This first blockbuster in the history of cinema, Cabiria inspired many future filmmakers, including America’s cinema great D.W. Griffith in the making PAID NON-PROFIT of “Birth of a Nation” one year later. POSTAGE U.S. ORGANIZATION PERMIT NO. 3213 SAN FRANCISCO, CA FRANCISCO, SAN The story set in the third century B.C. during the Second Punic War between Carthage and Rome, finds Cabiria (Carolina Catena), a young Roman beauty, abducted by pirates during the confusion caused by the eruption of Mount Etna. What follows are scenes of savage human sacrifice, grandiose sea battles, Hannibal’s triumphant crossing of the Alps, and powerful demonstrations of Herculean strength by Roman slave Maciste (Bartolomeo Pagano).
Produced by Itala-Film of Torino on a record-high budget, the film was an immediate success due to its COM . massive realistic sets, cast of thousands, spectacular 94111 O costumes, and sweeping narrative. Notorious Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio wrote the intertitles in his typical IA sublime, decadent tone. YAHO @ A LIFORN
Director Giovanni Pastrone employed cinematic innovations A long thought to be American such as three-dimensional C • O scenery of monumental proportions, the “carrello” or Samantha Q. Samplington 123 Sample Street 94706 Sampletown, CA mounted camera on a trolley, and diffused lighting.
In one of the crowning achievements of film conservatorship, ERN CALIFORNIA OGIANENINNOC
the National Museum of Cinema through the benefits of FRANCISC H
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advanced technology and newly available historical • AN documentation has fully restored Cabiria with all the M S • NORT CO brilliance of its first screening. Long regarded as lost, T .
Pastrone’s original silent version of the film makes its of West Coast debut at Cinema Piemonte. IONE PIEMONTESI NEL MONDO STREE The screening will be accompanied by an original score written and performed by Maestro Stefano Maccagno
from Torino on the piano. (180 minutes) SSOCIAZ A PIEMONTESINOCA . SACRAMENTO CINEMA PIEMON T E
640 WWW DISCOVER THE FINE FILMS OF THE FIRST FILM CAPITAL OF ITALY Riso Amaro (“Bitter Rice”) is one of the landmark films of the postwar Italian neorealist movement and is noted for Director Davide Ferrario its realistic portrayal of the working declared Dopo Mezzanotte conditions of the female rice workers (“After Midnight”) a or “mondine.” shameless act of love for cinema.” Set in the beau- This lusty masterpiece is set in tiful Mole Antonelliana, the Piedmont rice fields of Vercelli the 550 foot-tall edifice and brilliantly pairs the social that is the symbol of condemnation of the harsh working Torino and which houses conditions with the flaming passions of the National Museum of a Hollywood melodrama. Cinema, the film is a tale of love between Martino, Nominated for an Academy Award a timid night watchman for Best Screenplay, the film follows two thieves Walter and Francesca (Vittorio at the Museum, Amanda, Gassman and Doris Dowling), who an enchanting young after stealing a necklace hide woman hiding from the DOPO MEZZANOTTE –Italy 2003 themselves among the hordes of rice police, and Angelo, a Directed by Davide Ferrario workers arriving for the harvest. Here soft-hearted car thief. Cast: Giorgio Pasotti, Francesca Inaudi, Fabio Troiano they meet Silvana (Silvana Mangano), who is irresistibly attracted by However, the real protagonist is the National Museum of Cinema that envelops this the fascinating and evil Vittorio RISO AMARO –Italy 1949 love triangle in a dreamy atmosphere of silent movies, shadowy illuminations, and Gassman, and Marco (Raf Vallone), Directed by Giuseppe De Santis magical moving walls. (90 minutes) the respectable army sergeant, who Cast: Vittorio Gassman, Silvana Mangano, falls hopelessly for Silvana. The Doris Dowling, Raf Vallone relationships between the four ADMISSION IS FREE AND FILMS ARE PRESENTED TO YOU BY create strong dramatic tensions that ASSOCIAZIONE PIEMONTESI NEL MONDO OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA lead to a tragic finale. (100 minutes) COWELL THEATER, FORT MASON CENTER, SAN FRANCISCO
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Event accessible by public transportation Screenplay, I Compagni (“The Organizer”) All films are subtitled in English is liberal, anti-conformist, and a bit anarchical like its protagonist. In one FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY of his most powerful and extraordinary February 29, 2008 March 1, 2008 March 2, 2008 performances, Marcello Mastroianni 7:00 PM 4:00 PM 4:00 PM portrays the disheveled yet charismatic Introduction to National Introduction and Introduction and Professor Sinigaglia who organizes a group Film Museum–Turin discussion of film discussion of film CABIRIA –Italy 1914–Silent Film–Directed by Giovanni Pastrone of workers to rally for better working First Italian Movie Capital Cast: Bartolomeo Pagano, Carolina Catena, Lidia Quaranta, conditions. Set in a textile factory in turn- 4:30 PM 4:30 PM 7:30 PM Riso Amaro Cabiria Umberto Mozzato of-the-century Torino, this film documents Introduction and one of the first attempts by the working discussion of film 7:30 PM Reception following film class to organize. Its splendid cast Introduction and 8:00 PM discussion of film presents both sides of the argument. Dopo Mezzanotte I COMPAGNI–Italy 1963 8:00 PM Directed by Mario Monicelli Torino is the perfect setting for this Reception following film I Compagni docu-drama due to its important role in the Cast: Marcello Mastroianni, Reception following film Annie Girardot, Renato Salvatori, history of industrial development and Raffaella Carra the working class movement in Italy. The evocative cinematography of Giuseppe SEATING LIMITED – DOORS OPEN 1 HOUR BEFORE THE EVENT Rotunno creates a city emerging from frail daguerreotypes. (128 minutes) Visit www.piemontesinoca.com and www.fortmason.org