Hollywood, Basilicata and a big Coppola

Rumors are running wild in Basilicata, well actually they are running riots in Hollywood, Paris and most of Italy too. The wedding of the year “mach 2” will take place in Bernalda, August 2011, preparations are on the way and I am sure the bridemaids are all to be found in a Gym doing Pilatus. Who is getting married? Well, the director of “Somewhere” last years winner of the Golden Lion, Sophia Carmina Coppola and her long time companion the French singer Thomas Mars from the indie group Phoenix, they have been together for 9 years producing 2 children. The knot will be tied in Bernalda from where her grandfather immigrated back in 1904, he incidentally invented the videophone that was patented and purchased by Metro Goldwyn Mayer. Sophia Coppola’s famous father Francis Coppola is one of Americas biggest director and producers, you are bound to have seen The Godfather One, two and Three, Apocalypse Now, Black Beauty and many others, he received a “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the ceremony of this years Oscars, Sophia comes from a sturdy stock of film makers, no one can argue with that. Sophia and Thomas visited Bernalda back in 2008 and it is understood that he asked her to marry him while inside Palazzo Margherita…..I know, who said romance was dead ? Palazzo Margherita was purchased by the Coppola Family many years ago and restored to the highest spec, a beautiful setting for a wedding ceremony, we know this as many scenes from “Somewhere” were shot inside the palazzo. Will the “I do” be said in the surrounding gardens to the tune of Lisztomania, I think that is a wait and see for now. There will be an influx of  Hollywood stars, French stars and the odd Italian movie icon for sure, Nicholas Cage is Sophia’s  cousin, Al Pacino a close friend of the family as is Steven Spielberg and Sly Stalone … what about Jackie Stalone will she be there doing her Rumpology readings after the service, I am sure the guest list will read like an international who’s who, I am getting excited and will have a look at eBay for that special hat, just encase .

All a load of twitter tattle, Coppola and Dunst.

While “Somewhere” has just been released on DVD, the talk of the town over the Easter weekend was all about Sofia Coppola, the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola and her next project the “Secret Door” staring Kirsten Dunst. We were led to believe that the script was being finalised, some pages were even leaked on the twitter account of American Zoetrope, others followed up on the news, general excitement was felt both on twitter and on bloggs around the world. It has now been revealed as a fake account and it is all a lot of tattle, still it might spure Ms. Coppola on to follow-up on her last film and Dunst is always a pleasure to watch.

Academy Awards 2011 , time for an Oscar !

OK, it is Friday and it is time to get in the party stuff for Sunday nights Oscar bash, here in Italy we are all in fancy dress already as we are mid Carnival so no need for a costume or design . We do need food for this fest though and let’s not forget the Prosecco it is a must, we have the possibility of 3 Oscars so there surely must be one Oscar coming this way, three golden Oscars for Italy…..really ? Yes, THREE, I have had to push the boundaries a little to get that many but yes I am claiming 3 Oscars for Italy Sunday night.

Oscar Number one goes to : Io sono l’amore, I am love Directed by Luca Guadagnino it is one of our hopes still alive and kicking for Costume and Design , responsible for those beautiful sumptuous ensembles is costume designer Antonella Cannarozzi, who first worked with the director on Melissa P back in 2005 , you have seen Io sono l’amore, I am love and will agree that Tilda Switon never looked better even Alba Rohrwacher looked positively stunning . Who are we up against for this elegant Oscar  ? :

Alice in Wonderland, C & D Colleen Atwood ( They took the BAFTA give us the Oscar)

Il Grinto , True Grit,  C & D Mary Zophres

The Tempest, C & D Sandy Powell

Il discorso de re , The Kings Speech, C & D Jenny Powell

Second Oscar goes to: La versione di Barneby, Barnaby’s Version, it is a production shared by Canada and Italy so any Oscar will be 50% Italian that is good enough for me. We are looking for an Oscar in the Makeup Department here, always an important Oscar if you ask me. The team working on this lovely film was: Natalie Garon, Rick Gassman, Magoli Metiveir, Adrien Morot, Valli O’Reilly and Alessandra Venzi, many good Italian names so let’s run with this Oscar. We are up against some heavy makeup I agree ,The Wolfman directed by Joe Johnston and The Way Back directed by Peter Weir, our best change.

The third and final Oscar goes to : Francis Ford Coppola the 71-year-old was born in Detroit USA ,I do not want a deep and meaningful discussion on genealogy here, just listen up for a second , when your father is Carmine Coppola and your mum is named Italia and they both came from Bernalda , Basilicata, we have some claim on him here in Italy, enough titter tatter, he is getting a lifetime achievement award , Premio alla carriera and we here in Italy will be celebrating …right ?.

 

We are in for a great evening on Sunday and a few Oscars too. So get the pasta ready, the Prosecco chilled and lets party.