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 Marcello
• Simple Women by Chiara Malta
• Storia di B. – La scomparsa di mia madre (The Disappearance of My Mother) by Beniamino Barrese
• Il campione (The Champion) by Leonardo D’Agostini
• Il traditore (The Traitor) by Marco Bellochio
• Sole by Carlo Sironi

These films were a great window into contemporary Italian life, and with many first-time filmmakers, represent an exciting future for what’s to come in Cinema Italiano.

Links:

• Palm Springs International Film Festival
• Interview: Beniamino Barrese (The Disappearance of My Mother)
• Interview: Leonardo D’Agostini & Antonella Lattanzi (The Champion)
• Interview: Chiara Malta (Simple Women)
• Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This episode features the following music excerpts:

• “Lacrima e mare” by Cyril Giroux feat. Le Metralli
• “My Type” by Saint Motel
• “Piccere” by Daniele Pace