Richmond hosts Italian and French Film Festival
UNIVERSITY NEWS
The University of Richmond will host the inaugural Italian and French Film Festival on March 27-30.
UR’s Sonja Bertucci, a French and film studies professor, and Anthony Russell, an English and Italian studies professor, are organizing the festival. Building on the success of last year’s Italian Film Festival, they aim to deepen Richmond’s engagement with Italian and French cultures through contemporary cinema.
“Cinema brings people together to share an experience,” said Bertucci. “We’re hoping this festival will do just that: gather Richmonders from all walks of life in one place, celebrating the city’s vitality and cultural opportunities.”
All events are free and open to the public. “We hope to strengthen the connection between the University of Richmond and the wider community by exposing them to two very rich artistic traditions,” said Bertucci.
This year’s festival is arranged around the theme of “Passages,” screening eight acclaimed contemporary films, such as Paolo Sorrentino’s La Grazia, that explore life’s transformations.
“The films we’ve selected explore the lives of children, young adults, and men and women at many stages of life,” said Russell. “The films approach the challenging life transitions we all must confront, from strikingly different angles.”
A special 60th-anniversary screening of Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers (1966), considered one of the most influential political films in history, will be held on Saturday, March 28.
Italian director Sophie Chiarello, creator of the award-winning documentary film “Il Cerchio,” will be a featured guest. Roundtable discussions and Q&As will be held for attendees throughout the event, in addition to receptions featuring Italian and French cuisine.
For the concluding event on March 30, the historic Byrd Theatre in Carytown will show Oliver Laxe’s Sirât.
“I’m particularly excited about seeing Sirât at the legendary Byrd Theater, an absolutely iconic location for experiencing cinema in Richmond,” said Bertucci. “Audiences will witness two completely different realities collide: the ornate, baroque atmosphere of the Byrd and a desert film that opens with an eight-minute rave! I expect something surreal, electric.”