N.I.C.E, New Italian Cinema Events [2] is heading back to the US for a new exciting series of contemporary Italian cinema. Year after year, the festival, now its 24th edition, brings around the world Italian films made by young directors at their first or second experience. This is an important opportunity for new Italian promising directors to have their talent recognized outside the borders of their home country.


The festival was created by founded by Viviana del Bianco and Grazia Santini in 1991, to become, over the past years, one of the most relevant and appreciated international showcases of the up-and-coming Italian cinema in the United States, Russia and China.The festival in the USA is traditionally held during the second and third weeks of November in New York City and San Francisco, and this year it's making a quick stop in Washington D.C.


This year’s N.I.C.E. in New York is presented in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute, New York; the Consulate General of Italy; the School of Visual Arts’ Film Department, the New York Film Academy and NYU’s Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò. Additional sponsorship is provided by Comune di Firenze; Fondazione Sistema Toscana; Ministero dei Beni Culturali and Affari Esteri; and Regione Toscana.


Once again, the Italian Cultural Institute in New York will host the presentation of this year’s selection, which features seven terrific films by up-and-coming directors, qualifying for the City of Florence Award (Through voting ballots, N.I.C.E.’s audiences are responsible for assigning the “N.I.C.E - City of Florence Award” to one of the seven feature films in competition every year, which is screened in Florence in December): the first-ever animated feature film shown by the festival (“The Art of Happiness” by Alessandro Rak), an Italian production entirely in Arabic (“Border” by Alessio Cremonini”), a suspense-oriented film in the giallo tradition (“House of Shadows” by Rossella De Venuto), a LGBT road-trip set between Barcelona and Chile (“Up to the world” by Alessandro Lunardelli), a raucously entertaining and geeky version of hit TV-show Breaking Bad (“I Can Quit Whenever I Want” by Sydney Sibilia), a scathing indictment of the pharmaceutical industry (“The Medicine Seller” by Antonio Morabito) and a charming romantic comedy revolving around kleptomania and narcolepsy (“Remember Me?”

by Rolando Ravello).


On November 20th, N.I.C.E. will make a quick stop-over in Washington D.C. for an additional special screening of “Blame Freud”, before proceeding to San Francisco, where this year’s full film selection will be showcased, in addition to Asia Argento’s “Misunderstood”, Paolo Virzì’s “Human Capital”, Roberto Andò’s “Long Live Freedom”, Stefano Incerti’s "Snow", Giovanni Cioni’s "Per Ulisse" and an evening with Edoardo Ponti.


NYC program



Monday, Nov. 17 at 6:00 p.m.

Italian Cultural Institute, New York (686 Park Ave. btw E. 68th and E. 69th street)

Presentation of the upcoming New Italian Cinema Events series in the US

Panelists: directors Paolo Genovese and Rossella De Venuto, alongside N.I.C.E. Director Viviana del Bianco

RSVP: http://www.iicnewyork.esteri.it/IIC_NewYork/webform/SchedaEvento.aspx?id=805&citta=NewYork [3]


Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 6:00 p.m.

Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò (24 W. 12th St. btw 5th & 6th Ave.)

Screening of "Remember Me?" (Ti ricordi di me?) by Rolando Ravello (in Italian with English subtitles) followed by a Q&A with screenwriter Paolo Genovese and a reception

First come, first served


Tuesday, Nov 18 at 7.30 p.m.

New York Film Academy - Union Square (100 E. 17th St. @ Park Ave.)

Screening of "House of Shadows" ("Controra") by Rossella De Venuto (in Italian with English subtitles) followed by a Q&A with director Rossella De Venuto

RSVP: http://house-of-shadows-screening.eventbrite.com [4]


Wednesday, Nov. 19th at 7:00 p.m.

SVA Theaters – Silas (333 West 23rd St)

NYC premiere screening of "Blame Freund" ("Tutta colpa di Freud") by Paolo Genovese (in Italian with English subtitles) followed by a Q&A with director Paolo Genovese

RSVP: https://blame-freud.eventbrite.com [4]


Admission to all events is free, just RSVP.