By Roger Costa
THE TIME IT TAKES
Lyrical and heartbreaking, Francesca Comencini’s autobiographical homage to her late father, the great Italian director Luigi Comencini, is a fascinating and bold exploration on the father/daughter facing conflicts/remorse drama. She courageously opens up about her inspirational relationship with her father, how unconditionally they loved each other and mostly how he tried to rescue her from failure and drug addiction. Fabrizio Gifuni gives a charismatic and affecting performance as the father, playing a role model, a hero, a rescuer and a very active filmmaker. As a child, she was always on set with him. Romana Maggiora Vergano, who plays a young Francesca, simply devours each frame she’s in, delivering a masterclass in youth transgression and hopelessness. Highly emotional and endearing, Comencini pays tribute to the art of filmmaking and the cycle of life, while reverencing her father’s virtues and principles.
(Screens May 29 and June 3)
DIAMONDS
Addressing women’s empowerment and their influential role in the entertainment industry, Ferzan Özpetek’s female-driven comedy brings an efficient ensemble cast forming a group of fashion designers assigned for a last-minute order to create period costumes for a renowned Oscar-winner designer. As the talented women scramble and run against time to promptly deliver it, they are also caught up by their family issues and personal struggles. Led by fabulous performances by Luisa Ranieri and Jasmine Trinca as the two sisters running the 1970’s atelier, it’s an uplifting and reaffirming statement on female determination, the steps of a creative journey and the strength of community.
(Screens May 29 and June 3)
BASILEIA
Making a promising directorial debut, Isabella Torre crafts an unconventional archaeological, science-fiction thriller inhabited by strange, hypnotic creatures. Shot in medieval-like colors and structured as a folk-puzzle, mysteriously introducing the audience to the landscapes and wild animals of Calabria, it follows a foreigner known as “the Irishman” who seeks the help of an African immigrant to help him locate some “treasure”. But digging mother earth turns out to be riskier and potentially supernatural than they’ve expected- Nature’s revenge include sending over its messengers/soldiers embodied as female ghosts. Blending genres efficiently, extracting convincing performances from the cast and creating a remarkable sense of atmospheric tension, Torre crafts a fresh and authentic eco-horror, proving she is one filmmaker to watch.
(Screens May 30)
PATERNAL LEAVE
Adventurous and observational, this timely drama depicts the broken relationship and attempt at reconstructing a bond between a never-present father and a rebellious, full of questions daughter. Running away from her home in Germany, 15-year-old Leo (a moving and relatable performance by Juli Grabenhenrich) goes to Italy in search of the father she’s never met, Paolo (the always great and charismatic Luca Marinelli). Ready to put the cards on the table and question him about his decisions, Leo won’t back down until her father takes responsibility for his actions and tries to repair the emotional and moral damage caused to her. Alissa Jung’s directorial feature debut casts a powerful look at the dimensions of an uncomfortable family situation with delicacy and precision: learning to love a member you’ve never known.
(Screens May 31 and June 4)
LUCE
A mind-bending character study, constantly framing its protagonist in revealing close-ups, this intimate, utterly anxious and metaphorical portrait of a lonely woman navigating illusion, reality and confusion feels like a horror response to neo-realism. Directed by Silvia Luzi and Luca Bellino, it brings a breakthrough, mesmerizing turn by Marianna Fontana, a working-class woman, suffocated by her factory line job, and trying to connect with her father who’s behind bars. Enigmatic and mysterious, it keeps you on the edge of your seat while subtly disclosing a working-rights pro-message.
(Screens May 31. Directors in attendance)
WHERE THE NIGHT STANDS STILL
Gorgeously shot in B&W this is a meditative exploration on the human connection, resentment and the emotional contrasts of migrating. Liryc Dela Cruz’s blend of dramatization and personal doc captures life as it is through the interactions between three Filipino siblings reunited when the elderly inherit her late boss’ property. Cruz encapsulates the honesty and veracity of their exchanging emotional conflicts, leading them to repair the pain and wounds of the past. Deeply sensitive and humane, it also raises questions on the emotional trauma and cultural clash that come along with the process of migrating.
(Screens June 1 and 3)
VITTORIA
Filmmaker Alessandro Cassigoli and journalist Casey Kauffman’s fourth collaboration is an intimate exploration on the maternal motivations of a hairdresser going through an existential crisis. Playing a version of herself, Marilena Amato conquers the viewer’s heart with a lovely representation of female intuition, desire, and intimacy. Living with her husband and three sons, she believes she must have another child, an expected daughter whom she sees in dreams. Influenced by neo-realism, the result is a very touching and complex pro-life docu-drama.
(Screens June 1 and 3)
FAMILIA
Nominated for eight Donatello Awards, director Francesco Costabile’s powerful drama spans decades in the life of a family in crisis, struggling with abuse, violence and extremism. Based on a real story, it depicts the abusive and extremely violent behavior of a father towards his wife, endangering the lives of his sons. As these kids grow-up, traumatized and divided, one of them becomes involved in a skinhead-Nazi rebel group, as a preparation to continuing to battle his father’s manners. Thrilling, brilliantly narrated and superbly acted, it’s a dramatic masterpiece about a tragic, tempestuous home.
(Screens June 1 and 5)
(Presented by Film at Lincoln Center and Cinecittà, the 24th edition of Open Roads: New Italian Cinema, runs from May 29 to June 5 at Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th Street. Go to https://www.filmlinc.org/festivals/open-roads-new-italian-cinema/#about for full program, tickets and details)
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