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The 5th Annual Los Angeles, Italia

Written by: FFT Webmaster | February 9th, 2010

Los Angeles, Italia

THE 5TH ANNUAL LOS ANGELES, ITALIA – FILM, FASHION AND ART FEST TO LAUNCH FEBRUARY 28TH AT THE MANN’S CHINESE THEATRE COMPLEX AT HOLLYWOOD & HIGHLAND

WEEK LONG PRE-OSCAR® CELEBRATION WILL AGAIN SHOWCASE THE BEST OF PAST AND PRESENT ITALIAN CULTURE.

PARTICIPANTS WILL INCLUDE ACADEMY AWARD®-WINNERS GABRIELE SALVATORES AND CHRISTIAN DE SICA, MASSIMO GHINI, VIOLANTE PLACIDO

GRAMMY® WINNERS ANDREA BOCELLI AND DAVID FOSTER

Giorgio Capitani’s ‘Enrico Mattei, The Man Who Looked to the Future’ and the L.A.Premiere of Alberto Negrin’s ‘Memories of Anne Frank’ Will Be Among the Opening Films

LA, ITALIA To Salute Bocelli and Foster on March 1st In Conjunction With The Famed Tenor Receiving a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 2nd

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS ALSO INCLUDE:

  • Ten American and Two Los Angeles Premieres of Italian Feature Films and Documentaries including Salvatore’s Happy Family’ and Pupi Avati’s ‘The Youngest Son’
  • Tributes to Italian legends Marcello Mastrioanni, Sergio Leone, Silvana Mangano, Vitorio Gassman and Dino De Laurentiis
  • A Salute to Quentin Tarantino’s multi Oscar-nominated ‘Inglorious Basterds’ with a special screening of director Enzo G. Castellari’s original 1978 Italian film ‘Inglorious Bastards’

LOS ANGELES, CA, February 8, 2010 – Hollywood will salute the past present and future of Italian Cultural Arts when the 5th annual Los Angeles – Italia Film, Fashion and Art Fest launches on February 28th with a week of screenings, symposia and special musical events at the Mann’s Chinese Theatre complex at Hollywood & Highland that showcases the best of Italy’s contribution to the arts, with an authentic Italian style and spirit. The announcement was made today by Festival Producer Pascal Vicedomini.

The event, which is timed to coincide with the 82nd Academy Awards, is chaired by Oscar-winner Bobby Moresco (Crash) and will celebrate with famed Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli as he receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 2nd.

Welcoming the Italian delegation on opening night of the LA Italia Fest will be Oscar® and Golden Globe winning actor Forest Whitaker (Last King of Scotland). Whitaker follows in the footsteps of Jon Voight, Vanessa Redgrave, Paul Haggis and Dennis Hopper who performed similar tasks in prior years. Having a long standing and close relationship with the Festival and its parent organization, the Capri in the World Institute, Whitaker received the Legend Award at their 2007 Capri, Hollywood – The International Film Festival and the following year received the Key to the Isle of Capri.

Italian actress Violante Placido, who stars with George Clooney in the upcoming The American for Focus Features will be the Festival’s Master of Ceremonies. Two of her films, Pinocchio and Moana will be shown at LA, Italia.

In making the announcement, Pascal Vicedomini stated: “This year’s edition of LA, Italia will be exceptional. We have a program that showcases the best of past and present Italian cinema and is highlighted by Andrea Bocelli receiving his Walk of Fame Star. We are also very pleased that Forest Whitaker will be joining us on opening night. He is a great man and we love him. Aside from being a legendary actor, I am personally grateful to him and his wife Keisha for always being so close to our cultural projects through their love for the cinematic arts and for their continuing support and friendship.”

The 2010 LA, Italia Fest’s opening day will feature the Los Angeles premieres of Enrico Mattei, The Man Who Looked to the Future, directed by Giorgio Capitani and Memories of Anne Frank, Reflections of a Childhood Friend, directed by Alberto Negrin. Enrico Mattei, which tells the story of the first Italian man in the post-war period, to believe his country could play a key rule in world affairs is produced by Lux Vide and Rai Fiction in association with Eni and is distributed world-wide by Rai Trade. The film’s star, Massimo Ghini will be in attendance. To be introduced by Oscar-winner Steven Zaillian, Memories of Anne Frank, based on a book by American writer Alison Leslie Gold, chronicles the friendship between Frank and Hanneli Goslar in Amsterdam before WWII. It is an Italian-American co-production by Fulvio Lucisano and Avi Lerner.

LA, Italia will honor the international legend, tenor Andrea Bocelli, with the ‘Friend of Italy Award,’ to be presented by the acclaimed music producer David Foster at the Chinese Theatre on Monday, March 1st with Italian Consul General Nicola Faganello and the Director of the Italian Institute of Culture Francesca Valente participating. The ceremony will include screenings of two documentaries.

The Festival will also celebrate with Bocelli as he receives his Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 2nd. “Andrea Bocelli is one of the world’s most popular singers, whose music is beloved by fans of all ages,” says Vicedomini. “With his incredible magical voice and artistry, Bocelli crosses over all cultural lines and musical styles. He is only the second Italian to be honored with a Star of the Walk of Fame and we are extremely delighted that this special occasion will occur during our Festival.”

For 2010, LA, Italia is again thrilled to present the American and Los Angeles premieres of films produced and directed by some of Italy’s most gifted artists and continues its mission to highlight the best of Italian cinema. These include the World Premiere of Gabriele Salvatores’ Happy Family and the US premieres of Federico Moccia’s Sorry I Want to Marry You, sequel to Sorry I Call You Love, and The Youngest Son, from award winning director/producer/screenwriter Pupi Avati and starring Christian De Sica, Laura Morante and Luca Zingaretti. This is the second consecutive year that LA, Italia will premiere a Pupi Avati film, having last year hosted the world premiere of Giovanna’s Father, in addition to a retrospective of his many films. A retrospective of Salvatores’ films will include the Academy Award-winning Mediterraneo, which was the Best Foreign Language Film of 1992, I’m Not Scared, and As God Commands. The director will be in attendance.

LA, Italia also salutes Quentin Tarantino on the eight Oscar nominations, including Best Director, that his film Inglourious Basterds received, by presenting a special screening of the original 1978 Italian film, Inglorious Bastards, from director Enzo G. Castellari, along with five more of his films – High Crime, Street Law, The Day of the Cobra, Django Rides Again and Jonathan of the Birds.

“It is with great pride that we are able to reinforce the incredible talent and quality that exists within the Italian filmmaking community,” says Vicedomini. “We believe it’s especially critical to always strive in heightening awareness of Italian achievements among our Hollywood community friends, particularly during the period when the world is most focused on the Oscars and filmmaking.”

This year, LA, Italia will also feature tributes honoring a number of legendary Italian actors and filmmakers including Marcello Mastroianni, Sergio Leone, Silvana Mangano, Vittorio Gassman and Dino De Laurentiis.

Throughout the week the Festival will also present special screenings, meetings and discussions with noted directors, writers, actors and producers of International cinema and TV gathering in Los Angeles for the Academy Awards. During this time it will proudly salute this year’s Italian artists who have received Academy Awards nominations, including:

  • Mauro Fiore, Best Cinematography for his work on director James Cameron’s worldwide box office phenomenon, Avatar.
  • Aldo Signoretti & Vittorio Sodan, Best Makeup for the Italian feature-film Il Divo, directed by Paolo Sorrentino. The two make-up artists previously garnered nominations for Apocalypto (2007) and Moulin Rouge (2002).
  • Marco Beltrami, Best Original Score, The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow.
  • Alessandro Camon, Best Original Screenplay), a shared credit with Oren Moverman, The Messenger, directed by Moverman.

The 5th Los Angeles Italia – Film, Fashion and Art Festival is produced under the direction of Pascal Vicedomini by The Capri in the World Institute in association with CIM Group-USA, the Consul General of Italy and the Italian Institute of Culture in Los Angeles. It is sponsored and organized in collaboration Eni (the Italian multinational oil and gas company) and Rai Trade with the support of the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Italian Embassy in the USA and the Campania Region of Italy.



Italian-American screenwriter and Oscar winning director Bobby Moresco (Crash) and noted Italian producer Aurelia De Laurentiis serve as Festival Chairmen. Co-Chairs are Marina Cicogna, Franco Nero, Shaul Kuba (CIM Group) and Jack and Leslie Kavanaugh. Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated composer Tony Renis is Festival President. Joining in the festivities will be prominent members of the Los Angeles and International film communities and celebrity friends.

The full schedule for LA, Italia 2010 will be available on February 22nd. Screenings and programs are offered at no charge to the public – admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, please visit www.losangelesitalia.com.

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