of the film screened, never mind going a bit green, I am going fluorescent !

Why is the cinema call Nuovo Sacher ? Moretti loves Sacher Torta (smooth dark chocolate cake) and has named all his various companies ”Sacher” something or other, I know still it is his show so also his call.

Films screen are :

La pecora nera, The Black Sheep directed by Ascanio Celestini

Il primo incarico, The First Job directed by Giorgia Cecere

Tutti al mare, All at Sea  directed by Matteo Cerami

Nessuno mi puo giudicare, No One Can Judge Me directed by Massimiano Bruno

Into Paradiso directed by Paola Randi

Hai paura del buio directed by Massimo Coppola

Diciottanni- Il mondo ai miei piedi, 18 – The World at my Feet directed by Elisabetta Rocchetti

Boris – Il Film directed by G. Ciarrapico, M Torre and L Vendruscolo

20 sigarette, 20 Cigaretesd directed by Aureliano Amadei

Corpo Celeste, Heavenly Body directed by Alice Rohrwacher

What a great selection of films would really love to be there for the Q&A afterwards, Moretti is a character.

L’Isola del Cinema, a must if you are in Rome this summer

George Clooney and Elisabetta Canalis, the end of a rocky road

I am not quite sure why people are surprised, George Clooney and Elisabetta Canalis  have issued a joint press statement stating that ” It is very difficult, it is very private, please leave us alone, it is all over”. The Italian press have run this story many times in the past and no one here should really be surprised, there are the usual innuendos about Clooney’s sexuality, do we really care deep down, whether he is in or out of the closet ? I know one thing for sure, he will be opening the 68th Vince Film Festival on the 31st August 2011 with his latest film The Ides of March whoop, whoop ! Who will he be bringing onto the red carpet with him ? the press has been full of lovey dovey stories about Clooney and Sandra Bullock of late,  something that has coursed Canalis to go into a right huff I should not wonder, obviously no one else is involved in the split and they will always love and respect each other and never wash their dirty laundry in public, spoil-sports UFFA.

Munich International Film Festival MIFF

You look for love and support from you nearest and dearest in life as in Film Festivals, so scouring the Munich International Film Festival‘s program for proof that Italy was not forgotten, I felt a little unloved only 5 entries and one of them is suspect.

What did the wise Ladies and Gentlemen of Munich pick for their 2011 film fest?

Barnesy’s Version directed by Richard J Lewis. It has Italian money invested in it so I am claiming it for us, end off !

Il Castello, The Castle directed by Martina Parenti and Massimo D’anolti, not a film I have heard much about, it was seen at Swaziland’s Film Festival in April 2011 otherwise niente.

Et In Terra Pax, And Peace on Earth  directed by Matteo Bofrugno and Daniele Coluccini

Corpo Celeste, Heavenly Body directed by Alice Rohrwacher, she will be receiving 12,ooo euros for the best new talent award ” CineVision Award” last year it went to  Michelangelo Frammartino  for the film ”Le quattro volte”, ”The four Times” they might not be drooling over Italian Films but they are putting their money where their mouth is.

La solitudine dei numeri primi,  The Solitude of prime numbers directed by Saverio Costanzo, Pietro di Daniele Gaglianone

Not a kick in the teeth I grant you, yet I had hoped for a little more exuberance oozing from Southern Germany, close enough to smell our coffee, that’s all I am saying and just look at the love oozing from Moscow International Film Festival 2011.

Bella Ciao, Ciao Bella or Bop Decameron new Woody Allen film

The ever-changing line-up for Woody Allen’s new film with the ever-changing title, has got contracts signed by the following American and Italian Actors.

State side: Woody Allan, Alec Baldwin, Penelope Cruz, Judy Davis, Ellen Page, Greta Gerwig and the lovely Jesse Eisenberg

Home front: Roberto Benigni, Antonio Albernese, Riccardo Scamarcio, Alessandro Tiberi, Alison Pill, Flavio Parenti, Alessandra Mastronardi and our opera singer Fabio Armiliato

Note that just because some have signed and others have not does not mean that they might not in the future, just as the title of the film currently Bella Ciao, Ciao Bella or Bop Decameron might very well become something completely different before shooting starts on the 11th July 2011 in Rome.

Kim Rossi Stuart & Ilaria Spada are soaking up the sun in Sabaudia Italy

Dipiu an Italian weekly Mag, has court up with Kim Rossi Stuart and Ilaria Spada a few days ago, were they having a heated debate on a street in Rome or snogging in some dark alley ? No, the loved up couple were soaking up the summer sun, without a care in the world on a beach in Sabaudia a hot spot between Rome and Naples. All photos are from issue 24 and they are not grainy, which to my beady eye means they are photographed rather than papped by some friendly stalker before being sold to the Mag. Depiu reported that the couple looked happy, relaxed, and playful; they could not take their eyes of each other, I am filling up, it makes me want to burst into song I am so pleased. I do lean ever so slightly towards cynicism, the happy couple only met in December 2010 and Ms. Spada is 4 months pregnant, I am not a great believer in ”Love at first sight”  either so they have their worked cut out. No wedding date as yet, will it be before or after the birth ? I am ”NOT” sensing Vegas or Bethnal Green, ohh the shame of it, I jest of course, I hope they live happily ever after.

Rossi and Spada will be getting married    15.06.2011

St. Peterburgs International Film Festival has not let us down

June is the month in Russia for International Film Festivals, St. Petersburg International Film Festival kicks off on the 23rd June and will finish on the 26th June 2011, they are not as excited about Italian films this year as the Moscow International Film Festival also kicking off on the 23rd of June 2011, now the Muscovites who are positively drooling over Italian Films at the moment are screening 15 feature films and 2 documentaries whoop, whoop.

St. Petersburg is a must see if you are in those parts of the wood, stunning buildings, gardens, castles and Museums are all plentiful, do not forget the Film Festival, I said they were not over excited, yet they have found 3 feature films to screen so lets again rejoice and lets hear it for the  Петри and as always let show some style, lets leave a good impression.

Italian Films Are :

Baaria directed by Giuseppe Tornatore

Caravaggio directed by Angelo Longoni . TV will turned cinema, with great success

Le Quattro Volte, The Four Times directed by Michelangelo Frammartino,

This film is top of the league when it comes to Film Festivals and Awards for 2010, it has been shown at over 115 film festivals and it is still going strong, it has some 35 awards already and they will also increase as the year proceed. Yes, the film I did not like as I thought the continuity was terrible and I was bored and irritated because of it, I feel shame however I do always feel very very pleased for Frammartino though, it takes guts to shoot a film about old goats and a dying man, it has paid of and deservedly so.

Roman e il suo cucciolo, Roman and his cub Alexandro Gassman

The Italian actor and model Alesandro Gassman has confirmed that he will direct his first feature film ”Roman e il suo cucciolo” directly translated ”Roman and his cub” however it is known in the English-speaking world as ”Cuba and his Teddy Bear” based on a book by Reinaldo Povoda, it featured Robert de Niro in his first stage role back in 1986 in New York. Yes, lady’s I know the photo is a little risqué however with Hunziker on the blog, I though I would even the score a wee bit. ”Roman e il suo cucciolo” is about two immigrants; an unpleasent odious father and his relationship with his own son, Alexandro feels the movie deep inside him and will be able to really focus on the actors in the film. I understand the cast to be : Alessandro Gassman, Manrico Gammarota, Sergio Meogrossi, Giovanni Anzaldo, Matteo Taranto, Natalia Lungu and Andrea Paolotti they will all be trying to transfer the magic of the Theatre stage to the magic of the Cinema screen, when they start the shooting in Spring 2012. Alexandro Gassman is an actor with many TV and feature films behind him, his most resent was Basilicata coat to coast directed by Rocco Papaleo and also Il padre e lo straniero, The Father and the Foreigner directed by Ricky Tognazzi a versatile actor, who I think has his looks and modeling career against him, it is not only women that suffer such a backlash.