As in an old film club, let our teacher guide you in rediscover the most significant works of Italian cinema and the historical and social context in which they were produced.
Two meetings per week in the evening hours, for the duration of three months, and a total of 24 meetings. An presentation by the directors, their works, and guided viewing of one film per lesson.
Italian silent cinema – A great industry, great art
LESSON 1 DANTE’S INFERNO (L’INFERNO), Milano Films, 1911
Fascism and cinema in Italy – The State controls the industry
LESSON 2 THE EDUCATIONAL FILM UNION (L’ISTITUTO LUCE), 1924 – documentaries
The Second World War – Cinema becomes a free interpreter of contemporary history
LESSON 3 ROME, OPEN CITY (ROMA CITTà APERTA), Roberto Rossellini, 1945
LESSON 4 PAISAN (PAISÀ), Roberto Rossellini, 1946
Post-War period – Italy faces reconstruction and rebirth
LESSON 5 BICYCLE THIEVES (LADRO DI BICICLETTE), Vittorio De Sica, 1948
LESSON 6 PATH OF HOPE (IL CAMMINO DELLA SPERANZA), Pietro Germi, 1950
LESSON 7 EUROPE 51 (EUROPA 51), Roberto Rossellini, 1951
LESSON 8 BREAD, LOVE AND DREAMS (PANE, AMORE E FANTASIA), Luigi Comencini, 1953
The economic miracle and Italian comedy – Cinema tells the story of new life
LESSON 9 AN AMERICAN IN ROME (UN AMERICANO A ROMA), Steno, 1954
LESSON 10 BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET (I SOLITI IGNOTI), Mario Monicelli, 1958
LESSON 11 DIVORCE ITALIAN STYLE (DIVORZIO ALL’ITALIANA), Pietro Germi, 1961
LESSON 12 THE MONSTERS (I MOSTRI), Dino Risi, 1963
Genres beyond comedy – Peplum films and spaghetti western
LESSON 13 THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII (GLI ULTIMI GIORNI DI POMPEI), Sergio Leone, 1959
LESSON 14 DJANGO, Sergio Corbucci, 1966
Italian Auteur Cinema
Antonioni: the contemplation of solitude
LESSON 15 RED DESERT (DESERTO ROSSO), Michelangelo Antonioni, 1964
Fellini: the memory, the game, the dream
LESSON 16 LA DOLCE VITA, Federico Fellini, 1960
LESSON 17 ROMA, Federico Fellini, 1972
Pasolini: reinventing cinema from art
LESSON 18 THE DECAMERON (IL DECAMERON), Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1971
LESSON 19 WHAT ARE CLOUDS? (CHE COSA SONO LE NUVOLE?), Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1968
Political cinema – Cinema reflects on the changing present
LESSON 20 HANDS OVER THE CITY (LE MANI SULLA CITTà), Francesco Rosi, 1963
LESSON 21 INVESTIGATION OF A CITIZEN ABOVE SUSPICION (INDAGINE SU UN CITTADINO AL DI SOPRA DI OGNI SOSPETTO), Elio Petri, 1970
LESSON 22 THE MATTEI AFFAIR (IL CASO MATTEI), Francesco Rosi, 1972
Contemporary cinema
LESSON 23 DEAR DIARY (CARO DIARIO), Nanni Morea, 1993
LESSON 24 THE CAIMAN (IL CAIMANO), Nanni Morea, 2006
Start Date:
March 3, 2025
Duration:
2 meetings per week of 2 ½ hours each in the evening
Language:
Italian and English
Class Size:
4 to 10 participants
Level:
Basic
Cost:
€ 600 for 3 months
Minimum age:
16 years