SFFS Presents: New Italian Cinema November 14, 2010

The San Francisco Film Society, New Italian Cinema Events of Florence, Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco present New Italian Cinema, November 14-21 at Landmark's Embarcadero Center Cinema. The eight-day festival is dedicated to bringing Italy's newest directors and films to Bay Area audiences and celebrating the country's rich cinematic tradition. The 2010 edition opens with Ferzan Ozpetek's humorous drama Loose Cannons and a three-film retrospective of this talented and prolific auteur's work, and closes with Paolo Virzì's moving new film The First Beautiful Thing. The core program of New Italian Cinema features seven recent films by breakthrough filmmakers vying for the City of Florence Award.

Opening Night
Sunday, November 14, 9:00-11:00 pm
Cigar Bar & Grill, 850 Montgomery St (between Pacific and Jackson)

Commemorate the best in contemporary Italian cinema with acclaimed director Ferzan Ozpetek and his film Loose Cannons. A limited number of tickets are available for a festive post-screening reception at Cigar Bar & Grill.

Loose Cannons
Sunday, November 14, 6:15 pm
OPENING NIGHT FILM - Ozpetek's latest dissection of family, love and personal liberation gently satirizes a large bourgeois household while creating a memorable panoply of characters.

A Perfect Day
Sunday, November 14, 9:15 pm & Saturday, November 20, 1:00 pm
In this tense drama, Ozpetek presents an engaging cross-section of Roman society, portraying two families from different classes over a shattering 24-hour period.

Facing Windows
Monday, November 15, 6:00 pm
This award-winning drama tells the story of Giovanna, a woman unhappy in her marriage and job who fantasizes about the man living in the building across from her.

Steam: The Turkish Bath
Monday, November 15, 8:45 pm
Ozpetek's rich and poignant debut feature depicts the self-discovery of a married Italian businessman who inherits a Turkish hamam.

Ten Winters
Tuesday, November 16, 6:00 pm & Saturday, November 20, 9:15 pm
Over the course of a decade, a man and a woman remain in contact but never have the chance to fall in love. Ten Winters offers insights into missed opportunities and the stark realities of life.

I Am Glad You Are Here
Tuesday, November 16, 8:45 pm & Saturday, November 20, 3:45 pm
Luis Prieto's surprising and touching drama takes a turn when a young woman befriends her recently deceased father's former mistress.

Clash of Civilization over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio
Wednesday, November 17, 6:00 pm & Sunday, November 21, 12:15 pm
In an apartment building in Rome, a surly young man named Lorenzo is involved in a crime, and the residents must piece together what happened in this wide-ranging study of clashing cultures.

Raise Your Head
Wednesday, November 17, 8:45 pm & Friday, November 19, 6:30 pm
Antonio is a shipyard worker training his beloved teenaged son Lorenzo in boxing. When an accident befalls the boy, Antonio is forced to confront his harsh nature and various prejudices.

18 Years Later
Thursday, November 18, 6:00 pm & Sunday, November 21, 3:00 pm
In this winning road movie, two estranged brothers traveling in a classically restored Morgan convertible are obliged to deliver their father's ashes to his hometown in Calabria.

Weddings and Other Disasters
Thursday, November 18, 8:45 pm & Saturday, November 20, 6:30 pm
A middle-aged single woman gets caught up in her younger sister's impending nuptials in this delightful romantic comedy.

The Double Hour
Friday, November 19, 9:00 pm
A hotel maid working in Turin finds herself involved in a series of increasingly strange events in this dreamlike thriller from director Giuseppe Capotondi.

The First Beautiful Thing
Sunday, November 21, 6:00 & 9:15 pm
CLOSING NIGHT FILM What does it mean to have a beautiful, frivolous and embarrassing mother? This is the problem confronting Bruno, the protagonist of Paolo Virzì's moving new film.

Closing Night
Sunday, November 21, 9:00-11:00 pm
Fior d'Italia, 2237 Mason Street (between Francisco and Chestnut)

Celebrate Closing Night of New Italian Cinema after the first screening of filmmaker Paolo Virzì's The First Beautiful Thing. Limited tickets are available for a reception at Fior d'Italia.

For more information, please visit: http://www.sffs.org/Screenings-and-Events/Fall-Season/New-Italian-Cinema.aspx

Official Website: http://www.sffs.org/Screenings-and-Events/Fall-Season/New-Italian-Cinema.aspx