Day One – The Imaginary Italian Film Festival – Caos Calmo at the Metropolitan Multisala

Piazza del Popolo

Welcome to day one of our Imaginary Italian Film Festival 2011! You have the day to yourself, but tonight, meet us at Piazza del Popolo at 7:00. It’s a beautiful piazza that is easy to get to – it’s right at the Flaminio stop, line A of the metro. It’s Rome’s largest piazza and the starting point of Via Flaminia, the road to Ariminum (modern Rimini), the most important route to the north. Before the there was a Roma Termini train station it was the traveller’s first view of Rome upon arrival, so it’s a good place to start! When we’re all there, let’s go have a drink. Let’s sit outside – I’m having a campari and soda.

Antico Caffe’ Greco

This area has some great shopping. Piazza del Popolo connects with Piazza Venezia with a long street just filled with great stores – Via del Corso. Half way down Corso is one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world, Via Condotti ( near Piazza di Spagna, the Spanish Steps). So if you are in the mood for a little Gucci, Valentino, or Louis Vuitton, go for it, but save enough money for your theater ticket. In fact, let’s meet for that drink at one of my favorite places on Condotti, Antico Caffe’ Greco. It’s “la dolce vita” kind of cool and a real Roman classic – I saw Martina Stella there!

We’re going to Cinema Metropolitan Multisala right down the street from Piazza del Popolo on Via Del Corso and tonight we’re seeing Nanni Moretti’s Caos Calmo (click here for Netflix instant viewing).Caos Calmo is the story of Pietro, who loses his wife and is faced with raising his little girl by himself.

Unsure of what to do,he starts staying outside in the park all day across from his daughter’s school, keeping watch over her classroom window. “I’ll be here waiting for you”, he reminds her.

Read more here, if you like, and then meet us in the lobby after the show!

After the movie (did you enjoy it?) we’ll go around the corner to via Margutta and have dinner at my favorite vegetarian restaurant Il Margutta. Don’t worry – I’ll let you have meat tomorrow night, but this place is really special. Let’s have a nice meal and talk about the movie. Tomorrow I’m taking you to my favorite movie theater in the city – buona notte!