Monday 27 May 2024 at 6pm – Italian Institute of Culture, Pavilion Hall
“Riso amaro” is a 1949 movie by Giuseppe De Santis. It was presented to the 3º Film Festival Cannes and it was a nominee for the 1951 Academy award for Best Script.
This is the first movie in 2024 which diverges from the themes of Contemporary Italy, which saw 8 movies produced in the last 15 years dominating the IIC screen.
“Riso amaro” is the opportunity to discover the Italy of a bygone era, the reality of “Mondine“ in the North, the seasonal workers who came from all cross the peninsula to work in the rice fields in Piedmont.
Synopsis: Fleeing from the law, Francesca and Walter hide among the rice workers, including the naive Silvana. While Francesca learns the hardships of labor, Silvana is captivated by Walter. When he decides to carry out a new robbery, Silvana must face a terrible decision…
The protagonists of the movie are renowned actors Silvana Mangano e Vittorio Gassman. This was the first neorealist movie that was a success with the audience of the time.
The film will be screened in Italian with English subtitles. A brief introduction of its context will precede the screening.
Free admission, bookings on this page or Eventbrite.
THE DIRECTOR
Giuseppe De Santis (1917-1997) was an Italian director and screenwriter renowned for his contributions to Italian neorealism cinema. Born in Fondi, in the Lazio region, De Santis began his career as a journalist and film critic before turning to directing. He became famous for his films that explored the social struggles and injustices of his time, with a keen eye on the lives of the working class. His masterpiece, “Riso Amaro/Bitter Rice” (1949), is considered an icon of Italian neorealism and has received international acclaim. De Santis continued to direct and write successful films, significantly contributing to the history of Italian cinema.
Reservation no longer available
