American Stars Abound at the 14th Rome Film Fest

“Racism, migration, and climate change are amongst the themes touched in the selected works,” according to Antonio Monda, the festival’s artistic director for the fifth year in a row. 

CREDIT: LUCA DAMMICCO/COURTESY ROME FILM FESTIVAL

COURTESY ROME FILM FESTIVAL

Many titles, between films and documentaries, 33 are part of the Official Selection, 13 close encounters with directors and actors including Bill Murray, Benicio Del Toro, Ethan Coen, Ron Howard, John Travolta, Viola Davis, and Edward Norton. 25 countries are represented, 19 of the directors are women, and there are 37 world premieres. But the fest will expand beyond the Auditorium “because this year it will involve 18 locations across the city, including the neighborhood of Rebibbia and the Gemelli Hospital, while the red carpet will be roled out in 8 parts of the city,” Monda explains.

Great anticipation for Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, with Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Al Pacino, already presented at the New York Film Festival. A criminal saga narrating 40 years of American counter-history. Among others, the Downton Abbey movie based on the famed series, Honey Boy with Shia LaBeouf, the opening film Motherless Brooklyn by Ed Norton, Hustlers a film about the world of strippers with Jennifer Lopez, the Judy Garland biopic Judy, with Renée Zellweger, and Pavarotti, the documentary by Ron Howard.

Three participating films are Italian, two are part of the Official Selection: Il ladro di Giorni (The Thief of Days) with Riccardo Scamarcio, and the documentary by Alessandro Piva, Santa Subito, while Cristina Comencini’s Tornare will be the closing film. 

Lifetime achievement awards will go to Bill Murray, who will receive the prize from director Wes Anderson, and to Viola Davis, the only African American actress to have won a Tony, and Emmy and an Oscar.

Interdependence is among the most anticipated special events. Every episode of the film is directed by independent directors from all five continents, who unite their strengths to sensitize public opinion to environmental issues and climate change: each one offers a unique perspective on the concept of interdependence. 

Negramaro. L’anima vista da qui, a documentary about the band from Apuglia, who will then meet with the audience. More on music with the documentary about Kurt Cobain’s last concert and The Fanatic, a film with John Travolta, who played many roles tied to music and dance.