The 2009 10th Italian Film Festival (www.italianfilmfestival.com.au) is playing in Australia in Sep and Oct 2009 and this years range of films looks very impressive. Being a lover of romantic comedies and also being a film my wife shortlisted we headed off to a packed screening of "Many Kisses Later" on a cold wet spring afternoon with the film in Italian with English subtitles.
The film festival synopsis read - "MANY KISSES LATER follows six couples between Christmas and Valentine's Day - episodes that intertwine and revolve around the matters arising from the end of a love affair and the ways former romantic partners can shape our lives. Some relationships have turned into hatred, others into friendships, for others instead the flame of love is still burning The film begins with many declarations of love and lots of kisses But then, does love go on? Did they indeed live happily ever after? The stellar cast includes Claudio Bisio, Silvio Orlando, Nancy Brilli, and Claudia Gerini plus French stars César-winner Malik Zidi (Poison Friends) and Cécile Cassel (sister of Vincent). Brizzi mixes clever social observation, entertaining dialogue, comic situations, a sprinkling of drama, a dash of sex and exotic locations to boot – it's handsome viewing"
Handsome? I'd call it very handsome... location wise we have Italy, Paris and Wellington NZ... the scenes perfectly capture each location with localities carefully thread into the plot. Castwise we have a large company of actors and actresses..
Claudio Bisio who plays the university lecturer is a fine looking man.... a better looking version of Bruce Willis if that makes sense. Priest Don Leonardo is played by Flavio Insinna a charming good looking Italian actor who to me looks a lot like Patrick Demsey except with Italian charm. Claudia Gerni was delightful as Elisa... she reminded me of English actress/comedienne Sarah Alexander from the BBC TV series "Coupling" and "The Worst week of my life" Some other familiar faces Nancy Brilli in a supporting role as the wife of a couple who don't like their children, want a divorce and whose children want to divorce their parents.. Nancy last seen here in Italian RAI TV mini-series Commesse and Commesse 2 (aka Shopgirls/Shopgirls 2) Silvio Orlando also playing here in a more animated and slightly more youthful role than his role in "Giovanna's Father" seen last week.
A whole cast of younger (Claudio Bisio's on screen daughters) and older character actors, a great soundtrack, a plot like a jigsaw puzzle where all the pieces fit.
You know a great romantic comedy with some drama thrown in (the course of love is not always smooth and a straight line) by the way it builds and builds to the final release or declaration of all that unresolved tension.
Many Kisses Later will not disappoint on this point. It's an engrossing, delightful 120 minute journey that any lover of romantic comedy should love. And like every good/great romantic comedy MKL will stand a lot of repeat viewings and still delight.
Small wonder it was this years 2009 Italian box office champion. Very much an Italian equivalent of the Danish "Italian For Beginners". As part of the soundtrack which included James Blunt and a whole host of others on a cold spring day "it may have been winter but it was spring in my heart" Especially after Many Kisses Later. Hats off (again) to RAI International... in this genre they are very hard to beat
Postscript... for trailers (video on the menu bar), CD tracks here's a link to the films Italian website http://www.ex-ilfilm.com/..enjoy!
The film festival synopsis read - "MANY KISSES LATER follows six couples between Christmas and Valentine's Day - episodes that intertwine and revolve around the matters arising from the end of a love affair and the ways former romantic partners can shape our lives. Some relationships have turned into hatred, others into friendships, for others instead the flame of love is still burning The film begins with many declarations of love and lots of kisses But then, does love go on? Did they indeed live happily ever after? The stellar cast includes Claudio Bisio, Silvio Orlando, Nancy Brilli, and Claudia Gerini plus French stars César-winner Malik Zidi (Poison Friends) and Cécile Cassel (sister of Vincent). Brizzi mixes clever social observation, entertaining dialogue, comic situations, a sprinkling of drama, a dash of sex and exotic locations to boot – it's handsome viewing"
Handsome? I'd call it very handsome... location wise we have Italy, Paris and Wellington NZ... the scenes perfectly capture each location with localities carefully thread into the plot. Castwise we have a large company of actors and actresses..
Claudio Bisio who plays the university lecturer is a fine looking man.... a better looking version of Bruce Willis if that makes sense. Priest Don Leonardo is played by Flavio Insinna a charming good looking Italian actor who to me looks a lot like Patrick Demsey except with Italian charm. Claudia Gerni was delightful as Elisa... she reminded me of English actress/comedienne Sarah Alexander from the BBC TV series "Coupling" and "The Worst week of my life" Some other familiar faces Nancy Brilli in a supporting role as the wife of a couple who don't like their children, want a divorce and whose children want to divorce their parents.. Nancy last seen here in Italian RAI TV mini-series Commesse and Commesse 2 (aka Shopgirls/Shopgirls 2) Silvio Orlando also playing here in a more animated and slightly more youthful role than his role in "Giovanna's Father" seen last week.
A whole cast of younger (Claudio Bisio's on screen daughters) and older character actors, a great soundtrack, a plot like a jigsaw puzzle where all the pieces fit.
You know a great romantic comedy with some drama thrown in (the course of love is not always smooth and a straight line) by the way it builds and builds to the final release or declaration of all that unresolved tension.
Many Kisses Later will not disappoint on this point. It's an engrossing, delightful 120 minute journey that any lover of romantic comedy should love. And like every good/great romantic comedy MKL will stand a lot of repeat viewings and still delight.
Small wonder it was this years 2009 Italian box office champion. Very much an Italian equivalent of the Danish "Italian For Beginners". As part of the soundtrack which included James Blunt and a whole host of others on a cold spring day "it may have been winter but it was spring in my heart" Especially after Many Kisses Later. Hats off (again) to RAI International... in this genre they are very hard to beat
Postscript... for trailers (video on the menu bar), CD tracks here's a link to the films Italian website http://www.ex-ilfilm.com/..enjoy!