Italian Film Festival Very Benvenuto

By Amy Edwards - 1 October 2011

THE NEWCASTLE HERALD 

 

THE Newcastle Italian Film Festival will return for its second year, attracting big-name support from Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton.

 

The ABC film buffs sent a message to film festival organisers Nick Moretti and Dino Cesta, saying they saluted the idea of a festival promoting Italian film and culture.

 

The festival will be held from Friday, October 14, to Sunday, October 16, at Greater Union Cinema Newcastle and is expected to attract more than 1000 people.

 

Nearby Crown Street, Newcastle, will be closed between 1pm and 6pm on the Saturday to allow film goers to enjoy pizza, coffee stalls, live music and Ferrari and Vespa displays.

 

This year's movie highlights, which will be subtitled in English, include the opening night flick Red Like the Sky - a true story about a young Tuscan boy who loses his sight in a gun accident.

 

We Have a Pope, which is about a newly elected and reluctant pope who has a panic attack just as he is about to appear on St Peter's balcony, will screen on the Saturday night. The film was nominated at the Cannes film festival and is showing in Italian cinemas.

 

The festival will wrap up with the flick What More Do I Want, about troubled relationships, on Sunday.

A snapshot piece covering the past 60 years of Italians living in Newcastle, including interviews and photos, will be shown before each film throughout the festival.