Open Roads: The Reveal of the New Italian Cinema Series Lineup
Presented by the Film Society at Lincoln Center, Open Roads has been the leading American showcase of Italian cinema since 2001. Films were chosen as part of the 13th annual edition of the cinema series – ranging from previous award winners and renowned names, to those from up-and-coming directors. The series began on June 5th and will continue for the next week, until the 12th, with all films shown for a small viewing fee at Lincoln Center.
Many of the films are United States premieres, giving viewers a first look into the Italian Cinema genre, as well as offering them a glimpse into the deeper, more complex political situations and histories of Italy. A new coming-of-age autobiographical film, Those Happy Years, is one of the numerous films to critique the Italian political situation with it’s retrospective look at the 70’s and how the director grew up during crucial political events. The hybrid of documentaries and non fiction work has found a significant role in this year’s lineup with titles such as Gianfranco Rosi’s Sacro GRA, Alberto Fasulo’s docudrama debut Tir, and Vincenzo Marra’s Naples-set The Administrator. Politics and social issues find themselves at the core of the Open Roads roster, enlightening viewers everywhere, bringing Italian cinema back to the forefront of their minds. Issues such as the economic situation, employment crises, and the mafia, just to name a few, populate the landscape of these films. Film Society of Lincoln Center Director of Programming Dennis Lim says, “This year’s rich and diverse program, which ranges from sober drama to irreverent comedy, includes films from all across Italy, continuing the strong regionalist trend of recent years.”
Bringing to light some of the more exciting and revolutionary movements in Italian cinema, the 13th Annual Open Roads series promises a spectacular showing of a variety of intriguing films.
For a full list of the films and their showtimes, open here in a new window.
–Marissa Bondi
