Cinema paradiso, cinema purgatorio

If it were a Dario Argento movie, someone would transform into a necromorph (Argento voices a character in Dead Space’s Italian version) or a zombie (Argento edited George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead for its European release) and eat one guy across the table. What has made me want to go medievally Argento on the aforementioned dude? We are in a press con and the man in pink shirt is conducting his own press con — how some Argento horror films have a tinge of supernatural fantasy (a fact that he lifted from the press release we were given at the reception table), how idiosyncratic Italian cinema is (more motherhood statements) — while his sidekick cooed and asked sidekicky questions. He should’ve added how Argento influenced modern horror and slasher films (see paragraph one of page two of the “Moviemov” catalog).

All that gab is making me see red. Deep red. Not cool.

The press conference at Manila Peninsula is for the “Moviemov: Italian Cinema Now” festival, which will be held from Nov. 9 to 13 at the Greenbelt 3 cinemas. The festival is organized by the Embassy of Italy, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, the Philippine-Italian Association, in cooperation with Rustan’s, The Peninsula Manila, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), and in collaboration with Asiatica Film Mediale (organizers of the most important Asian Film Festival in Italy) and Playtown (organizers of the Film Festival in Rome).

All these organizations are giving us a chance to see Deep Red (or Profondo Rosso). Cool.

The Italian Ambassador to the Philippines Luca Fornari says the goal of the festival is to create a lineup of films that will best promote and show in Manila what present-day Italian cinema is all about.

“A real film festival is a place where — after watching — you can discuss (things) to increase knowledge and (nurture) the culture of the people involved,” says Fornari.

Nedy Tantoco, president of the Philippines Italian Association, says the association works closely with the Italian Embassy and is behind the embassy all the way in supporting one of the most important events this year. Tantoco explains why we Filipinos are very fond of Italian movies. She shares, “We are very emotional just like the Italians, we like drama, we have a thirst for Dracula-type movies (laughs). I love Gina Lollobrigida films, the Sophia Loren films — simply because they are very positive.” Much like the positivity we exude as a nation.   

Senator Goffredo Bettini, general director of “Moviemov: Italian Film Festival,” says “Moviemov” aims to be like the Venice or the Cannes Film Festival, in which the producers, directors, actors of the films to be shown will actually come to the Philippines. Such as Dario Argento. (Yes, Irene Rada of CCP, I’d want to interview his dark eminence, the master of horror, the punk godfather of all the slasher, horror and torture porn movies we adore and could not get enough of. No, Jessica Z., Bernardo Bertolucci is not coming.) Argento’s films include Profondo Rosso (Deep Red), The Stendahl Syndrome, The Card Player, an episode of Showtime’s Masters of Horror (titled Jenifer), and, my favorite, Suspiria — which comes out with shock lights blinking and flashy dance macabre numbers, but also leaves you with that lingering mindf*ck of fear. There will be a red carpet affair at the opening on Nov. 9, 6 p.m. at Greenbelt 5. There will be other big names of Italian cinema that will walk on the furry redness leading to the theaters: actress Asia Argento, producers Gianni Paolucci, composer Franco Piersanti, actor Ennio Fantastichini, and singer-actress Pietra Montecorvino, among others. 

There will also be roundtable discussions among the Italian and Filipino filmmakers in order to have “an international exchange of ideas and concepts in making films, and to have future collaborations and lasting partnerships together.”

Two workshops will be held: one by award-winning composer Franco Piersanti and Argento himself, who will be feted with a tribute at the festival (along with Bertolucci and our very own Brillante Mendoza). Argento’s Suspiria, Profondo Rosso and a segment of the latest and much-awaited one, Dracula 3D (featuring Rutger Hauer as Van Helsing) will be shown, alongside Bertolucci’s The Conformist, The Dreamers (I wonder if they will show this flick uncut…), the sublime The Last Tango in Paris (“Butter!” “Get the butter!”), among others. And as a tribute to Mendoza, Lola, Kinatay and Serbis (Jacklyn Jose is brilliant in this one) are slated for screenings as well.  

We learn from the Italian senator how seminal classical Italian cinema is, what with its quartet of master filmmakers — Federico Fellini, Roberto Rossellini, Luchino Visconti and Pier Paolo Pasolini — but it has encountered a setback of sorts in recent years with distribution problems, which is not at par with how Hollywood and its Korean counterpart distribute their movies worldwide. Many of us love the classics of Italian cinema, some of us dig even the trashy, kitschy ones from Spaghetti Westerns to Tinto Brass skinflicks. Even the throwaways are worth their weight in gold. But we do wonder what’s up with contemporary Italian filmmakers. Why Manila (or Bangkok or New Delhi, two other cities where “Moviemov” will be staged)? Methinks it’s not just because of a common ardor for cinema.

Bettini says because Italian movies reflect our countrymen’s own difficulties and hopes. He explains, through a translator, “The festival aims to promote love for cinema, particularly in Asia. Develop friendship between Italy and the host country, to speak to the youth in particular. (Entrance to watch the films is free) because we want to involve all sectors of society. We want to go deeper (into the process of filmmaking) that’s why we’re holding master classes. We chose these films to present the best of Italian cinema.”

He concludes that they’re not just bringing in Italian movies, but aspects of Italian culture as well which most of us Filipinos are very fond of — food, fashion, the flair for doing things. 

The Film Development Council of the Philippines chairman Briccio Santos agrees. “Italian films have a lot to teach us. These films resonate with our people. There are many cultural similarities between the two cultures — love for life, family, food and wine. We have our own ways of (experiencing) la dolce vita, no matter our station in life.” 

Tikoy Aguiluz, Cinemanila founding festival director; Nestor Jardin, Cinemalaya festival director; Emanuela Adesini, Italian Embassy cultural attaché; Italian Ambassador to the Philippines Luca Fornari; Briccio Santos, chairman of the Film Development Council of the Philippines; Senator Goffredo Bettini, general director of the “Moviemov: Italian Film Festival”; Sonja Vodusek, The Peninsula Manila general manager; and Silvana Fornari at the press launch of “Moveimov”

After the press con, I look across the table and the man in pink has vanished. Maybe he made his exit just like Dario Argento’s agent of shadows.

* * *

‘Moviemov,’ from Nov. 9 to 13, is supported by Gulf Air, Luxottica, Crewtech, Elburg, Italian Maritime Academy, Ayala Center, Ayala Malls Cinemas, Greenbelt, Cinamanila, UP Film Institute, Manila Broadcasting Company, ClicktheCity.com, Spot.ph, Yocard, Trevi Foundations, Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines and Furnitalia.

For information, call Isis Bautista at 892-4531 local 143, visit www.italiancinemanow.it, www.facebook.com/ItalianEmbassyManila, and www.ambmanila.esteri.it, or call the Cultural Center of the Philippines Public Relations and Linkages Division at 832-1125 local 1115-1117, or e-mail ccp.publicrelations@gmail.com.