Keira Knightley and Al Pacino, movie stars in Rome

2008-08-21 14:22:47

I was worried for the Rome Film Festival because last months were full of changes: the name became “Festival Internazionale del Film di Roma”, the president was changed (Gian Luigi Rondi replaced Goffredo Bettini) and Gianni Alemanno succeeded Walter Veltroni as mayor. Judging by the first previews, that I disclosed in the previous post, fortunately I was probably wrong.

From October 22nd to 31st, Rome will host many stars, like Keira Knightley (a noble woman in “The Duchess” by Saul Dibb) and Al Pacino (who will collect the Marc'Aurelio Alla Carriera - Acting Award). The films selected for “Cinema 2008” include the world premiere of 8 (Huit), a film that is also an ambitious project to raise the public’s awareness of the United Nation’s campaign to halve global poverty. The movie is divided into eight segments, directed by Jane Campion, Gael García Bernal, Jan Kounen, Mira Nair, Gaspar Noé, Abderrahmane Sissako, Gus Van Sant, e Wim Wenders respectively.

Two more world premieres scheduled for the “L’Altro Cinema” (Extra) section are both dedicated to the life of two great musicians: Bob Marley (Bob Marley: Exodus 77, by Anthony Wall) and Fabrizio De Andrè (Effedià – sulla mia cattiva strada, by Teresa Marchesi). Brazil is the country being profiled this year by “L’Occhio sul mondo” (Focus), with a selection of 10 films having their European or international premieres.