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13-18 May 2024
SKOPJE
From 13 to 18 May, the 24th edition of the Italian Cinema Week will take place at the historic Kinoteka na Republika Severna Makedonija in Skopje, realised this year thanks to the ITALIAN SCREENS project.
The festival will offer a selection of six of the most representative films of contemporary Italian cinematographic production – in fact, these films were all released in 2023 and have received numerous prestigious national and international awards – and will be based on the theme of “change”, starting from unexpected situations, unforeseen relationships, personal choices, historical and social changes and artistic experiences.
Opening the festival on Monday 13 May will be the hugely successful film C’è ancora domani, written, directed and starring Paola Cortellesi, in her debut as director. The film – in addition to being box-office champion in Italy in 2023 – has been greatly appreciated not only in Italy but also abroad for its direction, the superb acting of the actors, and the depth of the issues addressed related to patriarchal culture, gender violence, and women’s rights.
Tuesday 14 May will see the screening of Il Comandante – the opening film of the 80th edition of the Venice International Film Festival – directed by Edoardo De Angelis, which brings to life on the big screen the true story of Salvatore Todaro, a legendary hero of the Second World War who in 1940 was in command of the submarine Cappellini of the Regia Marina, reconstructed for the occasion in every small detail and life size. A compelling Made in Italy kolossal charged with emotional power that highlights how the law of the sea is stronger than any war. The film, starring a formidable Pierfrancesco Favino, was well received by the public and critics alike.
On Wednesday 15 May, the Week will continue with Rapito, the latest film by Marco Bellocchio – the well-known director who will win a Palme d’Or for his career in 2022 and 7 times David di Donatello – which is freely inspired by the book “Il caso Mortara” by Daniele Scalise. The feature film tells the true story of Edgardo Mortara, a Jewish child, secretly baptised, who in 1858 was taken away from his family to be raised as a Catholic under the control and custody of Pope Pius IX, sparking an international case.
Thursday 16 May will be the turn of Grazie Ragazzi directed by Riccardo Milani, the director of some of the most successful comedies in Italy in recent years. With this film, we immerse ourselves in the life of Antonio, an actor in search of a purpose, played by an extraordinary Antonio Albanese flanked by a cast of exceptional actors. A story of hope that looks beyond adverse circumstances, of redemption and, above all, of thanks to those who have the courage to believe in the transformative power of art.
Friday 17 May will instead see Stranizza d’Amuri, a film also from 2023 directed by Beppe Fiorello, in his debut as a film director. The film is freely inspired by a crime story that happened in Sicily in 1980: the apparent suicide of two teenagers. The director takes us to the Sicily of 1982. While the TVs are broadcasting the World Cup and Italians are hoping for the World Cup, the two protagonists accidentally collide with their mopeds but that accident is the occasion for the two to become friends and perhaps something more.
In the end, on Saturday 18, the festival will conclude with Cento Domeniche, a film directed by and starring Antonio Albanese that delicately and sensitively recounts a story of injustice that affected many Italians, small savers who, like the protagonist, were betrayed by greed and bank crashes. The film, however, highlights not only a social drama but also the strength of family ties and friendship.
The initiative is organised by the General Directorate for Cinema and Audiovisual of the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in cooperation with the Italian Embassy in Skopje, the Belgrade Cultural Institute, the National Film Archive of the Republic of Macedonia and Cinecittà.