Often, when a new film arrives in the cinema, the first question – more or less widespread, and asked to everyone in one way or another – is: “But is it Italian?” Because if it is Italian, we have convinced ourselves that there is less chance of it being beautiful, well-packaged and convincing. It is a prejudice that took root years ago, when there was a boom in cinemas (and even then there must be some discrimination), and which since then, with more or less impunity, has been fueled by a single party -, we emphasize. that – of critics and the public. But Italian cinema is not bad.
There are movies that are fairly successful, some that are terrible, and some that are still great. It’s a bit like the rest of the world. The problem is that people don’t always know what to go and see, and in general, they don’t always know what to go and see – they seem to be the same concept but no, they’re different. Partly because with so many films coming out, distributors struggle to advertise them all in the best way; partly because, and perhaps more importantly, time and resources are running out.
Moreover, word of mouth has established itself as the main mechanism for the success of films in Italy. Obviously, this can have both positive and negative effects (the best titles aren’t necessarily successful; the ones that get talked about the most are the successful ones). Let’s think, for a moment, about the releases of the past few months (and by past months, we literally mean the past few months): I By Marco Aminta with Rose Asti, Glory! Written by Margarita Vicario, Holy Shoes By Luigi Di Capua (it’s in its second week of programming, it’s a first and absolutely worth watching); The art of joy Written by Valeria Golino (which is not a movie, which is good, but it was released in cinemas in two parts) with the amazing Tecla Insolia; That Summer with Erin By Carlo Sironi, Me and Siko By Gianluca Santoni, trust By Daniele Lucchetti, My place is here By Daniela Porto and Cristiano Portoni with two very talented Ludovica Martino and Marco Leonardi, h very blue By Filippo Barbagallo.
Why don’t you suck at Italian cinema?
In most cases, these are the first works. This too, if we are to attempt a broader discussion, is an element that we must take seriously into consideration. Because it tells us that among young people, that is, among those between 20 and 30 years old, there is a concrete desire to tell stories, to progress, to try to act – and obviously a little or a lot depending on their point of view. Show – own reality. Many of the films we have mentioned show stories of growth, where the protagonists, young and unsettled, with no clear future ahead of them, rediscover themselves.
The theme that often returns, despite the necessary variations, is the body: understood as an extension of consciousness and personality; as a set of drives and contradictions; as an effective tool of affirmation and criticism. Some of these stories are set in the past, such as the story of My place is here (What a great movie), and others are taken from very successful books such as trust By Lucchetti (What is stress and what is anger all the time). With Holy ShoesDi Capua talks about consumerism and the most superficial materialism that ends up condemning people, while with I Marco Aminta tells a glimpse of real life in Sardinia, where man continues to challenge and humiliate nature. (By the way, Rose Asty’s performance is one of the best this year: A Star Is Born is definitely here.).
There are coming-of-age films, as we’ve said before, and there are films that explore deeply and intimately our relationship with desire.However, the film that more than any other shows the diversity and amazing ability of our cinema to know how to renew itself and to be able to present general stories of the highest quality is Glory!another first, this time directed by Margherita Vicario (who wrote the script with Anita Rivaroli and edited the music with Dade). In this case too we find ourselves before a film that speaks of growth and the affirmation of personality. However, there is the essential element of customs and that of music, which once again proves its dynamism as a language and, above all, as a form of expression of moods and emotions. Furthermore, Vicario was able to surround himself with a first-class cast, with actresses perfectly suited to their roles (we mention: Galatea Bellugi, Carlotta Gamba, Veronica Lucchesi, Maria Vittoria Dallasta and Sara Mavoda).
We are used to, and this is also wrong, comparing our production with that of other countries such as France and the United States.However, we tend to forget that only some films are distributed here and not the entire show for a given country (that would be impossible, and it is also very expensive). This puts us in a different position, because there is already a selection of what to see.
As rhetorical and simplistic as it may sound, The Italian audiovisual industry, despite its limitations and regionalism, is populated by exceptional artists.who not only deserve to be given the opportunity to express themselves, but also deserve the benefit of the doubt and to be heard without any bias. From a purely economic standpoint, it is true that these films struggle to gross enough to attract attention at the box office, and thus in the official ratings. But it is a dog chasing its tail. If they talk little about it, they gain little; if they gain little, the space they will have in public debate, from social media to traditional media, will decrease.
How much talent is there in Italian cinema?
We seem to be afraid of talent.. And we say talent in the sense of novelty. Some directors are accused of being children or relatives; their works, which should be valued for what they are, end up in another short circle of indifference and clichés. And that’s a shame. It’s a pity because in this way we tend to underestimate what we can enjoy and not fully understand; it’s a shame because we don’t give – to some extent – a new generation of authors the chance to establish themselves and make a place for themselves. It is a shame that, once again, we lead to phrases like “Italian cinema is bad”, and do not repeat: it is not bad. Let us see to believe..
Going to the theatre costs money, and that’s not something to be underestimated.. But it is also true that we must return to supporting our cinema not only out of pure patriotism, but because things, before being judged, criticized or even criticized, must be seen. And the public has a great responsibility. Just as the distributors did (among the films mentioned, Fandango stands out for its selection and its interest in debuts) and the specialized press. We need to recover the space in which we can discuss ourselves without fear of exposing ourselves or saying what we think (if there is something bad or we don’t like it, we should have the opportunity to say it). Movie theaters and movies need their viewers.
Gianmaria Tamaro is a freelance journalist specializing in entertainment and culture. He collaborates with newspapers, such as La Stampa and La Repubblica, and magazines, such as Esquire and Rivista Studio. Born in Naples, in Naples he was the artistic director of the CartooNa section of COMICON. He then became editorial consultant for Lucca Comics and Games. He directed the first edition of QMI’s SeriesCon, in Milan, and edited several original podcasts for Lucky Red, Circuito Cinema and MUBI. On the fan page, he holds the Controcampo column dedicated to producers; in Best Film, Into the Clouds where he talks about comics; finally, in Cinecittà News, he signs “A life as a hero”, a space for in-depth analysis of the characters of the TV series. In Disuniti, a self-produced project publicly shared on Instagram, he interviews figures from Italian culture and entertainment.
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