Limelight: Italy by the Nile By Lubna Abdel-Aziz Beat the drums, blow the bugles and roll out the red carpet in warm welcome of Italy, the queen of European cinema, here to grace Cairo's 28th International Film Festival. In his years of tenure, festival director Cherif El- Shoubashi has initiated a tradition of celebrating the national cinema of countries around the world. France was the festival's honoured guest last year, and this year the choice fell on its Mediterranean neighbour, the historic land of sunny Italy. Its very melodic name "Italia", though it means "land of oxen", conjures sights and sounds, rhythms and tastes of the grandeur, charm and beauty of a civilisation that defies description. For hundreds of years the history of Italy was the history of Western civilisation. The Roman Empire influenced government, art and architecture of many peoples for generations. Despite the fall of the Roman Empire and a period of foreign rule and disarray, the Renaissance of the 1300s produced great achievements that spread and flourished throughout Europe. Much of the Italian peninsula was united as an independent country for the first time in 1861 under King Victor Emanuel II. With an inexhaustible passion for art and culture, Italy adopted the fledgling art of the 20th century with almost as much zeal as it did opera in previous centuries. By mid-century it had become the "Queen of Film" in all of the European continent, second only to Hollywood in quality and popularity. Her leading ladies Loren and Lollobrigida, became the world's beauty queens. Her visionary film directors, Rossellini, De Sica and Visconti, inspired schools of style around the world. Her screen talents like Magnani, Mangano, and Mastroianni were the envy of Hollywood. So enamoured by the young art, Italy established the first International Film Festival in Venice in 1939, still considered one of the most prestigious cinematic events despite strong competition from her European neighbours, Cannes and Berlin. This rich tapestry of art and culture is now on display in Cairo to enrich and enchant Caireans during the festival's duration. A choice selection of 45 films of post-war classics as well as a spotlight on new Italian cinema with French and/or English subtitles or instant Arabic translations on headphones available for the asking. Festival opening night featured director Gabrielle Muccino's Ricordati Di Me (Remember Me, My Love), a family drama starring Laura Moronte and Monica Belluci. The history of Italian film started long before its renowned school of neo-realism, so unique to war-torn Italy. Second only to France, film's motherland, the first Italian film was released in 1985 Umberto E Margherita Di Savoia : Passeggio Per Il Parco (A Stroll in the Park) in which the royals are seen on a stroll in the park. The media so enchanted the Italians, they were soon digging into their vast treasure of rich literature to recreate live stories through the projected images. Film became the national pastime. When Benito Mussolini took control of the government in the early 1920s, the art of cinema continued to evolve, now serving as a tool to the Fascist ruler. Sound was introduced in 1930 with La Canzone Dell'Amore inspired by Pirandello and directed by Gennaro Righelli, a most appropriate beginning for the devout addicts of both music and amore! The pre-war decades produced what was widely dubbed as telefoni bianchi (white telephone) movies, lightweight escapist comedies and musicals depicting an opulence and luxury well beyond the reach of most Italians. By the start of WWII, the Fascist continued to use the industry to distract and relieve a suffering populace. Following the war years, Italian cinema conquered the world with its stunning style of neo-realism. The heroes of this new movement were Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio de Sica. Although a favourite character in Italian as well as international features, De Sica, a 30s romantic lead in comedies, preferred to be behind the camera than in front of it. With the cooperation of screen-writer Cesare Zavatini, he was able to direct some of Italy's finest films. Together, they left a legacy of powerful dramas that are as graphic and as penetrating today as they were half a century ago. Drawing genuine emotions from non-actors in Sciuscia (Shoeshine, 1946) and Ladri di Biceclette (Bicycle Thief, 1948). The agony and desperation of a simple worker, searching for his stolen bicycle in order to retain his job and support his family, was felt around the world. The pioneer of neo-realism however is without a doubt Roberto Rossellini who stunned viewers with Roma, Citt� Aperta (Open City, 1945) secretly shot in the busy streets of Rome while the Germans were still pulling out of the city. The depth, breadth and extent of his gritty depiction of war's inhumanity received international acclaim. One of the masterpieces produced by the De Sica-Zavatini team was L'Oro di Napoli (Gold of Napoli 1954) a collection of four vignettes representing the multilayered complexities of Neapolitan societies. A voluptuous newcomer Sophia Loren, was featured as the unfaithful wife of a pizza-maker. Since then the world cannot get enough of her. A new generation of Italian filmmakers oversaw the evolution of neo- realism into analytical dramas of social and psychological conflicts. Luchino Visconti reached classic stature with La Terra Trema (1948). Even Italians needed subtitles to decipher the film's heavy Sicilian dialect of a family stricken by poverty. Federico Fellini who wrote several screenplays for directors Rossellini and Alberto Lattuada debuted as a director with Luce del Variet� (Variety Lights, 1950). It was La Strada (1954) however, with wife Giulietta Massina as a simple minded waif and a brutish circus manager Anthony Quinn, which established his place in cinema history. He followed his triumph with La Dolce Vita, shocking the world with his detailed etching of the decay of Italian society. Michelangelo Antonioni also debuted as director in 1950, exploring several styles and themes. By the 1960s L'Avventura accorded him international fame and acclaim. His work remained strong in later decades establishing him as another Italian icon in international film circles. Bernardo Bertollucci stirred still waters with the explicit sexuality displayed by the world's primo actor Marlon Brando in Last Tango in Paris (1976). He followed it with several English language features, and continues to be active in international as well as Italian cinema. Franco Zeffirelli also captured the attention of an international audience with his passionate interpretation of a series of Shakespearean dramas Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. More than any other actress the venerable Anna Magnani symbolises the fire and passion of Italy on stage and screen. A special tribute to La mamma Magnani will be featured at this week's festival appearing in six of her finest films including Riso Amaro, Roma Citt� Aperta and Bellissima. After two decades of a severe film crisis during the 1980s and 1990s, Italian cinema is rising once again to reclaim its place as queen of European film. The new generation of filmmakers struggled to overcome the long shadow cast by the classic masters. There were a few exceptions Cinema Paradiso (1989), Mediterraneo (1991), both winning Oscars for best foreign language films, Il Postino (1995), nominated for 3 Oscars, best film, best director and best actor. It took La Vita è Bella, directed by Roberto Benigni to take home three Oscars after seven nominations. Many of these gems will be available for viewing this weekend, courtesy of Italian cinema and the Cairo Film Festival. Among these films are rare classics by the masters such as De Sica, Rossellini, Antonioni and Visconti. Do yourself a favour and catch one or all, you will be the richer for it. The refurbishing, reconstructing and redecorating of Rome's famous studio Cinecitt� is beckoning once again to filmmakers around the world to re- establish the Roman capital as "Hollywood on the Tiber" as it was once known in the post-war era. Meanwhile Italian cinema reigns supreme by the banks of the Nile leaving us humming our favourite Italian melodies, Ciao, Ciao Bambina, Arrivederci Roma, and making up one of our own, Grazie tante bella Italia.
