Cinema Italiano Podcast

Luchino Visconti's second film follows a Sicilian fishing family who strives to rise up out of poverty, but face hardships at every turn. The post #29: La terra trema (Luchino Visconti, 1948) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

Pietro Germi goes to Sicily with "Divorce Italian Style" and "Seduced and Abandoned," critiquing law & society against the backdrop of decaying aristocracy and the rise of the mafia. The post #28: Two Sicilian Love Stories by Pietro Germi first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

"The Hand of God" is a semi-autobiographical tale a young man in Naples whose life is transformed when a terrible tragedy pushes him from an idyllic childhood to somber adulthood. The post #27: The Hand of God (Paolo Sorrentino, 2021) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

This sprawling work examines Roman high society, as well as broader themes of artistry, beauty, and experiences both individual and collective. The post #26: The Great Beauty (Paolo Sorrentino, 2013) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

Discussing two tales of young men, directionless and in limbo, and exploring their thematic similarities & differences. The post #25: I vitelloni (Federico Fellini, 1953) & I basilischi (Lina Wertmüller, 1963) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

Discussing this example of "pink neorealism" as well as its themes of class, regionalism, and more. The post #24: Domenica d’agosto (Luciano Emmer, 1950) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

"Luca" has rich overtones of a coming out story dealing with identity and acceptance, as well as numerous references to Italian culture, music, and more cinema italiano. The post #23: Luca (Enrico Casarosa, 2021) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

Class, wealth, and power are at the forefront of Paolo Virzì's award-winning drama. The post #22: Human Capital (Paolo Virzì, 2013) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

Mario Monicelli's New Year's Eve-set comedy surfaces generational divides, power dynamics, and deception. The post #21: The Passionate Thief (Mario Monicelli, 1960) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

Counting down the top 5 Italian films of 2020. The post #20: The Best of 2020 first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

Notturno, Padrenostro, Lacci (The Ties), and more! The post #19: Cinema Italian Style 2020 first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

An exploration of Pietro Marcello's first four features: Crossing the Line (2007), The Mouth of the Wolf (2009), The Silence of Pelesjan (2011), and Lost and Beautiful (2015). The post #18: The Early Films of Pietro Marcello first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

This episode discusses Nanni Moretti’s Caro diario (Dear Diary), an introspective autobiographical look at three phases of Moretti’s life. This story blends the comic with the tragic, all while highlighting a journey of independence, interdependence, and codependence. Moretti’s work also has some interesting ties to the Odyssey both as a narrative as well as through its […]...

This episode explores Abel Ferrara’s Tommaso, a semi-autobiographical tale of an American filmmaker living in Rome with his wife and daughter. An incident forces him to question his role as husband and father, eventually sending him on a destructive journey of paranoia, fear, and hysteria, all while struggling to find community and connection in a foreign […] The post #16: Tommaso (Abe...

This episode features an audio essay on Luchino Visconti’s final film L’Innocente (The Innocent), discussing the film’s themes of dishonesty, self-interest, and religion. I also explore the sharp dichotomy between interior and exterior spaces, and how it parallels the cultural and psychological restraints entrapping the lead characters. Plus, some quick news updates on the David...

This episode features an audio essay on Alice Rohrwacher’s debut fiction feature Corpo celeste (Heavenly Body), a modern-day take on Marta (Martha) from the Bible. We also explore the film’s  themes of the sacred and the profane, expectations vs. reality, and who “is” the church. Plus, some quick news updates on the David di Donatello awards, […] The post #14: Corpo c...

Celebrating Fellini's filmography, career, plus rumors on what could be coming later from Criterion. The post #13: Fellini 100 first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

I’m back from the 31st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival! I wanted to provide an overview of the seven Italian films I got to see, all of which were featured in the Focus on Italy program of this year’s festival: Croce e delizia (An Almost Ordinary Summer) by Simone Godano Martin Eden by Pietro […] The post #12: The 31st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festiv...

I got to speak with director Leonardo D’Agostini and screenwriter Antonella Lattanzi to discuss their film Il campione (The Champion) (2019). In our conversation, they talk about what inspired the film’s story, the challenges and opportunities of the screenwriting process, plus moments that didn’t make it into the final film. This interview was conducted on January […] The...

In this episode, I sit down with first-time director Chiara Malta to discuss her film Simple Women (2019). During our conversation, Malta talks about her inspiration for the movie, her experience during production, the role religion and faith plays in the film, and more. You even get to hear some (sloppy) Italian from me! This interview […] The post #10: Interview with Chiara Malta (Simple W...

In this episode, I sit down with first-time director Beniamino Barrese to discuss his film Storia di B. – La scomparsa di mia madre (The Disappearance of My Mother) (2019), a documentary exploring the life, psychology, and aspirations of his mother Benedetta Barzini. Barrese discusses the challenges of the documentary as a medium, the power […] The post #09: Interview with Beniamino Barrese...

Diving into Dario Argento's 1977 horror classic and Luca Guadagnino's 2018 re-imagining. The post #08: Suspiria Spook-tacular (Dario Argento, 1977 & Luca Guadagnino, 2018) first appeared on Cinema Italiano Podcast .

The new episode of Cinema Italiano is our first foray into Italian horror, dissecting Mario Bava’s Black Sunday (1960) with special guest Doug McCambridge! We go into the film’s iconic imagery, stunning cinematography, how it plays with the mythology of witches and vampires, multiple Barbara Steeles, and more during our conversation. You can connect with Doug […] The post #07: Bl...

The new episode of Cinema Italiano discusses Federico Fellini’s landmark film 8 1/2! In our conversation, we go into how this classic tackles gender relations in modern Italy, Catholic guilt, the tension between honesty and deceit, and even how the film portends the coming of serious science fiction. This was an especially fun episode to research […] The post #06: 8 1/2 (Federico Felli...

Buona Pasqua! This is a special Easter edition of Cinema Italiano, with an audio essay on Pier Paolo Pasolini’s The Gospel According to St. Matthew, exploring this excitingly anachronistic tale of Christ with themes and motifs that recur throughout Pasolini’s filmography. Links: The Gospel According to Film – April 2018 essay comparing three films about the […] The post #05...