Solid, stately and — like the collapsing Papal States of the Italian Peninsula in the late 1800s — just a little too tradition-bound for its own good, Marco Bellocchio’s “Kidnapped,” based on a 19th-century case of religious abduction, opens with an eavesdrop. Anna (Aurora Camatti), the Catholic servant to the Jewish Mortara family of Bologna, pauses on the stairs after a tryst and spies her employers, Momolo Mortara (Fausto Russo Alesi) and his wife Marianna (Barbara Ronchi), murmuring a blessing in Hebrew over their newborn baby boy. It is not clear yet why the sight should make her stop in her tracks, but over the course of over two sedate but mostly absorbing hours, the veteran director follows its repercussions with a singleminded, narrow dedication that sits strangely at odds with the film’s immaculately expansive production design.
Six years later, the Mortara family has itself expanded greatly. The boy, Edgardo...
Six years later, the Mortara family has itself expanded greatly. The boy, Edgardo...
- 5/23/2023
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
Variety has been given exclusive access to the trailer for Marco Bellocchio’s “Kidnapped” (Rapito), which has its world premiere in Competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
The film starts in 1858 in the Jewish quarter of Bologna, when the Pope’s soldiers burst into the home of the Mortara family. By order of the cardinal, they have come to take Edgardo, their seven-year-old son. The child had been secretly baptized by his nurse as a baby and the papal law is unquestionable: he must receive a Catholic education.
Edgardo’s parents, distraught, will do anything to get their son back. Supported by public opinion and the international Jewish community, the Mortaras’ struggle quickly takes a political dimension. But the Church and the Pope will not agree to return the child, to consolidate an increasingly wavering power.
The film stars Paolo Pierobon, Fausto Russo Alesi, Barbara Ronchi, Enea Sala (as the...
The film starts in 1858 in the Jewish quarter of Bologna, when the Pope’s soldiers burst into the home of the Mortara family. By order of the cardinal, they have come to take Edgardo, their seven-year-old son. The child had been secretly baptized by his nurse as a baby and the papal law is unquestionable: he must receive a Catholic education.
Edgardo’s parents, distraught, will do anything to get their son back. Supported by public opinion and the international Jewish community, the Mortaras’ struggle quickly takes a political dimension. But the Church and the Pope will not agree to return the child, to consolidate an increasingly wavering power.
The film stars Paolo Pierobon, Fausto Russo Alesi, Barbara Ronchi, Enea Sala (as the...
- 5/3/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
In today’s film news roundup, “Between Two Ferns: The Movie” is unveiled, “Friedkin Uncut” gets a fall release and Sony Classics buys “The Traitor” at Cannes.
Movie Releases
Netflix has set a Sept. 20 release date for Zach Galifianakis’ “Between Two Ferns: The Movie,” based on his 11-year-old talk show.
Galifianakis made the announcement during a Netflix awards event with David Letterman on Thursday night. Galifianakis co-wrote the movie with Scott Aukerman, who’s directing the film.
Aukerman was the director of 14 of the 21 episodes of the talk show, which began in 2008 with an interview with Michael Cera. The most recent “Between Two Ferns” aired in 2018 with Jerry Seinfeld, Wayne Knight and Cardi B.
Aukerman and Galifianakis are producing with Funny or Die’s Caitlin Daley and Mike Farah. The logline involves the comedian and his crew taking a road trip to complete a series of high-profile celebrity interviews and restore his reputation.
Movie Releases
Netflix has set a Sept. 20 release date for Zach Galifianakis’ “Between Two Ferns: The Movie,” based on his 11-year-old talk show.
Galifianakis made the announcement during a Netflix awards event with David Letterman on Thursday night. Galifianakis co-wrote the movie with Scott Aukerman, who’s directing the film.
Aukerman was the director of 14 of the 21 episodes of the talk show, which began in 2008 with an interview with Michael Cera. The most recent “Between Two Ferns” aired in 2018 with Jerry Seinfeld, Wayne Knight and Cardi B.
Aukerman and Galifianakis are producing with Funny or Die’s Caitlin Daley and Mike Farah. The logline involves the comedian and his crew taking a road trip to complete a series of high-profile celebrity interviews and restore his reputation.
- 5/25/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
After Triumphant Cannes Premiere, ‘The Traitor (Il Traditore)’ Is Acquired By Sony Pictures Classics
Exclusive: Following its Cannes premiere Thursday evening, The Traitor’ (Il traditore) is being acquired for North American distribution by Sony Pictures Classics, sources said. The Marco Bellocchio-directed drama chronicled the takedown of organized crime seen through the eyes of Tommaso Buscetta (Pierfrancesco Favino), a key mob figure who turned state’s evidence in a move that led others to do the same, crumbling the omerta code that allowed the gangsters to operate unfettered. A slew of killers and drug traffickers ended up in prison as a result.
The drama unfolds in 1980, when the game grew from old-style crime with decorum to a more bloodthirsty business. Buscetta’s decision to turn “rat” leads to the arrest of all the mafia chieftains, who face off against Buscetta in a “maxi trial” that was shocking because no one at his level of criminal prominence had done such a thing. To the star witness,...
The drama unfolds in 1980, when the game grew from old-style crime with decorum to a more bloodthirsty business. Buscetta’s decision to turn “rat” leads to the arrest of all the mafia chieftains, who face off against Buscetta in a “maxi trial” that was shocking because no one at his level of criminal prominence had done such a thing. To the star witness,...
- 5/23/2019
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
The American Film Institute announced today the films that will screen in the World Cinema, Breakthrough, Midnight, Shorts and Cinema’s Legacy programs at AFI Fest 2015 presented by Audi.
AFI Fest will take place November 5 – 12, 2015, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and events will be held at the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre, the Tcl Chinese 6 Theatres, Dolby Theatre, the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian, the El Capitan Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt.
World Cinema showcases the most acclaimed international films of the year; Breakthrough highlights true discoveries of the programming process; Midnight selections will grip audiences with terror; and Cinema’s Legacy highlights classic movies and films about cinema. World Cinema and Breakthrough selections are among the films eligible for Audience Awards. Shorts selections are eligible for the Grand Jury Prize, which qualifies the winner for Academy Award®consideration. This year’s Shorts jury features filmmaker Janicza Bravo,...
AFI Fest will take place November 5 – 12, 2015, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and events will be held at the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre, the Tcl Chinese 6 Theatres, Dolby Theatre, the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian, the El Capitan Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt.
World Cinema showcases the most acclaimed international films of the year; Breakthrough highlights true discoveries of the programming process; Midnight selections will grip audiences with terror; and Cinema’s Legacy highlights classic movies and films about cinema. World Cinema and Breakthrough selections are among the films eligible for Audience Awards. Shorts selections are eligible for the Grand Jury Prize, which qualifies the winner for Academy Award®consideration. This year’s Shorts jury features filmmaker Janicza Bravo,...
- 10/22/2015
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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