Luchino Visconti’s second film follows a Sicilian fishing family who strives to rise up out of poverty, but face hardships at every turn.
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Episode #28: Two Sicilian Love Stories by Pietro Germi
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.
Episode #27: The Hand of God (Paolo Sorrentino, 2021)
“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.
Episode #26: The Great Beauty (Paolo Sorrentino, 2013)
This sprawling work examines Roman high society, as well as broader themes of artistry, beauty, and experiences both individual and collective.
Episode #25: I vitelloni (Federico Fellini, 1953) & I basilischi (Lina Wertmüller, 1963)
Discussing two tales of young men, directionless and in limbo, and exploring their thematic similarities & differences.
City of Women (1980)
Fellini’s 1980 film reflects an impotence, both figurative and literal, of man in the era of feminism.
Episode #24: Domenica d’agosto (Luciano Emmer, 1950)
Discussing this example of “pink neorealism” as well as its themes of class, regionalism, and more.
Episode #23: Luca (Enrico Casarosa, 2021)
“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.
Episode #22: Human Capital (Paolo Virzì, 2013)
Class, wealth, and power are at the forefront of Paolo Virzì’s award-winning drama.
Episode #21: The Passionate Thief (Mario Monicelli, 1960)
Mario Monicelli’s New Year’s Eve-set comedy surfaces generational divides, power dynamics, and deception.
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