Excerpt from Beth Accomando's 2008 review of the San Diego Italian Film Festival
The San Diego Italian Film Festival, now in its second year, "invites you to celebrate life in the social piazza of cinema with recent films that depict life in Italy."
Although just in its sophomore year, the festival has a maturity about it. Maybe you get that feeling from the level of conversation at the panel discussions. The first year I had the honor of being part of a panel following a screening of I'm Not Scared and the authors and academics, along with the audience members provided a very lively, lengthy, and in depth conversation about the film. The willingness of the festival organizers to set aside a good chunk of time for discussion reflects a different attitude than most of the other festivals that are usually more pressed for time with a greater number of films packed into fewer days.
The only event that's not free is the Gala… If last year is any indication of what this year's Gala will be like then be prepared for some incredible food and film.
- Beth Accomondo
come
This year’s San Diego Italian Film Festival has drawn from many inspirations – all ofwhich bring together the sights, sounds, flavors, humors and commentaries of Italian life. Mark your calendars and join us for an exciting Festival which commences on October 22nd and finishes with a fabulous Gala Reception on November 5th.
In addition to the 15 wonderful movies that will be shown during the two weeks of the Festival, including a retrospective of director Marco Bellocchio’s films, SDIFF will present music, discussion and celebrations. Crazy Steps on Oct. 24th combines the beautiful music of Astor Piazzolla performed by Camarada, a chamber music ensemble, with Bellocchio’s Enrico IV at the beautiful Birch North Park Theatre. On Oct. 31st learn more about Bellocchio and his films at the roundtable which follows L’ora di religione (My mother’s smile).
Join us for these wonderful films, most are San Diego premieres, and events. The films are in Italian with English subtitles and each will be introduced by one of SDIFF’s professors who bring their study of Italian culture, history, film and art into the theater to give an added dimension to our viewing of these movies.
Victor Laruccia, Executive Director SDIFF
Voices of the feSTIVALE
The "voice" of the SDIFF is enriched by the combined 60 years of study of Italian culture, history, film and art that our three professors bring to the festival. Their discussions and reviews of the films make them more than entertainment – but really an invitation to see through the window of these Italian films into the life and culture of Italy.
Victor Laruccia, Ph.D.
Executive Director SDIFF
Born in Santiago, Chile. Learned reading/writing as an Italian Catholic, western Pennsylvania. Escaped to Culver Military Academy high school -Cum Laude, 1959. On to Yale (twice!), found west coast better. Three years US Marine Corps, administrator. First graduate of UCSD Muir Independent Studies (Music Art Drama). Ph.D. at UCSD. Taught film studies Brown University and UCSD. Left for City of Pasadena, Telecommunications Administrator & Director KPAS, TV. Telecom Consultant through '95. Retired. Started SDIFF with three other crazy Italians at House of Italy in '04.
Prof. Clarissa Clo, SDSU
Program Director SDIFF
Clarissa Clò is Assistant Professor of Italian and Director of the Italian Language Program in the Dept. of European Studies at San Diego State University. She teaches Italian language, literature, culture and cinema. She received her Ph.D. in Literature from UCSD. She specializes in contemporary Italian Cultural Studies. Her research interests include feminist, migration, and postcolonial studies, film, music, and popular culture. She has published on Italian cinema, regional documentary filmmaking, music subcultures, circum-Atlantic performances, Italian American women writers, postcolonial literature and Mediterranean studies. She is a native of Modena, Italy.
Prof. Pasquale Verdicchio, UCSD
Program Director SDIFF
Born in Naples, Pasquale Verdicchio moved to Canada as a teen. Since 1986 he has taught literature, film and writing in the Dept. of Literature at the University of California, San Diego. Considered a leading translator of major Italian writers, he has englished the work of Pasolini, Merini, Caproni, Porta, and Gramsci among others. His poetry, reviews, criticism and photography have been published in journals around the world. As an author his books include Devils in Paradise: Writings on Post-Emigrant Cultures Bound by Distance: Rethinking Nationalism through the Italian Diaspora and the poetry collection This Nothing's Place (2008).
Working with Joseph Annino and Victor Laruccia, he began presenting Italian films at the House of Italy, a series that has transformed into the SDIFF in its current format.
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